From NYC Editor to North Country Contractor

It’s 2022 Women in Construction Week, and that means I’m shifting my role from behind-the-scenes at our company to the spotlight. If you know me, you know I love center stage ;). Even more so to empower women, promote construction, and keep pushing for inclusivity in our industry. I’m Darcie Burroughs, co-owner and backbone of Steel Pines in Edinburg, NY. Read on about my construction journey and where Steel Pines is today because of, well, girl power.

In 2015, Mark and I decided to start a business. Have you ever gone through the process of registering an LLC in NY State? I don’t recommend doing it alone lol. Thanks to LegalZoom and a lot of research (and cursing), we became Steel Pines, LLC. I was still living in Brooklyn working full-time in publishing, Mark was working full-time commercial construction in the Albany area, but we dipped our toes into some local sawmill and custom build work in our spare time.

Fast forward to moving upstate, getting married, having a baby, and oh, that two+ year pandemic that’s going on… our lives drastically changed. COVID-19 was the catalyst for us to go full-time with Steel Pines. Mark wanted to be closer to home, I was so happy to see him lose the three-hour commute, and honestly, there was (and still is) a lack of contractors in our area. The demand for Mark’s talent and my business mind was there. I knew I could learn as I went. So, we sent it.

My construction education started with Mark. He made sure I learned the best way possible, by doing. When building an addition on our home, I worked on foundation prep (on a ledge rock the size of our home), shoveling dirt, building wall footings, drilling rebar into rock. We installed the floor joists together, teetering 12ft above the ground like tightrope walkers. I remember the day after installing insulation in our new bedroom walls, I found out I was pregnant. Soon after I switched from labor (in the field, not the delivery room!) to office, taking Intro to Construction Estimating and Blueprint Reading courses to round out my new skills.

Being a woman in the construction industry is challenging. Truly, being a woman in any industry is challenging. We can face obstacles like gender bias, pay gaps, and lack of proper paid family leave. But I am seeing a huge cultural shift in our industry, and our rural area. I’m no longer “one of the guys” when I talk shop about joists or soffits. I am just Darcie. It doesn’t matter if I’m helping load a lumber order or running payroll, I feel respected by my peers, men and women.

I’m constantly inspired by women in the field and the office and want to help tell the story of how women can thrive in the construction industry. There are so many opportunities, find your niche in residential or commercial work, admin positions, project management, or skilled labor. The Hammerstone School near Ithaca, NY is a brilliant place for women to learn trades from other women. I’m currently in a full-time position at STACK Construction Technologies, a preconstruction cloud-based software company, working in marketing. You can be on the job site or in front of a laptop, or, like me sometimes, both!

Since July 2020, our Norwood Sawmill HD36 has sawed over 120,000 board feet, 200+ blade changes, an engine replacement, and about seven dump truck loads of sawdust cleared from underneath. We have upgraded our equipment with a Kubota KX40, flatbed equipment trailer, Honda Pioneer side-by-side, and Featherlite enclosed job trailer. Our carpentry tools got a facelift, and most importantly, we added two incredible employees who have grown and expanded their talents - Frank Agosta and Austin Bigec. We have built custom garages, decks, renovated kitchens, upgraded high-end bathrooms, and built timber frame homes. 2022 is lined up with new custom home builds and plenty of renovations. It feels damn good to be rich, not financially (as any contractor knows), but in the feeling of success and progress.

A part of me likes pushing boundaries. Making change. Being loud in an underrepresented industry. The other part seriously enjoys the work I’m doing, at Steel Pines, at STACK, as a wife, as a mom. We may have a son, but I sure as hell will teach him, and show him, that Mama can do anything Dad can.

#wicweek #wicweek2022 #womeninconstructionweek2022

Steel Pines Featured in Saratoga Living Magazine

We are incredibly thankful to be featured in the current design issue of Saratoga Living Magazine! This is exciting timing for us as we kick off Women in Construction Week 2022 (more to come!).

Check out our article online or grab the issue... we even got a tagline on the cover!

Five Signs You Have a Great Contractor (AKA Steel Pines)

Great Communication

Nothing great gets done without proper communication. You expect to have your calls and emails answered in a timely manner, and we will do just that. Not only is Mark in the field picking up calls when he can, Darcie is available in the office tracking client requests and making sure we stay on top of answering questions. We are homeowners too, and understand the heart and soul (and savings) our customers put into their homes. 

Honesty

One of the most important qualities in business is honesty. Being transparent with customers is how contractors build a good reputation. Organized estimates, clearly defined contracts, and proof of insurance is just part of being honest. Trust is key, and if you don’t have that with your builder then you risk being taken advantage of. At Steel Pines, we have strong references to share and great reviews because we know the importance of honesty and building great relationships with our homeowners.

Highly Organized

No one wants their property to look like a war zone of screws, trash, tools, or materials at the end of the day. A good contractor will keep the job site super organized, not only for efficiency in production but also for safety. We make sure materials are stacked, tools are put away, and debris is removed, DAILY! If your job site looks good, we look good.

Experienced

Would you trust big brands like Google and Apple if they were run by interns? Neither would we. A good contractor has years of experience, an unmatched skill set, learns and grows from mistakes, and continues to educate themselves on current building trends and technologies. Mark’s +20 years of experience in the construction industry has molded him into a highly sought-after general contractor, as he specializes in everything from masonry to structural framing to detailed interior finishing. Darcie has +15 years experience in production and project management for high-profile jobs, bringing her organizational, business management, and content producing skills to Steel Pines. We love what we do and we love to adapt with industry changes!

Super Reputation

Can you find your contractor on Google? Listed in a county newspaper? Named from asking locals? If you answered no, RUN! A great contractor will have a footprint, the locals will rave about them, and you’ll be able to find their website or Facebook page from a quick search. At Steel Pines we have five-star reviews, repeat customers, and a buzzworthy reputation in our community. Give us a call to start your next dream project!

How Steel Pines Uses Sustainable Sawmill Practices

The logging and sawmill industries have played a crucial role in shaping the landscape, economy, and culture of the Adirondacks. There is rich history here. One trip to the Adirondack Experience Museum in Blue Mountain Lake will give you an immersive education in logging and milling, and you’ll leave wondering how the hell men walked on floating logs down the Hudson River.

Thankfully today there are less death-defying processes in place to get logs onto our sawmill, but we are conscious of the impact on forestry and the footprint we leave too. Nobody is perfect, but we do our part in using sustainable practices and resources as much as we can.

85% of the logs that arrive on our landing come from a 50 mile radius of our home. We buy from local loggers, which boosts the local economy and reduces the carbon footprint of the mill operations. If we are using that milled lumber to build for a customer, it is always local. A great sustainable practice!

Red pines

Sawdust for days!

Stickers stacked between shiplap to help dry the lumber.

Bountiful garden thanks to our carbon filled compost!

As for by-products and waste, we make sure our mill operators are experienced, limiting bad cuts and inaccurate grading. If we do have bad cuts, we saw them to make stickers (1”x1” pieces of wood used to stack for air drying lumber). The pine slash (or wood scraps) is utilized as bio-energy as much as possible at our business and in the community. From fueling our burn pits to providing wood for a neighbor’s outdoor boiler, the slash does not go to waste. The sawdust is even a wonderful carbon meal for our compost pile. And any hardwood slash is cut and split for our own wood stove to heat our home!

We care about our community, we care about the Adirondack Park, and we care about our customers. Give us a call to work with us on your new build! 518-528-2266.

Let There be (Sun)Light

Our “pandemic project” over the past year and a half has been our monitor style post and beam horse barn. It’s dubbed the “Taj Mahal of Horse Barns” by friends in our equine community. A palace, per se, for our horse and future ruminants we’ll add to our mountain top farm. One of the challenges we face living so rural is bringing utilities to new structures, especially with property on a ledgerock the size of a football field. The Adirondacks is not an easy place to build in, but it is absolutely fabulous to live in, so we get clever!

We recently installed an off-grid solar kit to power the barn. It is 100% independent from our local utility company and any extra power we make gets saved into our batteries for later use. The 6,000 watt, 48 volts system powers our lights, livestock fencing and future well-pump. It was a surprisingly straightforward system to install. One of the best parts of the kit is that the six panels are inconspicuous. They are barely visible, blending in well with the charcoal metal roofing. A rarity since most solar panels are bulky eyesores.

Many thanks to our electrician Mark Wagner, owner of NBS Electrical Contractors, for installing and wiring the equipment, lights, and outlets. NBS is one of our go-to subcontractors for exceptional quality electrical work for our customers. We love supporting family owned businesses, like our own! 

We are excited to be using sustainable, renewable energy to power our barn. With our expertise, experience, and resources, we can build you the home (or horse barn) of your dreams with its own solar kit! Give us a call at 518-528-2266.

A Sustainable Post and Beam Home

From farm to table? More like from tree to home! This post and beam home build in Day, NY is the poster child of sustainability. 80% of the lumber being used to build this house was milled by us from local pine, most of which was logged from the property itself! Talk about minimal carbon footprint.

Here are some progress photos of the build thus far with @Split Spruce Custom Carpentry, LLC. Our favorite pic is of the saddle notch in the post of the ridge beam. Craftsmanship at its finest!

#sustainablebuilding

2021 National Construction Appreciation Week

We couldn’t operate our small business without the wit, hard work and great attitude our team puts into every project we do. Surround yourself with greatness and you’ll be great. Frank Agosta and Austin Bigec have been with us from the beginning, ripping shiplap, screwing roofing panels, framing walls, milling custom lumber orders, you name it. The word “skilled” is not lightly used around here, but we have an incredibly skilled and talented team that we APPRECIATE! We are so lucky to have Frank and Austin as part of our business, and our family.

Construction is not an easy trade. There are long days and aching muscles. Imagine using your brain for geometry and physics while also lifting a 10ft beam over your head? That’s why we are beyond grateful for our lead man (and my husband), Mark Burroughs. Mark’s determination, drive and friendly smile make our growing business flourish. He will give the shirt off his back to a stranger, and go the extra mile for our customers. Give these great men a good, strong handshake next time you see them.

#ThanksForBuilding #NationalConstructionAppreciationWeek #ibuildamerica

Woodn't You Know Wednesday: Why You Should Consider Shiplap

Beautiful barn used for a wedding venue with shiplap interior walls.

Shiplap is a type of wooden board that has a groove cut into the top and bottom, which allows a snug fit (the joint that connects the boards) with a tight seal. Originally used to waterproof ships, its practical effectiveness against the elements proved useful on barns, sheds, and rustic buildings. Five years ago Joanna Gaines made these boards trendy, as shiplap was her go-to material for interior design in HGTV’s Fixer Upper.

At Steel Pines, we have most recently used shiplap in the construction of horse barn run-ins, cabin renovations and shed exteriors. Since the pandemic began, the price of plywood has skyrocketed. We are seeing customers turn to traditional shiplap to replace plywood for a more affordable and better looking building alternative for interiors and exteriors. 

Rough cut shiplap details in a horse barn run-in.

As a custom construction and sawmill company, we are able to complete your shiplap project from start to finish, or mill a custom order for you to DIY. Our rough cut boards are milled from local timbers, so choose Steel Pines and support a local, sustainable, and family-owned business! Call us today at 518-528-2266.

Entryway with shiplap walls.

Reclaimed barn wood shiplap exterior siding.

Adding to a History of Sawmills in Edinburg, NY

Did you know that sawmills are part of Edinburg's (NY) 200+ year history? The original mills operated on steam engines and waterwheels that would power the saws. Imagine?!

We are very proud of our town's history and tickled by the fact that today our Norwood Portable Sawmill sits down the road from where these mills used to run. Thankfully gasoline and hydraulic systems have been invented since, making milling more efficient and productive .

Contact us for your custom lumber orders and live edge wood slabs.