In an industry dominated by men, builder Kris White has worked for over a century rebuilding homeowners’ experience with construction. White founded Broad Builders in 2012 and combines her engineering background with a client-focused philosophy that emphasizes communication, transparency and long-term relationships.

White’s interest in building began early in high school and grew further when she attended Auburn University. 

“[My interest] really started in high school, where I spent a lot of my free time drawing, especially architectural drawings,” White said. “After my first year in architecture at Auburn, I realized I didn’t want to move into computer drawing and CAD systems, so I switched to civil engineering and focused on structural engineering.”

Early on in her pursuit of a building career, White was already placed in environments with few other women. She said her classes were predominantly male populated, which led to feelings of isolation.

“I’ve always known it was a male-dominated field, as soon as I started taking class it was obvious,” White said. “In the civil engineer curriculum, there were about 40 guys and only one other girl besides me. We studied more intensely and ended up with better grades, so eventually the guys stopped studying with us. It really felt like it was just the two of us against the other students in the program.”

After gaining her undergraduate degree at Auburn, White continued her education at the Georgia Institute of Technology, earning a master’s degree in environmental engineering. The gender imbalance remained the same, but White said it didn’t discourage her from the field. 

“It was still very male-dominated at Tech,” White said. “But it’s just how my brain works. I’m very engineering-oriented and very number-oriented, so I was drawn to it regardless of the pressures.” 

White then worked in Europe for 11 years with a clothing company. After returning to the United States, she decided to go back to her construction roots. She worked with a male project manager and was influenced to start her own business to bridge the gaps she saw while working under him. 

“I saw a need to fulfill a gap within the industry,” White said. “Working as a project manager, I saw so many issues through most male contractor approaches in general, it was very plan-based and not with heart. As a female, I felt I would approach construction differently, and so I decided to start my company in 2012.” 

Broad Builders focuses on residential renovations and custom home projects around Atlanta and emphasizes communication and education through the building process. 

“Construction can be very transactional and not very nurturing,” White said. “My goal is to change people’s perception of contractors one project at a time.”

This nurturing aspect stands out to customers and differentiates White even before homeowners start working with her. Allison Delmedico, mother of Midtown freshman Sloane Delmedico, said that when her family was looking for builders, White’s response immediately stood out. 

“Other builders would just respond with quotes and numbers in a one or two-page overview estimate, but White’s was a seven-page detailed explanation of what we were in for,” Delmedico said. “She was extremely responsive, and so when we chose her, we were very confident in our build and her abilities.” 

Atlanta homeowner Stacy Hund said White’s business doesn’t feel transactional at all. 

“She told us she wanted to help people understand the construction process because a lot of homeowners don’t know much about it,” Hund said. “It never felt like it was just about making money — it felt like she really wanted to share her knowledge.” 

Part of White’s approach is called “construction therapy,” a process where clients are guided through all of the decisions that come with renovating or building a home. Rather than just giving options, White said she is focused on explaining each step of the process so homeowners feel confident in their choices. 

“When you educate people about the construction process, it holds contractors to a high level of accountability,” White said. “They have to explain what they’re doing and why they’re charging certain things.” 

For many homeowners, the decisions involved in construction can be overwhelming. Delmedico said White’s guidance helped simplify the process for her family during their project.

“We made thousands and thousands of decisions during the home-building process,” Delmedico said. “Kris really helped guide us through all of that, especially because we had no idea what we were doing.” 

Through Broad Builders, White said she tries to establish long-term relationships with every homeowner she works with. 

“We really develop a partnership through the process,” White said. “I’ve had clients call me up two, or even four years later when they need another renovation or update.”

Hund said that the level of communication and transparency stood out compared to her past experiences with other building companies. 

“My family has worked with Kris on two projects since 2015,” Hund said. “She is very knowledgeable and great at looking at the big picture. My husband and I clicked with her immediately. With builders we worked with before Kris, there wasn’t always a lot of transparency, especially around price. But Kris is very honest and clear about everything.”

White runs Broad Builders as a one-woman operation, remaining the primary point of contact for clients through the project. This structure keeps her closely involved in each project and allows for consistent communication with homeowners.  

“I want my clients to feel like they can always call me,” White said. “A lot of people say they never want to work with their contractor again, but I live in the same community as many of my clients. I see them at events, at the grocery store — and I want that relationship to be a positive one.”