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Abbie Krall, owner and general contractor of KD Elite Homes, doesn’t just deal in dreams—she makes them a reality. However, she’s in rare air. There are still relatively few female contractors in the trades, but instead of that being the defining theme of KD Elite Homes, Abbie is more interested in being known by her results.
“I didn’t enter this industry to stand out,” she explains. “I entered it because I belong here. My story as a contractor isn’t about being a woman in the trades. It’s about falling in love with the craft.”
KD Elite Homes, the team-up of Abbie and her director of operations, Paige Krause, is a one-stop shop for your construction and renovation needs. Servicing the Windsor-Essex region, Abbie expertly guides clients from the early planning stages right through to the finished space, creating homes that are both functional and personalized to the needs of each family.
“A home isn’t just wood, pipe, and wire,” Abbie states. “It’s where life happens.” Abbie emphasizes strong communication with her clients throughout the renovation process. With the goal of turning their hopes and dreams into reality, she works closely with her customers to understand their needs and their goals, explain their options, while also helping them make informed decisions about materials, layout, and features. “We aren’t just completing a job, we’re building trust,” she adds. “We take their dreams and help make them a reality—but also help it make sense.”
KD Elite Homes can manage most aspects of a renovation or build. These services include the demolition of existing spaces, framing new layouts or removing walls, drywall installation and finishing, tiling, trim and mouldings, coordinating plumbing, electrical, and HVAC through trusted subcontractors like Chris Wismer Plumbing, Classic Electric, and Marques Design Co, and, ultimately, help homeowners make the right design choices that balance both style and budget, with a focus on creating spaces that feel personal and meaningful.
“No two homes are the same; no cookie-cutter thinking,” says Abbie. “When homeowners go from disliking their home to feeling like it’s a breath of fresh air—that’s the biggest satisfaction.”
Abbie has always been drawn to working with her hands and enjoys the process of building and transforming spaces. Her career began about 12 years ago, starting with framing. Over the years, she developed an interest in seeing projects through from start to finish, not just building the structure, but completing the full renovation process. “I entered this industry because I knew I was meant to work with my hands,” she recalls. “I went from starting at framing to jumping into the renovation side of things. I wanted to see the whole transition of what the home will turn into.”
Getting into the trades, “you have to put in the effort to find someone who’s going to teach you,” explains Abbie. “Find a good teacher and ask questions. Even if they seem like stupid questions, ask the question, because it’s the only way you’re going to learn.”
Abbie is cognizant that, as a woman contractor, she is in rare air in a male-dominated industry. However, she isn’t interested in letting it define her. “I want to be known for the work I do, not just because I’m a female in the trade. Trades shouldn’t be gendered. They are skills; they are crafts. We’re stepping into a new generation where a job is a job—it doesn’t matter the gender.”
“I just wanted to make my own company to prove that I can do it on my own,” she explains. “I thought I was good enough, so I gave myself the opportunity.” That is what she did. She engaged herself, she learned, she implemented, and she evolved. “I didn’t walk into it thinking I was doing something uncommon for women, I walked into it because building felt natural to me—creating something that protects a family from winter, rain, and heat felt meaningful.”
Abbie’s hard work, learning her craft, creating her own start-up, and succeeding in a male-dominated field is a testament to her dedication and passion, showing that old stereotypes don’t have to shape our outcomes.
