At the beginning of Paige Aubin’s career, all she wanted was an opportunity to prove herself. Now, with a background spanning over 30 years in the construction industry, Paige has defied the odds and forged her own path.
She started in the automotive field and found herself working for a small abatement company shortly thereafter.
“I want to be out in the field. I want to learn how to estimate and manage projects,” she remembers telling the owners of the company. And to her surprise, they gave her an opportunity.
Paige vividly recalls being the only woman on jobsites and having to develop a thick skin. However, this adversity only fueled her determination to succeed and pave the way for more women in the field.
These days, she is Paige Construction’s CEO and President. As the firm’s founder and leader, Paige has built a successful environmental company that provides a range of services, including asbestos, lead, mold remediation, construction site cleaning, select demolition, degreasing, and, most recently, fire-stopping.
Celebrating 10 Years of Resilience and Growth
This year marks a significant milestone for Paige Construction, as the Detroit, Michigan-based company celebrates its 10th anniversary. Paige reflects on the journey with a sense of pride, having navigated the challenges of the initial years when many businesses were hesitant to work with a new company. The company’s resilience was especially put to the test during the COVID-19 pandemic, but Paige made the bold decision not to lay off any team members. Instead, Paige Construction pivoted to become an essential service by cleaning COVID-19 sites and using its expertise in environmental remediation.
“We were going to use our environmental knowledge and our respirator suits because abatement contractors already clean the unknown,” she explains. “We’re cleaning asbestos, we’re cleaning lead, so we started to clean COVID sites. That’s what launched us from being just an abatement contractor into a cleaning contractor.”
This adaptability and commitment to her team have been hallmarks of Paige’s leadership style.
Raising the Bar in the Cleaning Industry
While Paige Construction started as an environmental remediation company, the COVID-19 pandemic opened new opportunities to showcase the company’s expertise in handling hazardous materials and following strict protocols. This positioned it as a leader in the cleaning space – particularly in cleanroom/dry room cleaning.
Over the last 10 years, Paige Construction has taken on projects ranging from $200,000 up to $1.3 million for clients like DTE, Henry Ford Health System, and the Book Tower renovation project in Detroit. The firm also performed asbestos abatement on underground pipes for the Gordie Howe International Bridge. Despite being a small business, Paige Construction has left an oversized impact through its team-focused culture and environmental professionalism.
One of the firm’s standout projects with Barton Malow was the General Motors Wallace Battery Cell Innovation Center in Warren, Michigan. The team excelled in ISO-7 cleanroom cleaning, earning recognition from both GM and Barton Malow. Another notable project was the Book Tower in Detroit, where the company’s exceptional cleaning work during the historic building’s renovation led to numerous letters of recommendation.
“There are a lot of abatement companies, but there’s not that many cleaning companies,” she says. “We hold a different standard, and that’s what separates us from everybody else.”
Mentorship, Diversity, and Giving Back
Paige’s dedication to the industry extends beyond her company’s success. She actively serves on boards for the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) and the ACE Mentor Program, focusing on fundraising efforts to provide scholarships for students pursuing careers in construction.
Recognizing the value of mentorship in her own journey, Paige has built relationships with industry veterans, including several Barton Malow team members, who have guided her through various aspects of business ownership. She was also part of the inaugural cohort of the Motor City Contractor Fund (MCCF), a program that provided her with business coaching, technical assistance, access to capital, and executive mentorship.
As a woman-owned and WBENC-certified company, Paige Construction is committed to fostering diversity and inclusion within its workforce. Paige herself acknowledges the unique challenges faced by women in traditionally male-dominated fields and strives to create an environment where every voice is heard and respected.
Looking Toward the Future
With the implementation of fire-stopping services, Paige Construction is poised for continued growth and diversification. The company’s long-term goals include streamlining digital processes, investing in professional development, and exploring new avenues for expansion, such as groundskeeping services.
Reflecting on her journey, Paige’s advice to others is simple yet profound:
“Get mentors. Surround yourself with people you can trust. Understand that there will be times when you might feel like you’re failing, but you have to be able to brush yourself off and come back,” she explains. “And don’t be afraid. Fear is what stops a lot of people from moving forward. If I were afraid, I wouldn’t be here today.”
As Paige Construction embarks on its next chapter, the company is well-positioned with future service offerings spanning the full construction lifecycle from upfront environmental work to the final cleaning. With adaptability as a core strength and Paige’s passion for mentoring future trades workers, Paige Construction is forging an impressive legacy in Detroit’s construction industry.
