Prospective homebuyers visiting the website of award-winning Vicky’s Homes are greeted by a sleek, modern design of edgy black and greys punctuated with vibrant pink accents. “Built by man. Designed by a woman” is the company’s tagline, and the woman behind it is Vicky Kujundzic.
“Pink is not my favourite colour,” Kujundzic says, “but I intentionally use it as my branded colour to emphasize that the company is run by a woman.”
With 25 years of experience in building and renovating custom homes, she remains actively engaged in every phase of the process, from client consultations, to helping capture clients’ wants and needs into their new home designs, to overseeing some material selections, and to ensuring the highest standards of quality throughout. It is special in this industry for the owner of a company to personally answer the phone, but she prides herself on being directly involved in every aspect of the business, ensuring a personalized and hands-on experience for every client.
For Kujundzic, the personalized and attentive service that Vicky’s Homes offers is one of the company’s key differentiators. She’s approachable and buoyantly cheerful, but don’t let that mislead you into thinking she had an easy break into the industry: Her story is one of determination and grit, and she continues to tackle new ground.
From classroom to construction
Like many builders, Kujundzic’s first project was her own home. Before her second career as a builder, she was a junior high school teacher – a job she truly enjoyed in the early days. When she achieved the milestone of securing a full-time teaching contract, her next goal was to build a home for herself that was unique.
“I wanted something that was my own – I didn’t want my home to look like every third home on the street,” Kujundzic reminisces, reflecting on her decision to sketch her own floorplan and bring it to builders to find someone who could make it happen. Instead, she grew frustrated when those she met didn’t want to deviate from their available plans and colour palettes.
Determined, she began her foray into the industry. “I thought, you know what, I’m not stupid. I’ll figure this out myself,” Kujundzic recalls in an easy-going tone. “I didn’t have anyone to give me advice or show me the ropes, so I learned things the hard way, but that’s okay.”
She acted as general contractor for her first home, hired the trades, took courses and seminars, and learned from the ground up. While the process would have been daunting for many and likely not something most amateurs would want to repeat, Kujundzic caught the building bug and wanted to do it again.
“I started building houses on the side while I was teaching,” she says. “It was kind of a hobby… it was such a gratifying experience going from looking at my sketch to seeing a beautiful, completed home. It was like a piece of art.” While she loved teaching, she felt the profession was changing; teachers were receiving less and less support in navigating student challenges. And while this was happening, her passion for building grew, as did her family. Eventually, what began as a hobby transformed into a full-time career, encouraged by her supportive husband, Todd. “He encouraged me to quit teaching and go into home building full time.” After having her third child, she did.
Overcoming gender bias
The path to success often comes with hurdles, and as a woman working in a male-dominated industry, Kujundzic had an added test. Early on, clients would ask if her husband (who didn’t work in the industry at all) was going to join them in meetings. Within the industry, she encountered resistance and even hostility from some male builders.
Kujundzic joined her local association in Edmonton to be able to compete in its housing awards program. She reasoned that winning an award would give her some added clout with customers to help offset the gender bias. When she did win and came back from accepting the trophy during the awards dinner, she had food maliciously thrown at her back. Later that evening, she says her show home was vandalized by someone in a suit and tie, which even the police were surprised to see when watching the security footage.
Historically, women were often quiet about such injustices, because the unfortunate reality was that if they told someone, they would be further stereotyped as being “difficult” or not able to take a joke.
For Kujundzic, the sexism she experienced in the earlier days of her career only fuelled her determination and competitive nature. “I’m a fighter. I love a challenge,” she says. And there were some male allies who were supportive along the way, notably her drywall subcontractor. He offered guidance, suggestions and encouragement, and Kujundzic still works with his company 25 years later.
These days, gender discrimination in the industry has gotten much better, Kujundzic says, and she encourages young women who have a passion for the industry to pursue it fearlessly. “Don’t give up when things get hard,” she advises. “Face challenges with optimism; you have to be positive and you have to believe in yourself.”
A legacy of excellence
Now operating with a team of six, Vicky’s Homes specializes in custom homes and also offers large-scale renovations. The company prides itself on delivery of a boutique, personalized experience to clients. “We provide the white glove service,” Kujundzic says, highlighting a commitment to being with clients every step of the way.
Knowing how important clear communication is, she makes herself available to clients directly, and her company uses an online client portal to keep track of clients’ product and finishing selections, and construction timelines, which get updated with daily progress so homeowners can follow along at any time, even if they’re out of town.
Kujundzic’ s approach to homebuilding not only sets her apart in the market but the homes themselves resonate with clients seeking spaces that reflect their values and lifestyles. “Women know what women need,” she says confidently, emphasizing the importance of functionality in design without sacrificing the “wow” factor.
The homes also strike a chord with housing awards judges. After the first local win, Vicky’s Homes continues to rack up local, provincial and national awards. They’ve been finalists 96 times and won 47 awards. In addition to having great floorplans, the homes are characterized by large windows, modern lines, unique architectural details and lighting, and plenty of curb appeal.
On the horizon
As they once helped rebuild Fort McMurray, Vicky’s Homes is also working to rebuild Jasper after the devastating wildfire last summer. The company has experience now in helping its clients navigate the process. Kujundzic explains that in addition to booking hotel space, work camps will be set up just outside of the town so that tradespeople coming from elsewhere have a place to stay while the rebuilding happens. They’re hoping to break ground this summer.
The houses the company builds in Jasper will likely be much smaller than the luxury mansions Vicky’s Homes typically builds in Edmonton. Designing functional floorplans with reduced square footage while following new architectural guidelines in Jasper will be a new challenge for Kujundzic, but she’s
ready for it. “The fire was so devastating. I’m excited to be part of something that can
give the residents something to look
forward to.”
Although she’s now a seasoned builder, Kujundzic is still excited about what the future holds, and Vicky’s Homes continues to evolve, adapting to trends and client needs.
One area of focus is designing homes for aging in place and multi-generational living. “Almost every house we design now has a main floor den that can be converted to a bedroom with its own bathroom,” she says, reflecting the changing needs of modern families.
With 25 years at the helm of Vicky’s Homes, Kujundzic’s commitment to quality and superior care for her clients has positioned her company firmly in the luxury market. As her passion for home building and design continues to grow, one thing remains constant: Her dedication to building not just homes, but lasting relationships and a legacy of excellence. As Kujundzic sums up her philosophy, “If they can dream it, we’ll build it.”
Fast facts
Company Name: Vicky’s Homes
Head Office: Edmonton
Number of Full-Time Employees: 6
Approx. Gross Revenue: $12M-$21M
Projects per year: 6-12
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