MOSMAN LIVING
MILEHAM is turning houses into dream homes
Published: June 28, 2022, on Mosman Living
Community and family is at the heart of MILEHAM, a Mosman-based architectural design and construction business turning bland houses into beautiful homes.
As the world ground to a halt when COVID-19 emerged in March 2020, architect and builder James Pilcher took the opportunity to realise his dream to start his own business designing and building beautiful homes.
He had already designed and built his first property in the picturesque Hunter Valley, and chose its street name “Mileham” to be the name of his new venture. Fast forward just a few years and MILEHAM is an in-demand architecture, construction, and property development firm based in Mosman, with clients from all over the North Shore.
“COVID-19 was the fire underneath my seat that got me going without a backup plan, but I knew people would benefit from our knowledge of both design and construction when planning their dream homes,” James says.
The secret to their quick success is likely James’ hands-on approach – and perhaps his approachability as well. “I like to be involved in the actual creation, the home being built and being involved the whole way through,” he says.
“We live, breathe, and work in our communities. And we’re approachable, so if you see us in the line-up at the coffee shop, let’s have a chat!” he says.
which he says is a point of difference for MILEHAM compared to other architecture and design firms.
“We are bringing two hats to the table, the architect and the builder too, and we have the practical knowledge to be collaborative from the beginning,” he adds.
The pandemic has brought new challenges for MILEHAM, and the industry as a whole. This in turn has affected clients, but James believes in being up front about expectations and time frames.
“We offer a consistency for the client, meaning they only deal with one party from the start to the end with no risk of loss of project knowledge at the typical handover stage from Architect to Builder. We provide extensive knowledge and an industry understanding that makes for a successful project and experience for all parties,” he says.
James also knows what it’s like to renovate with a family, as he recently extensively renovated his own home in Lane Cove North. The once dark and dated Californian bungalow is now a 5 bedroom, light filled property exuding a ‘Hamptons Luxe’ interior style.
Now he’s set to do it all over again. The Pilcher family are about to embark on a brand new build in Bilgola Plateau, that will make the most of a huge, beautiful 50 year old magnolia tree as a feature in the backyard.
Learning so much along way, James often reflects on that first project in the Hunter Valley, which is surprisingly the type of build that’s becoming more and more popular in our area.
“It was unique, in that it was a three bedroom home and granny flat under the one roof. A great solution for families looking to include an elderly family member in their care, or provide a teenage retreat for students ready for their own space but not able to afford their own home,” James explained.
“I’ve come a long way from that house in a suburban street in a regional area, but at MILEHAM we’re seeing more and more requests for these types of renovations from our clients.”
James and his team at MILEHAM believe in creating residential properties of exceptional quality, elegance and style, and include houses, townhouses, and apartments in their portfolio. MILEHAM offers a complimentary consultation for 30 minutes to discuss your residential renovation, new build, knock down rebuild or property development, and answer any questions you may have.
