MiLar Design & Build, Inc.

What MiLar Design & Build, Inc. does

MiLar Design & Build, Inc. is a privately held, woman-owned full-service residential design-build firm headquartered in South Pasadena, California, operating under California State Contractor License #1152747. Originally founded in 1985 as JHC Design+Build by Jan Harrington, the company was acquired via majority ownership by Mariana Reis in 2020 and rebranded to MiLar Design & Build (from Portuguese "meu lar," meaning "my home"). The firm serves residential homeowners across Los Angeles County submarkets including Pasadena, South Pasadena, Altadena, Eagle Rock, San Marino, San Gabriel, Highland Park, El Sereno, Mount Washington, Silverlake, Echo Park, and Glassell Park, with non-public, project-based pricing determined per engagement.

MiLar's core product integrates architectural planning, interior design, and licensed general contracting construction under a single contract. The delivery model is structured in two phases: a Design Phase running approximately 10-15 weeks across six design meetings (covering site plans, interior design blueprints, and 3D renderings) and a Build Phase spanning 20-28 weeks handling permitting, job site preparation, and construction with weekly progress meetings and inspection reports. Project management and client communication are executed through the BuilderTrend platform, which provides a client portal for updates, documentation, and inspection reporting. The in-house team of three is supported by approximately 15 trusted trade specialists with 15+ years of tenure plus a separate preferred vendor network with 30+ year relationships.

The business model is project-based professional services revenue, with quote-based pricing tied to scope, floor plans, agreed budgets, and timelines. The go-to-market is direct sales-led: prospects initiate contact via the website, complete a 30-minute introductory call, then an in-person meeting at the project site, with intake handled on a first-come, first-served basis. The company marketing mix is limited to organic channels — website SEO, blog content, an Instagram showcase (@milardesignbuild), and an email newsletter — with no paid acquisition, channel partners, or marketplace presence. Strategic affiliations include USGBC and ASID, signaling commitments to sustainable building practices and interior design industry standards. The firm is privately held with no disclosed funding, no parent company, and no executive team beyond Reis, Office Manager Cal Soriano, and partner architect Ian Kaminski.

Name

MiLar Design & Build, Inc.

Legal name

MiLar Design & Build Inc.

Website

https://milardesignbuild.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MiLar Design & Build is a woman-owned, full-service residential design-build firm in South Pasadena, CA, integrating architectural planning, interior design, and licensed general contracting for remodels, additions, and new construction for homeowners in Los Angeles County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Construction Services

NAICS

Residential Remodelers (236118), Residential Building Construction (23611), Architectural Services (54131)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520), Construction - Special Trade Contractors (1700)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders (IMAFABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential General Contracting (New Build) (IMAFAAAB), Custom Home Building (IMAFABAC)

Keywords

• Residential design build
• Home remodeling services
• General contracting
• Interior design services
• Home additions construction

Headquarters

HQ city

South Pasadena

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Design & Build Services: Project-based professional services and construction fees for residential remodels, additions, and new construction. Revenue generated through architectural plans, interior design, construction management, and full build-out services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

MiLar Design & Build is a full-service residential design-build agency that combines architectural planning, interior design, and licensed general contracting construction under one contract. The firm delivers residential remodels, home additions, and new construction through a six-meeting design phase followed by a managed build phase, with an in-house team of three and a long-tenured network of licensed trade subcontractors serving Los Angeles County homeowners.

Product overview

MiLar Design & Build is a full-service design-build agency offering a unified product combining residential remodel design and licensed general contractor construction services. The core offering, Design & Build Services, integrates two sequential phases: the Design Phase (covering site plans, interior design blueprints, and 3D renderings over six design meetings) and the Build Phase (managing permits, construction, and final walkthrough). Additional service modules include Architectural Plans, Construction Services spanning 15+ trade specialties, and Interior Design. The company operates exclusively in residential remodels and home additions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Design & Build Services Full-service residential design and build agency offering comprehensive remodels, home additions, and new construction. Combines architectural planning (site plans, interior design blueprints, 3D renderings) with licensed general contracting construction under one contract, delivered to homeowners in Los Angeles County.
• Interior Design Services Interior design services limited to items pertaining to construction, including materials and product selection, and case-by-case interior design furnishings offerings, for residential clients in Los Angeles County.

Quantifiable outcome

• 16-24 week typical construction timeline
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliation with USGBC demonstrated through logo display on company website, indicating commitment to sustainable building practices and green building principles.
• ASID (American Society of Interior Designers)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliation with ASID shown through logo display, indicating professional membership and adherence to interior design industry standards.
• BuilderTrendcoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline project management tool used for communication among subcontractors, team members, and office staff. Provides client portal for regular updates, weekly progress meetings, and project documentation.
• Preferred Vendors NetworkminorOthersDedicated team of about 15 crew members from various trades that have worked with the company for over 15 years. Separate list of preferred vendors working with company for over 30 years.
• Ian Kaminski (Architect)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExperienced architect who honed craft in Los Angeles, specializing in residential design. Partnered with owner Mariana to provide all-inclusive design-build experience for clients.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Synergy Design & Construction: LA-based design-build firm offering full-service residential remodels and additions with in-house design and construction capabilities. Directly comparable geography, service mix, and design-build integration.
• Westside Remodeling: Los Angeles-area design-build remodeler for kitchens, baths, and whole-home renovations. Operates in the same LA County geography as MiLar with an overlapping customer base of residential homeowners.
• Murray Lampert Design & Build: California-based design-build firm focused on home remodels and additions with a similar single-source design + construction model. Comparable in client segment, service scope, and project-based residential delivery.
• BOWA: Premier design-build remodeling firm specializing in high-end home renovations and additions. Operates an integrated design-construction model with strong process discipline, directly comparable to MiLar's full-service value proposition at a larger scale.
• Regency Design + Build: Residential design-build firm offering integrated architectural design and construction services for remodels and additions. Comparable in product offering, integrated process, and homeowner target customer.
• CaseDesign/Remodeling: Established design-build remodeling firm with multi-location presence and a structured design-build delivery process. Compares closely to MiLar across integrated services, residential-only focus, and consultative client engagement.

Broad incumbents

• Toll Brothers: National luxury homebuilder with design studio capabilities and custom home offerings. A broad incumbent in residential construction/remodeling targeting affluent homeowners, similar to MiLar's customer profile but at fundamentally different scale.
• Power Home Remodeling: Large multi-product residential remodeling company with national scale serving homeowners across exterior, window, and interior renovations. A broader incumbent in the same residential remodeling category where MiLar competes.

Others

• BuilderTrend: SaaS project management platform used by MiLar and many other residential remodelers and builders. Adjacent technology provider in the design-build/remodeling ecosystem rather than a direct competitor.
• Houzz: Leading homeowner platform connecting residential remodelers with prospective clients via pro directories, photos, and lead generation. Functions as an indirect channel/ecosystem participant that influences MiLar's customer acquisition environment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/milardesignbuild
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/milardesignbuild

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MiLar Design & Build, Inc.