Who we are

McMillan - Design Build was founded in 2008 by industry veteran Michael McMillan, whose 20 +year construction career is proven, having built great projects like schools, church facilities and many of Charlotte’s unique luxury homes and renovations. With our in-house Architectural Designer, McMillan - Design Build offers a one stop shop for our clients to receive full Architectural planning from conceptual designs to construction documents in conjunction with pre-construction estimations, value engineering, site assessments and feasibility studies. Visit our Design Build Services page for full descriptions of wow we can help bring your project to life.

To us, quality is as much about what is seen as it is about what is unseen. It’s easy to notice our attention to detail, quality of design and outstanding workmanship. Behind the scenes, we focus on structural integrity, energy efficiency, longevity and quality control.

Mike

Michael and wife Kathleen and 3 kids live in Davidson NC on a property that was designed and built in 2020 by McMillan Design Build.

Prior to forming McMillan Builders in 2008, Michael served as construction manager for 10+ years with nationally recognized Luxury Homebuilders and development firms in Charlotte. He was responsible for building many of Charlotte’s most recognized showhomes and HomeArama tour homes within premier luxury communities that include The Point on Lake Norman, heritage neighborhoods in Myers Park and gated new home communities in South Charlotte. McMillan has designed and created many beautiful projects over the years and is passionate in building forever homes that are barrier free, healthy and efficient.

Michael served in the Navy in the Construction Battalion known as the SeaBee’s while in the reserves he attended the University of Dayton in Ohio, prior to moving to North Carolina in 1997. McMillan is a NC Unlimited Licensed Building Contractor in both Residential and Commercial Construction since1999.

Claire

Before joining McMillan Design Build as the Business Manager, Claire Murphy was a recent graduate with the class of 2020 as she obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from The University at Buffalo. As a native North Easterner, she grew up in Elmira, New York, a small city that sits on the Pennsylvania border, before venturing toward the Canadian border to further her education. She worked her way through college by maintaining numerous jobs and internships including an Administrative Assistant at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens and a Workforce and Benefits Assistant with the University at Buffalo’s Human Resources Department.

When Claire is not in the McMillan Design Build office fielding calls, invoicing and communicating with Master Trade Partners, she can be found enjoying a movie at the local theater, volunteering with the National Exchange Club of North Mecklenburg County or seeking out somewhere to enjoy live music.

Claire’s passion to grow and continue to educate herself in the Design Build world as a Business Manager shines through every day in her work. She has been a point of contact for clients on projects ranging from simply designed additions in residential neighborhoods to comprehensively planned sites on Lake Norman.

Jana

designer headshot

Working as an interior and graphic designer for the past 10 years, Jana Schafer is passionate about everything design, from interiors to branding. As a graphic designer she helped establish the brand identity and create successful marketing materials for a startup company. In her interior design career, she worked at small and large architecture and design firms and was involved in every part of the design process. She has strong technical skills and is passionate about the creative side.

Jana was raised in the Midwest, with stints living on both coasts as well as abroad in Australia. Since her early 20s, she has made it a priority to travel the world to immerse herself in new cultures, get out of her comfort zone, and broaden her mind. It has been an opportunity of personal and creative growth for her. Even as she and her husband have started a family and found it more difficult to travel abroad, they take off in their vintage travel trailer for local adventures.

Jana’s design approach is grounded in an appreciation for tradition yet bold in her desire for exploration and innovation. In her role as Interior Designer, she is adept at problem solving and her creative contributions are exemplary.