Milestone Builder Group wins rare trifecta of awards

For a young company only just making its mark, Milestone Builder Group sure has already created plenty of milestones.

Formed as Milestone Builder Group only a year ago, the Edmonton-based company founded by Miles Kohan has been ripping up the homebuilder awards scene like nobody’s business. In fact, the dynamic young homebuilder achieved what could be a first in Canada – winning the top builder awards in the national, provincial and local levels in the same year.

Milestone won Builder of the Year – Large Volume at last month’s CHBA Edmonton Region after clinching the top award at the BILD Alberta (under its Marcson Homes banner) last fall. Capping it all off was its big win this June at the national stage when it took the 2020 Design Excellence Award at the Canadian Home Builders’ 2020 National Awards for Housing Excellence.

“We’re very excited,” says Milestone’s General Manager, Colin Wilson of the awards hat trick. “As far as we know, such a feat has never been accomplished before, so it is really gratifying for us,” he tells Edmonton New Home + Condo Guide.

Milestone Builder Group gathers Marcson Homes and Park Royal Homes under its banner, two storied Edmonton homebuilders in their own right that have won their own fair share of awards. Kohan and Wilson themselves are long established industry veterans, so although Milestone itself may be a new entity, the skill, experience and background it has in its ranks is formidable.

“The win has really boosted the team’s morale; it has put the wind in everybody’s sails. It’s good to have all your efforts be acknowledged, especially in this fashion,” Wilson says.

The win at the national awards stage was particularly gratifying because of the rigorous process to even qualify. To be eligible, the company must have entered at least four different categories to show they build more than one type of product and must have won at least one of those categories.

Milestone, which purchased Park Royal Homes in 2016 and added Marcson Homes in 2019, took the New Home award in the Detached Homes — Production category for homes 2,401 square feet to 2,800 square feet for the Marcus. It is the same model that won at the CHBA- Edmonton Awards of Excellence for Best Single Family — Any Model in the $350,000 to $400,000 range.

Milestone also won two individual category national housing excellence awards at the ceremony held online on June 12. It took the marketing award for Direct Promotion — Print for Kiss Your Landlord Goodbye.

Although Wilson says Milestone doesn’t build or design homes in order to win awards, getting their efforts recognized is important as well. “It builds a winning culture in our organization, it’s great for our staff and our trades to see that we are doing the right thing.”

And of course, it’s good for buyers as well. “Buying a home is the biggest purchase of their lives, so it adds to their confidence when they know that they are buying from someone that the industry has recognized as one of the best.”

The Milestone Builder Group offers a wide mixture of homes that covers the entirety of the homeowning cycle – from starter homes, to family homes, estate homes and downsizer homes. “We have big walkout homes from the $600,000s to townhomes and duplexes. The majority of our homes are in the $450,000 range.”

Milestone Builder Group’s Marcson Homes and Park Royal Homes build in 10 of Edmonton’s most popular residential communities and produce between 100 to 150 homes a year. “Our numbers may be affected by the pandemic this year, but curiously enough, we have been enjoying strong sales though the shutdown.”

But anywhere they build, the mission remains the same: To be Edmonton’s most respected and preferred builder group, who maintains the best resale value, by exceeding customer expectations and taking pride in what we do.

“We put that mission in practice, by staying consistent and recognizing what has given you success,” Wilson says. “We keep the lines of communication open between our staff and our trades to constantly improve processes, increasing our efficiencies.”

So, what’s next for Milestone? Wilson says he doesn’t know but he – and the whole Milestone team – are excited to find out.