Our Practice.

Small scale residential projects with big business professionalism.

The practice is led by Duncan Kain and Jane Miller. Duncan is a Chartered Architect and Development Director and Jane’s background, as a Chartered Accountant, is in operations and finance.

Having held board level positions at some of the UK’s largest house builders, Duncan and Jane were looking for a new challenge after successful careers built in the corporate sector.

Their aim is to bring big business professionalism to residential projects of any scale, while offering the efficiency, agility, and flexibility that can't de delivered by large corporates.

Our values

Surpassing client expectations.

We are committed to providing outstanding service in every project we undertake.

01

We uphold the highest standards of professionalism and dedication in all our work.

02

Our goal is to not just meet, but surpass our clients' expectations.

03

I attended the Manchester School of Architecture from 2002 to 2009, where I attained my RIBA Parts I, II and III, subsequently becoming a Chartered Architect. My early career was spent gaining valuable experience in small-scale architectural practices, focusing on residential projects in sensitive locations.

In 2011, I joined Kier Partnership Homes as a Development Manager, and in 2014, I moved to McCarthy Stone, taking on a more senior role. I was fortunate to participate in the fast-track scheme, and by 2017, I had advanced to Divisional Development Director. In this role, I oversaw the design, planning, and completion of regulatory compliance for a £200M portfolio and established planning best practice across the entire group.

After a rewarding decade with McCarthy Stone, I realised a long-held ambition in 2023 by leaving the corporate world to start my own architecture practice. In April 2024, Jane, a former colleague and friend from McCarthy Stone, joined me, and together we formed Kain Miller.

We are passionate about our work and committed to delivering exceptional service to our clients, drawing on our extensive experience and shared dedication to excellence in architecture.

Duncan Kain

Meet Duncan.

After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG in Birmingham, I began my journey in the corporate world, embarking on a consultancy role with Dalgety plc. Over the next five years, I travelled extensively, examining the operations of Dalgety's diverse international businesses. Following my tenure at Dalgety, I dedicated the majority of my career to the property sector, specifically focusing on housebuilding, holding several Finance Director positions.

My most recent corporate role was with McCarthy Stone, the UK's leading developer and manager of retirement communities, where I joined the Midlands Divisional Board. During my 8 year tenure I had the privilege of working with some amazing and talented people and contributing to business development in a company I was proud to work for. It was here that I met Duncan, with whom I developed a strong professional relationship and friendship.

This ultimately led me to joining Duncan, in April 2024, in the architecture practice he had established the previous year. We are very excited about the future and bringing our combined knowledge and experience to our residential practice where delivering exceptional service will be our primary objective.

Jane Miller