Pictured above: Sue Warwick, National Sales and Marketing Director for Miller Homes.

This month marks the beginning of year long celebrations for award winning housebuilder Miller Homes as it reaches the milestone of 75 years in business.

Still a privately owned family business from when it was first established as James Miller & Partners in the East of Scotland in 1934, the company has since built over 75,000 new homes and grown to be a major housebuilder in the UK.

"One of our first homes was a three bedroom semi-bungalow in Edinburgh which was on sale for £840 and continues to be enjoyed as a home today," explains Sue Warwick, national sales and marketing director for Miller Homes.

The average house price in 1934 was £550, compared to a current figure of just over £165,000 quoted by the Halifax earlier this month. This fact alone speaks volumes for the huge changes that have happened in the last 75 years but it is not just the price tag of homes that has changed. It's also how we use our homes and what we demand from them, as Sue explains:

"Our first homes were built with a parlour to provide a separate, more formal, space from the living room used every day by the family. New homes now offer large open-plan spaces, such as integrated kitchen-diners, reflecting that how we socialise and entertain has become much more relaxed.

"The property also included a kitchenette, a small but practical space only really used by the woman of the house. Fast forward to today and the kitchens in new homes are designed as an area for everyone to gather and spend quality time, evident by the fact that housebuilders have introduced features such as kitchen diners, breakfast rooms and French doors in kitchens to link to outdoor space."

Pictured above: The first ever Miller home, Edinburgh, 1934

Like most new builds at the time, Miller Homes' first houses also only offered a single family bathroom with a bath and no shower.

"Today's househunters certainly demand far more and the industry has responded with downstairs WCs, en-suites and separate shower rooms now a common feature in modern new homes.

"How homes are purchased today is also very different from the 1934 picture," Sue continues: "The good news is that women can now have a mortgage on their own which wasn't the case in 1934. And it's not just the girls that get a fairer deal in the property market now.

"Our awareness of the need to protect the environment has prompted a massive shift in the way that homes are designed and built. Choice of building materials and use of double glazing means that new homes today are more energy efficient than ever before.

"The Government has also moved forward with its commitment to cut the nations' carbon emissions, enforcing measures that require house builders to build 'greener' homes. This year saw the launch of Miller Homes' first zero carbon home, Miller Zero, which conforms to the highest standards outlined in the Government's Code for Sustainable Homes.

"There are far more options available to today's househunters. Shared equity, for example, has become an increasingly important purchasing scheme in addressing affordability issues and giving people the confidence to take the plunge into the property market. We also offer a range of incentives to help buyers either take that first step onto the property ladder, or move to a home that better fits family needs.

"As well as offering our own shared equity scheme, MiWay, and the Government backed Homebuy Direct, potential buyers can also take advantage of other purchasing schemes such as Miller Homes' part exchange scheme, Deposit Match, assisted moves and offers on legal fees.

"We are also extending the stamp duty holiday throughout the month of January on selected plots worth up to £175,000 on selected developments. These incentives are designed to make it as easy as possible to get onto and move up the property ladder.

"75 years on from when we began and regardless of what new homes look like or how we use them, the simple fact is that people still aspire to own their own property. Perhaps things haven't changed that much."

Miller Homes has developments across the UK, offering a wide range for properties from apartments to spacious five bedroom family homes.