UpKeep

Product Experience

Problem Statement  

Homeowners, especially first time homebuyers, lack knowledge and tools to maintain their home which often leads to preventable problems that can escalate into expensive home repairs.

Problem Background  

Owning a home is a major investment, and maintaining it is crucial to protect its value, protect against costly repairs, and ensure its long-term health. New homeowners often lack tools and guidance to navigate basic essential maintenance tasks effectively, which can lead to costly problems down the road.

Regular proactive home maintenance can enhance property value by 1% annually, minimize depreciation, and lessen the likelihood of expensive repairs, particularly given the escalating costs of labor and materials due to persistent labor shortages and inflation.

Furthermore, our research survey uncovers key insights that reinforce the problem and validate our initial hypothesis: First-time homeowners often lack the necessary knowledge and tools to effectively manage their home maintenance needs,  track necessary tasks, their timing, and proper execution. Consequently, this leads to a reactive rather than proactive approach to maintenance, resulting in less methodical and less advantageous maintenance practices which ultimately means higher maintenance costs and a greater reliance on professional repairs.

Key Takeaways

• Knowledge Gap: Only 37% of respondents are aware of the required maintenance checks for their homes.
• Uncertainty and Lack of Guidance: A staggering 77% of respondents feel unsure about where to start with home maintenance, while 54% lack the knowledge of maintenance schedules and tracking methods.
• Confidence Deficit: Only 46% of respondents feel confident in their ability to handle home maintenance tasks.
• Limited Experience: Only 17% of respondents have some experience with home maintenance.
• Professional Reliance: Only 8% of respondents would prefer to have their home maintenance fully handled by professionals.
• Tracking Tool Absence: None of the respondents have used any tools to track or complete their home maintenance tasks.
• Demand for Assistance: Despite the lack of tool usage, all respondents expressed a desire for tracking tools and support to stay on top of their home maintenance needs.

These findings highlight the need for education and supportive tools to empower homeowners, particularly first-time buyers, to effectively manage their home maintenance responsibilities.

Landing on the Solution

To address the identified challenges, we're developing the Upkeep app. Upkeep is a comprehensive solution that addresses both the knowledge and logistical needs of homeowners, particularly first-time buyers. It serves as an educational platform and provides tools for homeowners to create tailored maintenance plans, track progress, manage expenses, and gain insights into the impact of their maintenance efforts enabling them to make informed decisions about future upkeep.

Future Steps

Our immediate priority is to work with technical teams to develop an MVP that focuses solely on core maintenance learning, scheduling and tracking functionalities. This will allow us to gather user feedback on the app effectiveness before expanding the feature sets.

‍