How do you take care of a house?
It’s an age-old question that all first-time homebuyers face. For Cincinnati native Paul Koop, owning a home presented various challenges – many he didn’t expect to deal with.
To solve them, Koop relied on his father-in-law, a savvy tradesman with decades of experience fixing problems around homes. However, when Koop moved to Boise, Idaho, for a job opportunity, he could no longer lean on his father-in-law as a safety net.
At one point, Koop lived in four different houses over five years. This stint informed him of the trials and tribulations of homeownership.
“I got to experience all the different problems from a house that was built in 1892 to a house that was built in 2016 — really understanding that gambit of different challenges made me feel like I’m vastly under-equipped at times to know what to do,” he said.
The challenges Koop faced inspired him to found Builder Backed. This Covington-based technology startup connects homeowners to a vetted network of maintenance businesses, along with the maintenance history of a home. Koop told LINK nky that he considers Builder Backed to be a concierge service for homeowners.
To get off the ground, Builder Backed raised approximately $2 million in funding from local angel investors in May. Koop cited Blue North — Northern Kentucky’s primary entrepreneurship resource and advocacy organization, as an important backer of Builder Backed.
After a successful funding round, Builder Backed partnered with Erlanger-based Fischer Homes, the 30th largest homebuilder in the United States, to integrate the company’s technology into Fischer’s Home Service Network – something exclusively available to Fischer customers.
With Builder Backed’s technology, Fischer’s portal will allow homeowners to bypass researching providers, obtaining estimates and scheduling services. Homeowners can book services for fencing, blinds, landscaping and moving companies in one place.
“Our partnership with Builder Backed represents a significant stride in enriching the overall customer experience,” Fischer Homes CEO Tim McMahon said in a press release. “We are excited to be able to offer this innovative opportunity to our homeowners as we know that they will be enjoying their new home for years to come.”
In addition, Builder Backed is introducing a ‘Digital Home User Guide’ within the Fischer Homes portal. The guide provides homeowners with email or text reminders for tasks like changing air filters, flushing water heaters, and preparing for winter weather. The house-related data and maintenance records are tracked and stored, giving homeowners easy access to essential information.
“How can we demystify some of these things and raise the education level such that the individual can take care of it themselves. We’ll build more technology out to help down that path,” Koop said.
Koop’s ultimate goal is for Builder Backed to become the ‘Carfax’ of homes. Carfax is a company that provides vehicle owners with their vehicle’s service and maintenance records. While the goal is lofty, he hopes Builder Backed can reach that point, although he admitted there is a long road ahead.
“It starts with the first homeowner,” Koop said. “The value created in a Carfax for homes requires scale and very robust, detailed data, which we’re going to be capturing. Homeowners using our platform will directly benefit from that. To become a Carfax for homes, though, it takes years and years.”
Looking ahead, Koop said his goal is to continue raising money and expanding his team. Ultimately, though, Koop wants to take the pressure off homeowners.
“Housing is ultimately universal,” Koop said. “We want to bring the trust back to the home improvement industry. We want to be the voice of the homeowners through that. We want to educate homeowners and empower them.”
