UCHI

First-time homeownership is abundant in resources on purchasing a home, but resources about caring for one’s home lack in comparison. Additionally, these resources lack organization and information applicable to individual needs. As a result, two-thirds of first-time American homeowners ignore home maintenance until parts of their home begin to malfunction, leading to unexpected expenses. To mitigate homebuyer’s regret caused by being unprepared for home maintenance, UCHI organizes maintenance tasks relevant to each home. With UCHI’s recommendations and reminders to stay up-to-date with home maintenance tasks, first-time homeowners are able to protect their investments and better care for their homes.

Behind the name

UCHI is named after a word from the Japanese language, meaning "one's home."

The Japanese language uses the words うち (uchi) and いえ (ie) to refer to a "home" and a "house," respectively. Similar to the connotation in English, うち (uchi) refers to a place where someone lives, whereas いえ (ie) refers to the actual building where someone lives. Additionally, the word うち (uchi) can also refer to the people living in the home themselves.

In Japanese, both うち (uchi) and いえ (ie) are can also be written using the same kanji character: 家, which further ties the two meanings together.