Lowe’s is rolling out HomeCare+, a subscription service designed to simplify home maintenance and deepen loyalty among homeowners. The program builds on the retailer’s MyLowe’s Rewards, offering benefits that range from personalized services to DIY guidance.
The pitch is compelling: Busy parents, first-time homeowners, or anyone wary of ladders and leaky faucets can offload some of the mental load of maintaining a house. But is it actually worth the $99 annual subscription price?
The True Cost of Home Maintenance
According to homeowners and data, the cost of keeping a house in shape can be surprisingly high and unpredictable. Thumbtack reports the average U.S. homeowner now spends $6,500 a year on maintenance, with spikes when major systems like roofs, HVAC, or plumbing need replacing.
On Reddit, users cite a wide range: some pay only a few hundred dollars a year for minor fixes, while others face $15,000 or more for repairs in older homes.
A common rule of thumb is to set aside 1% of a home’s purchase price annually for maintenance. For a $500,000 house, that’s roughly $5,000 a year — money that isn’t always spent evenly across months. Reddit users emphasize that maintenance is about planning for inevitable large-ticket replacements, like furnaces, roofs, or water heaters, that don’t follow a predictable monthly schedule.
Where HomeCare+ Fits In
HomeCare+ includes two in-home visits each year. It’s available to MyLowe’s Rewards loyalty members and offers up to seven services during each visit:
- Light bulb replacement
- Electric dryer vent cleaning
- HVAC air filter replacement
- Refrigerator water filter replacement
- Electric water heater flush
- Garage door lubrication
- Smoke and carbon monoxide detector battery replacement
Members enrolled in the program can also save 5% on items needed to complete the service, such as batteries or HVAC filters. HomeCare+ could help homeowners budget for the smaller, regular upkeep that prevents larger disasters — things like HVAC servicing, gutter cleaning, and appliance checks. By keeping these tasks on a schedule, subscribers may reduce the chance of major, unexpected bills.
Still, HomeCare+ likely won’t replace the need for a dedicated maintenance fund. Major repairs and replacements will always require additional savings. But for those who struggle to keep up with the day-to-day or feel overwhelmed by the unpredictability of homeownership, a subscription service could offer convenience, peace of mind, and perhaps a small cost savings through preventative care.
