We keep the light on at Mom’s.
Porchlight looks after your parent’s home on a regular schedule: fresh filters, a tested sump pump, a hand with anything up to 40 lbs, and small problems caught early. After every visit, you get a text with photos.
Plans from $149/month · See pricing
After every visit
A text with photos, right to your phone.
See what we did, what we checked, and anything that needs your attention. Reply right in the thread if you want us to follow up.
- 01Photos of the workThe new filter, the drained faucet, the cleared path.
- 02What we checkedA short list, so you know what’s been looked at.
- 03Anything to follow up onFlagged plainly, with a suggested next step.
Siblings can all get the same texts, and we’re happy to talk about splitting the cost.
Example of a visit update
Their home, their way
Every visit starts with a hello and follows your parent’s lead. Nothing gets moved or changed without asking.
Ahead of the seasons
Faucets shut off before the first freeze. Sump pump tested before spring rain. Detector batteries swapped on schedule.
Updates by text
A quick text with photos after every visit, plus anything we noticed. Reply right there if you want us to follow up.
How it works
Set it up once. We take it from there.
Pick a plan
Choose monthly, yearly, or a 3-month gift. Add mowing or snow removal if you need it.
Meet on the first visit
We walk through the house with your parent, take care of a few quick fixes, and note filter sizes and appliance models. You’re welcome to join.
Tell us what to look at
Before each visit, we check in about what you and your parent want handled that day.
Get a text after each visit
See what we did, what we checked, and anything that needs attention. Your parent keeps living life as usual.
Why I started Porchlight
Hi, I’m Autumn.
I live in the western suburbs, and I kept hearing the same question from people my age: how do you help a parent stay in the home they love when you can’t be there every week?
I’ve spent nearly 20 years designing services around what people actually need. Porchlight is that work, brought to the front porch: a short list of things done well, clear updates for you, and real respect for your parent’s home and routines.
While we’re getting started, I’ll be on many of the visits myself. I’d love to meet your family.
Autumn, founder
Services
Everything a helpful neighbor used to do.
Members choose what fills each visit. Most families start with these four.
The full list
Home systems checks 6 services
- Furnace and AC filter replacement
- Smoke and CO detector tests and batteries
- Sump pump test
- Leak checks under sinks and around the water heater
- Dryer vent lint check
- Fridge water filter and water softener salt
Seasonal prep 4 services
- Winterization: outdoor faucets off and drained, main water valve off/on for trips
- AC cover on and off
- Humidifier pad swap
- Light patio furniture in and out (up to 40 lbs per piece)
Home walkthrough 5 services
- A walk through lighting, stairs, rugs and bathrooms
- Small fixes that make the house easier to live in
- Hard-to-reach lightbulbs
- Fire extinguisher check
- House numbers visible from the street
Household help 5 services
- Trash and recycling bins to the curb and back
- Lifting and carrying items up to 40 lbs (one-person jobs)
- Fridge cleanout of expired food
- Haul-away of donations and old electronics
- Reaching high shelves and basement storage
Home watch & coordination 6 services
- House checks while your parent is away
- Pre-return visit: heat up, mail in
- Checks after storms and power outages
- On site for contractors and deliveries
- Quotes gathered from trusted repair pros
- A home record of models, filter sizes and service dates
Outdoor add-ons 3 services
- Lawn mowing, per cut or by season
- Snow removal on a flat seasonal contract
- Salting steps and walkways
Repair referrals 3 services
- We spot what needs fixing and text you about it
- Licensed plumbers, electricians and HVAC techs from our vetted list
- Repairs are quoted and billed by the pro
Pricing
Simple plans, built around a regular visit.
Each visit is up to 60 minutes. Before every visit, we check in with you and your parent about what you’d like looked at, so the hour goes where it matters.
Essentials
Billed monthly. Cancel anytime.
- 1 visit a month, up to 60 minutes
- Seasonal checklist handled for you
- Home walkthrough on the first visit
- Text update with photos after every visit
- Updates can go to the whole family
Plus
Billed monthly. Cancel anytime.
- 2 visits a month, up to 60 minutes each
- Everything in Essentials
- Contractor coordination and quotes
- 2 home-watch checks a year
3-Month Gift
A thoughtful gift for a parent’s birthday or the holidays.
- Home walkthrough and home record
- 3 monthly visits, up to 60 minutes each
- Text update with photos after every visit
- Full price credited toward a yearly plan if you join within 30 days
Add-ons
| Service | Price | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Lawn mowing | $45–$65 / cut | Based on lot size. Seasonal rate available. |
| Snow removal | $500–$900 / season | Flat seasonal contract based on driveway size. Sign up by November 1. |
| Extra visit | $95 | For members. Up to 60 minutes. |
| Home watch | $40 / visit | For non-members while the homeowner is away. |
| Repair referrals | No charge | Licensed pros quote and bill separately. |
Unused visits roll over for one month. Yearly plans renew automatically, with a reminder 30 days before. Service is available only in the areas we list. Prices are introductory and may change before launch. Questions? Read the FAQ.
Service areas
Where you’ll find us.
We keep routes tight so your parent’s visit is never rushed. If their town isn’t listed, join the waitlist anyway. We’re tracking where to grow next.
Northwest suburbs
- Arlington Heights
- Bartlett
- Bloomingdale
- Buffalo Grove
- Des Plaines
- Elk Grove Village
- Hanover Park
- Hoffman Estates
- Itasca
- Mount Prospect
- Palatine
- Rolling Meadows
- Roselle
- Schaumburg
- Streamwood
- Wheeling
Southwest suburbs
- Evergreen Park
- Frankfort
- Homer Glen
- Lockport
- Mokena
- Oak Forest
- Oak Lawn
- Orland Park
- Palos Heights
- Palos Park
- Tinley Park
Western suburbs
- Brookfield
- Clarendon Hills
- Downers Grove
- Elmhurst
- Hinsdale
- La Grange
- Oak Brook
- Riverside
- Westchester
- Western Springs
Naperville area
- Aurora
- Bolingbrook
- Glen Ellyn
- Lisle
- Naperville
- Oswego
- Plainfield
- Warrenville
- Wheaton
- Woodridge
FAQ
Questions families ask us.
What if my parent doesn’t want help?
That’s common, and we take it seriously. We position Porchlight as help with the house, not help with your parent. The first visit is a friendly walkthrough your parent leads, and they decide what we do. Many families start with something concrete, like the fall faucet shutoff or swapping a hard-to-reach bulb, and build from there. You’re welcome to be there.
Who comes to the house?
A background-checked, insured Porchlight team member. While we’re getting started, that’s often Autumn, our founder. We’ll always tell you and your parent who to expect before a visit.
How do keys and access work?
Your parent can be home to let us in, or you can share a lockbox or door code. We never make copies of keys, and every visit is logged in your text update with the time we arrived and left.
Can I be there for the first visit?
Yes, and we encourage it, in person or by video call. It’s a good chance for everyone to meet and agree on what matters most.
What happens if you find something urgent?
If something is unsafe, like a gas smell or an active leak, we call you right away and contact the utility or 911 if needed. Then we text a summary with photos. Smaller issues go in your regular visit update.
What’s included in a visit, and what costs extra?
Anything on our services list fits in a visit, up to 60 minutes. Before each visit we ask what you’d like looked at, so we arrive ready. We lift and carry items up to 40 lbs that one person can handle safely; furniture moving isn’t something we offer. Lawn mowing, snow removal and extra visits are add-ons. Repairs that need a licensed pro, like plumbing or electrical, are quoted and billed by that pro. We help find them and can be there when they come.
Can my siblings and I share this?
Yes. We can text visit updates to several family members, so everyone sees the same photos and notes. If you’d like to split the cost between siblings, ask us when you join and we’ll work it out with you.
Can I pause or cancel?
Monthly plans can be paused or canceled anytime before the next billing date. Yearly plans renew automatically, and we remind you 30 days before.
Do you help with bathing, medications or driving?
No. Porchlight is a home upkeep service, not a home care agency. If your parent needs personal care, we’re happy to point you to licensed local providers.
My parent lives outside your service areas. Can you still help?
Not yet, but join the waitlist and tell us their town. We use waitlist interest to decide where to grow next.
Waitlist
Be first in line when we launch.
The first 50 families to join lock in founding pricing for their first 12 months, and get first pick of visit days.
Know someone with a parent nearby? Send them here. For every family who joins and names you, you move up the list.
No payment now. We’ll reach out before launch to set up a free intro call.