What Home Improvement Research Institute does

The Home Improvement Research Institute (HIRI) is a non-profit research cooperative founded in 1981 and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The organization provides market intelligence and analytics to the U.S. and Canadian home improvement industries through a portfolio of recurring primary and secondary research studies, including quarterly and annual project activity trackers, biennial product purchase and project decision studies, monthly homeowner sentiment trackers, and special topics research on themes such as Aging in Place, Made in America, generational differences, Hispanic contractor behavior, and social media influence. HIRI's flagship product, the U.S. Size of the Home Improvement Products Market report, provides product-focused longitudinal data back to 1992 with 5-year forecasts across 9 Census divisions.

HIRI operates as a membership-based cooperative governed by a Board of Directors drawn from member companies, with the Executive Director (Dave King) overseeing day-to-day operations through a contracted management firm. The organization generates revenue exclusively through annual membership dues that grant enterprise-wide access to all research, raw data files, webinars, and events; dues are reinvested into research rather than distributed as profit. Members include more than 100 manufacturers, retailers, distributors, and industry partners such as The Home Depot, Lowe's, Sherwin-Williams, Masco, Kohler, 3M, Legrand, Pella, Andersen, Ferguson, Builders First Source, JamesHardie, PPG, Houzz, and Assa Abloy.

HIRI distributes its research through a direct membership sales motion (consultation, agreement signing, organizational onboarding) supplemented by the annual HIRI Summit, webinars, email marketing, LinkedIn, and a Strategic Partner Program that includes agencies such as Adcom, Datavations, Wray Ward, and Brunner. The underlying market HIRI covers — the U.S. home improvement products market — was $574.3B in 2024, expanded 3.7% that year, and is projected to grow 2.5% in 2025 and reach $688B by 2029.

Name

Home Improvement Research Institute

Legal name

Home Improvement Research Institute

Website

https://hiri.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

HIRI is a 1981-founded, Indianapolis-based non-profit research cooperative providing exclusive market intelligence on the U.S. and Canadian home improvement industries to 100+ manufacturer, retailer, distributor, and industry partner members through annual membership subscriptions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: HIRI generates revenue through annual membership dues paid by manufacturers, retailers, and other companies in the home improvement industry. The membership model operates as a cooperative where dues are reinvested into further research. One membership covers the entire team at a company, providing access to all research reports, raw data, webinars, and events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

HIRI is a non-profit research cooperative that produces and distributes exclusive market intelligence for the U.S. home improvement industry. It sells annual corporate memberships to manufacturers, retailers, distributors, and industry partners, granting member organizations full access to a portfolio of quarterly, annual, and biennial research studies covering market sizing, homeowner and contractor behavior, channel dynamics, and product purchase patterns. Research is delivered digitally through the HIRI member portal, with members receiving raw data sets, cross-tabulations, executive summaries, webinars, and invitations to the annual HIRI Summit.

Product overview

HIRI operates as a non-profit research cooperative providing exclusive market intelligence exclusively to member companies. The organization offers a portfolio of recurring tracking studies (quarterly, annual, biennial) combined with special topics research. Core products include the U.S. Size of the Home Improvement Products Market Report (quarterly with data back to 1992), the Quarterly/Annual Home Improvement Project Activity Trackers, Quarterly Contractor Business Sentiment Tracker, and Monthly Economic and Industry Update. Supporting biennial studies include the Product Purchase Tracking Study and Project Decision Study. Special topics cover Made in America, Aging in Place, Generational Differences, Canadian market research, Hispanic Contractor, and Channel Studies. All research is accessible through membership covering entire organizations, with members receiving raw data files, cross-tabulations, and executive summaries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• U.S. Size of the Home Improvement Products Market Report Quarterly product-focused market sizing study providing data back to 1992 with 5-year forecasts for the consumer and professional markets. Includes product category-level detail and geographic detail for 9 Census divisions with annual estimates to the state level. Available to HIRI members.
• Quarterly Home Improvement Project Activity Tracker Quarterly tracker covering 19 home areas and 38 home improvement activities, providing results on homeowner project behaviors, channel preferences, and product purchasing patterns.
• Annual Home Improvement Project Activity Tracker Comprehensive year-end view of homeowner attitudes, motivations, and project activity by consolidating insights from all quarterly tracker studies throughout the year.
• Quarterly Contractor Business Sentiment Tracker Quarterly report tracking contractor sentiment, business confidence, and economic outlook for home improvement professionals.
• Monthly Economic and Industry Update Monthly report covering general economic data, housing market data, and home improvement market data, compiling publicly available data into one convenient resource for members.
• Product Purchase Tracking Study (PPTS) Biennial research study examining products purchased by U.S. consumers for home improvement activities, tracking purchase incidence and spending patterns by product category.
• Project Decision Study (PDS) Biennial study covering 19 different project categories to identify unmet needs in project planning, examining how homeowners plan, fund, and execute remodeling projects.
• Contractor Product Purchase Incidence Study Survey of home improvement remodelers and specialty contractors tracking critical product and channel activities, purchase incidence, spend behavior, and supplier usage.
• Generational Differences in Home Improvement Activity Study Research exploring diverse approaches homeowners of different generations take towards home improvement, repair, and maintenance.
• Recent Home Buyer and Seller Study Research examining home buyer and seller behaviors and how home transactions influence home improvement spending patterns.
• Made in America Study Research exploring how consumers evaluate American-made home improvement products versus imported goods, measuring quality perceptions, brand reputation, trust, and willingness to pay.
• Aging in Place Study Research exploring how homeowners adapt living spaces for accessibility, mobility, and long-term independence, examining motivations, project types, and satisfaction with modifications.
• Canadian Size of the Home Improvement Products Market Estimates and forecasts of the market for home improvement products in Canada, including consumer and professional purchase estimates by province and merchandise line.
• Hispanic Contractor Report Research focusing on home improvement contractor behaviors and trends within the Hispanic contractor segment.
• Channel Study: Contractor and Homeowner Research examining channel dynamics and retailer selection factors for both contractors and homeowners in home improvement purchasing.
• Homeowner Social Media Influence Study Research examining how social media influences home remodeling purchase decisions, particularly among Millennials and Gen Z consumers.
• Contractor Technology Adoption Report

Quantifiable outcome

• U.S. home improvement products market expected to grow 2.5% in 2025 and reach $688 billion by 2029
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers23 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• AdcomminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdcom is a full-service marketing and communications agency specializing in the home improvement, building products, and construction industries. They help brands connect with contractors, dealers, distributors, and end consumers through strategic marketing programs.
• DatavationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDatavations provides the most accurate, actionable retail data platform for the home improvement channel, offering assortment, price, and inventory optimization to gain competitive advantage and boost revenue.
• Wray WardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWray Ward is an independent creative agency specializing in the home improvement and building products industries, helping brands generate creative ideas and transform them into measurable results.
• BrunnerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a current strategic partner of HIRI in the Strategic Partner Program.
• The Farnsworth GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHIRI partnered with The Farnsworth Group to develop monthly trackers surveying homeowners on home improvement behaviors, sentiments, and activities. Collaborates on the Monthly Homeowner Activities and Sentiments Tracker.
• ShovelsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerShovels provides secondary data sources including residential permit data used in HIRI's Aging in Place Study to better understand trends and patterns in aging-in-place home improvements.
• C+R ResearchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerC+R Research sponsors the HIRI Summit annually, noting it offers an unparalleled opportunity to connect with corporate researchers across the home improvement industry with meaningful conversations and deeper relationships.
• HIRI Strategic Partner Program MemberscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHIRI's Strategic Partner Program includes Adcom, Datavations, Wray Ward, and Brunner. Partners gain access to the HIRI member company list, networking opportunities, recognition, co-branded webinars, blog contributions, and free summit tickets.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Circana (formerly IRI + NPD Group): Major commercial market research firm covering CPG, retail, and consumer durables with syndicated and custom offerings. Comparable to HIRI in delivering recurring, subscription-based market intelligence, but operates across multiple industries at much larger scale.
• Euromonitor International: Global market research firm providing industry and consumer intelligence across multiple verticals including home and garden. Comparable to HIRI in delivering subscription-based, recurring market sizing and forecasting products.
• Kline & Company: Independent market research and consulting firm covering consumer products, chemicals, and building materials. Comparable to HIRI in providing syndicated and custom research to manufacturers serving home improvement categories.
• IBISWorld: Industry research provider producing detailed market research reports, risk ratings, and forecasts across U.S. industries. Comparable to HIRI in offering subscription-based industry intelligence for businesses evaluating markets and competitive dynamics.
• Freedonia Group: Industry market research firm focused on consumer goods, construction, and building products. Comparable to HIRI in producing syndicated market sizing, forecasting, and category-level research for manufacturers and retailers.

Direct peers

• National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA): Trade association serving kitchen and bath design professionals with research, certifications, and industry data. Comparable to HIRI as a membership-based research provider in adjacent segments of the home improvement market and is listed as a HIRI member.
• C+R Research: Full-service consumer insights agency with deep experience in home improvement and retail. Comparable to HIRI as a research partner to corporate teams in the category, and currently a HIRI Strategic Partner Program member and summit sponsor.
• The Farnsworth Group: Market research firm specializing in the building products, construction, and home improvement industries. Direct comparable given its focus on the same end market and its existing co-development partnership with HIRI on homeowner tracking research.

Regional players

• NAHB (National Association of Home Builders): Trade association producing industry research on home building, remodeling, and housing demand. Comparable to HIRI as a membership-based organization serving the housing value chain with proprietary market data and forecasting.
• Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) of Harvard University: Academic research center producing widely cited reports on U.S. housing markets, remodeling activity, and homeowner demographics. Comparable to HIRI in producing recurring housing/remodeling market intelligence and is also referenced as a HIRI member.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/home-improvement-research-institute
• Xx.com/HIRIResearch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Home Improvement Research Institute