New data from the Home Improvement Research Institute (HIRI) confirms what many hardware and home improvement retailers have been seeing at the register for over a year: today’s homeowner is showing up to fix what’s broken, not to dream up a luxury overhaul.
According to HIRI’s 2026 Homeowner Project Activity Trends report, 76% of homeowners who completed home improvement activity in 2025 did so to maintain or repair their home. That’s the dominant reason for activity by a wide margin. The categories that have softened — aesthetics, increasing home value — are the ones most tied to discretionary remodels. The categories that held or grew are the ones tied to necessary work.
For retailers across the industry — big box, regional chain, and independent alike — the homeowner who walks through the door in 2026 looks different from the homeowner who walked in three years ago. Worth understanding what’s actually changed.
Maintenance and Repair Is the Engine
The motivations homeowners cited for project activity in 2025 break down clearly:
- Maintain or repair: 76% — dominant
- Improve comfort: 41% (flat from 2024)
- Improve aesthetics: 36% (down from 38%)
- Safety and security: 27% (up from 25%)
- Increase functionality: 26% (flat)
- Increase home value: 25% (down from 29%)
- Energy efficiency: 21% (down from 23%)
The two categories that softened — aesthetics and home value — are the ones most associated with discretionary remodels. The categories that held or grew — comfort, safety, and the dominant “maintain or repair” — are tied to necessary, project-driven work.
The implication is meaningful. The American homeowner is staying put, doing the work that needs doing, and pulling back on the work that’s more about wanting than needing. For retailers, the basket is shifting from aspirational SKUs (luxury fixtures, designer hardware, statement remodels) toward functional ones (replacement parts, patch and repair, maintenance supplies, refresh-grade products).
The Hybrid DIY-and-Contractor Customer Is Growing
The second important shift in the HIRI data is in how homeowners are completing projects:
- DIY only: 52% (down from 57% in 2024)
- Mixed DIY and contractor: 24% (up from 20%)
- Contractor only: 24% (up from 23%)
Pure DIY is in retreat. The hybrid approach — homeowner does some, calls in a pro for the rest — is the fastest-growing model. This makes intuitive sense: as projects skew toward necessary repairs and aging-in-place upgrades, more homeowners are reaching the limit of what they’re comfortable tackling solo. Their drill works for the cabinet pulls. The water heater replacement gets a call.
For retailers, this is a small but meaningful shift in customer profile. A homeowner running a hybrid project is buying for both audiences — themselves and the contractor. They’re asking different questions (“can I install this myself, or should I have my plumber do it?”). They want guidance, not just a SKU lookup. Staff who can size up a project and give an honest read — “this is a half-day DIY job” vs. “you’ll want someone for this” — wins both the trust and the basket.
The Four Homeowner Mindsets
HIRI segments the homeowner population into four distinct mindsets, and the spending outlook varies sharply by segment. Here’s what percentage of each segment expects to spend more on home improvement in the next 12 months than the last:
- Content Homeowners (passive orientation): 15%
- Repair First Homeowners (problem-solving orientation): 35%
- Maintain First Homeowners (stewardship orientation): 26%
- Renovation Ready Homeowners (proactive orientation): 57%
The Renovation Ready group is the obvious growth segment — more than half plan to spend more in the year ahead. But Repair First Homeowners are the segment most aligned with where the broader market is currently flowing. They’re problem-solvers. They tackle issues as they emerge. And 35% of them plan to spend more this year — a strong signal.
Stocking, displays, and signage that speak to that customer — “fix it now,” “before it gets worse,” “the part you need today” — should anchor more of the merchandising calendar this year.
Affordability Is Still the Gatekeeper
None of the trends above change the underlying reality that homeowners remain financially cautious. HIRI’s data on what would motivate homeowners to start a project tells the story:
- Increased household income: 47% (up from 44%)
- Improved economic conditions: 47% (up from 38%)
- Financial incentives: 38% (up from 34%)
All three motivators have grown year over year. That’s a polite way of saying more homeowners are explicitly waiting for better financial conditions before committing to bigger projects. The discretionary remodels are sitting on the runway.
For retailers across the industry, that means the value tier matters more. So do smaller-package SKUs, financing partnerships, and clear communication about price relative to alternatives. A homeowner who is waiting for “improved economic conditions” can still be moved by a clear, well-merchandised value proposition on a project they actually need to do.
What It Means
For hardware and home improvement retailers — at every scale — the HIRI data points in the same direction. A few takeaways:
- Merchandise to the maintenance customer. 76% of projects in 2025 were maintenance and repair. Endcaps, seasonal displays, and signage should reflect that proportion. Front-of-store real estate should prioritize the parts, supplies, and tools that solve problems — not aspirational remodel SKUs.
- Win the hybrid project. 24% of homeowners are now mixing DIY with a contractor — and growing. That customer wants project guidance, not just product. Train staff to give honest “you can do this / call a pro for this” reads. The honesty builds trust, and the trust builds repeat visits.
- Speak to the Repair First mindset. If you’re going to invest in one customer segment this year, the Repair First homeowner is the one most aligned with current market momentum. They show up with a problem and want it solved quickly. Make their experience effortless.
- Stock and display across value tiers. Customers are explicit that they want better economic conditions before committing to big projects. Make sure the middle tier is well-stocked and clearly merchandised against the premium options. The homeowner who can’t do the whole kitchen this year can still refresh the cabinets, the hardware, and the paint.
- Lean on what scale doesn’t change. Knowledgeable staff, project advice, and knowing the customer matter at every store size — for a chain location, a regional cooperative, or the local independent down the street. The 2026 homeowner is more cautious and more open to guidance than they were two years ago. The retailer who helps them figure out the project keeps them.
The Bigger Picture
The HIRI data confirms what’s been building across the last several quarters. Homeowners aren’t moving — they’re staying put. They’re focused on necessary work over aspirational work. They’re more comfortable hiring help when the job calls for it. And they’re more thoughtful about how they spend.
That’s a real shift in the customer at the heart of this industry. For retailers across every channel and scale, the playbook adjusts the same way: meet the maintenance customer where they are, give them clear guidance and clear value, and make it easy for them to finish the job they came in to start.
The chains are investing heavily in trust, guidance, and digital tools to do exactly that. Independent hardware stores have built-in advantages in service and local knowledge that fit the moment perfectly. Across the industry, the through-line is the same: the customer wants to be helped, and the retailers who help win.
Source: Home Improvement Research Institute (HIRI), 2026 Homeowner Project Activity Trends.
