Welcome to The Home Improvement Research Institute (HIRI)

A membership based, independent, not-for-profit organization of manufacturers, retailers, wholesalers and allied organizations in the home improvement industry.  Its mission is to be recognized as the primary authority for effective, useful information about home improvement products and services in North America. The membership of HIRI currently represents over 80 of the leading firms in the industry...More... 
 

ANNOUNCING TWO EVENTS!

The 29th Annual Fall Conference

AND

Future of Home Improvement Workshop

October 13 -14, 2010

The Future of Home Improvement – Dealing With Opportunities and Challenges

The Doubletree Hotel Chicago Magnificent Mile
Chicago, Illinois

Fall Conference Sponsored by:

The Farnsworth Group       
ICR
Synovate
TNS
The Stevenson Company

NOW AVAILABLE

2010 Reference Guide for the Home Improvement Market

This 244-page publication represents a compendium of many facts and figures related to the U.S. home improvement industry.  Different sections in it include the size of this market and various national figures for population, employment, income, consumer expenditures, characteristics of new 1-family home completed and housing,  Also covered are excerpts from various HIRI sponsored studies along with contact information for many industry organizations and data sources.  Many of our member companies tell us they keep a copy of this guide available on their desktop within easy reach at all times.   More.... 
 

NOW AVAILABLE

The Impact of  GREEN  in Home Improvement                                              

This brand new 90-page report is a groundbreaking, one-of-a kind research study done on GREEN issues as they directly relate to consumers' attitudes and behaviors in home improvement.  Learn about how consumers have been segmented into groups entitled Green-less, Green-bits, Green-steps, Green-speaks and Green-thusiasts and also how 13 different product category groups are important to consumers in terms of contributing to the home's energy efficiency, containing no toxic ingrediants, being made or produced in an environmentally friendly manner, being recyclable or made with recycled materials and whether their manufacturers support environmental causes.   More.... 
    

NOW AVAILABLE - 5th Edition

Gender Roles in Home Improvement (2009)

A new 179-page special report derived from information collected in the 2008 HIRI Product Purchase Tracking Study and 2007 Project Decision Study highlighting the different roles played by females and males in the home improvement industry. Specific focus is given to the aspects of their project involvement, product purchasing, most common shopping methods & outlet types employed, sources of information used and a 6-cluster grouping of major lifestyle segments. More...

NOW AVAILABLE - 2nd Edition

Generational Age Group Analysis of Home Improvement Activity (2008)                                  

Major age groupings of Matures (born before 1946), Baby Boomers (1946-1964), Generation X (1965-1978) and Echo Boomers (1979-1991) are compared with each other in this 81-page report derived from information in the 2008 HIRI Product Purchase Tracking Study and 2007 Project Decision Study. Specific areas of focus include products purchased, projects undertaken, home services hired, typical shopping methods and information sources used. Attitudinal data is also included for each regarding their views of homeownership and home improvement activities along with a 6-cluster grouping of different major segments. More...

NOW AVAILABLE - 3rd Edition

Recent Home Buyer Survey (2008)

This new 73-page report provides a detailed analysis of homeowner home improvement activity since moving into either a newly built home or an existing home in the past 12-month period prior to March/April 2008.  It also includes what was done to get a previously owned home ready for sale.  Surveyed were 551 buyers of previously existing homes and a second set of 550 buyers of newly constructed ones.  More....
 

NOW AVAILABLE

2008 Product Purchase Tracking Study

This 11th edition of our biennial "bellwether" Product Purchase Tracking Study study of 1,754 homeowners is now available for sale to non-member companies. In it, these homeowners told us about their buying of 228 individual home improvement product items in 14 major product categories, involvement in 37 different major project types and hiring of 21 paid home services. Also included is their use of the Internet & other information sources for these purposes as well as a segmentation analysis based on responses to attitudinal statements coupled with their reported home improvement activity.  Available for sale in its entirety or by major product category section. More...