Hardware Retailing The Industry's Source for Insights and Information
As lawn and garden season accelerates, mid-to-large yard investments are proving to be more strategic and segmented than many may assume.
According to the Home Improvement Research Institute’s (HIRI) 2025 Project Decision Study, yard, garden and outdoor projects reflect a coherent but highly varied pattern of decision-making, spending and execution.
HIRI surveyed homeowners who spent $5,000 or more on a home improvement project in the past year to gather these insights.
For building products retailers and manufacturers, the implications are clear: outdoor demand is not monolithic. It clusters into distinct project types with different customer profiles, timelines and purchasing behaviors.
Life Stage Shapes Project Type
Generally speaking, homeowners expect to recoup roughly 60–75% of outdoor project costs at resale, with pools and outdoor living ranking highest in perceived value recovery, reinforcing their positioning as both lifestyle and asset investments. Outdoor project choice strongly correlates with homeowner demographics. Landscaping and fencing skew older, longer-tenured and more maintenance-driven. Pools, patios and outdoor living projects skew younger, wealthier and more recently moved-in households with lifestyle-oriented motivations. HIRI’s comprehensive research provides more data surrounding these demographic segments.
- Taking Action: Tailor messaging by life stage. Promote durability, safety and longevity to mature homeowners. Emphasize comfort, entertainment and ROI framing for affluent, lifestyle-driven buyers.
Contractor-Led, But Not Contractor-Controlled
Contractor labor drives the majority of project costs across yard categories. Hiring is primarily motivated by expertise and quality assurance. Homeowners typically secure multiple bids and select the middle-priced option, based on HIRI’s research. Yet material purchasing for outdoor projects remains largely homeowner-led and concentrated in big-box retail channels. Even in contractor-heavy projects, the homeowner frequently controls product sourcing decisions.
- Taking Action: Strengthen dual-path strategies: Pair contractor loyalty programs with consumer-facing merchandising and education strategies. Retailers should support pros with job-lot efficiency while also empowering homeowners who are still making material choices.
Landscaping Anchors Activity, Pools Drive Spend Dispersion
Landscaping and hardscaping serve as the connective tissue of the outdoor category. No single project type dominates as the “largest” investment, but landscaping frequently overlaps with adjacent outdoor work. Most outdoor projects, like patio, driveway, decking and fencing projects, cluster under $25,000, forming a clear mid-tier of spending. In contrast, pools stand apart as high cost, largely standalone and disproportionately represented in projects exceeding $50,000.
- Taking Action: Segment assortments and merchandising by project scale. Pools and high-end outdoor living require premium, project-based solutions and potentially financing support. Landscaping and patios benefit from modular, add-on oriented programs that encourage cross-category expansion.
