The Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) predicts that remodeling and repair spending will grow 2.5% through the end of Q1 2026 to $526 billion, according to the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. Remodeling and repair spending in the first quarter 2025 rose 0.4% over the same period in 2024. The increase in existing home sales is expected to boost remodeling activity; however, consumer confidence and tariffs could impact this progress.
The LIRA, published quarterly, is a short-term outlook of U.S. home improvement and repair spending of owner-occupied homes. The report is designed to project an annual rate of change in expenditures for the current and subsequent four quarters. See Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies