As Ireland’s construction and home improvement sectors continue to evolve, new opportunities are emerging across housing, renovation, energy efficiency and retail. For Construction Month, sponsored by Homevalue, we spoke with Homevalue about the trends shaping the sector, changing consumer expectations, the role of independent retailers and why local expertise and trusted advice remain so important.
I think Ireland has two housing challenges rather than one. We need to build more new homes, but we also need to significantly improve the homes we already have.
That represents a major opportunity for construction and home improvement. Ireland’s existing housing stock will require continued investment in renovation, retrofit, energy efficiency, heating and insulation over the coming years.
Customers are also becoming more considered about how they spend. Value remains important, but it is about more than price. People want products that perform, last and are right for the job, together with good advice when making significant investments in their homes.
That is changing the role of builders’ merchants and home improvement retailers. The future of the merchant isn’t simply about selling products; it is increasingly about helping customers solve problems.
Technology and AI will also help customers research projects, compare options and make better-informed decisions. But I don’t see technology replacing expertise. The businesses that succeed will combine digital convenience with trusted, face-to-face knowledge.
Overall, I remain very positive. Ireland needs new homes, but there is also an enormous opportunity in improving the quality, comfort and efficiency of the homes we already have.
Customers expect more from their local hardware and home improvement store today. They want value and knowledgeable service, but also attractive stores, strong ranges, digital convenience and consistency.
We have therefore been investing significantly in Homevalue – in our brand, stores, digital capability and overall customer experience.
The challenge isn’t to make every Homevalue store identical. It is to create a consistently strong experience while preserving the personality, knowledge and entrepreneurship of the local business.
Our new Homevalue identity and store format are creating brighter, easier-to-shop environments, while our digital investment reflects the fact that the customer journey increasingly starts online.
We also want to build customer confidence. The Homevalue DIY Academy, for example, gives customers practical, hands-on opportunities to develop DIY skills with expert guidance.
Ultimately, our aim is to combine the strength and capability of a national brand with the expertise and personal service of a great local independent business.
Independent businesses play an enormously important role in communities across Ireland, but there is also a strong commercial argument for independence.
Well-run independent businesses are entrepreneurial. They know their customers, understand their local markets and can make decisions quickly. That closeness to the customer is a real competitive advantage.
Many Homevalue stores are long-established family businesses. They employ local people, support clubs and community organisations and build customer relationships that often span generations.
The challenge is that modern retail increasingly requires scale. Technology, ecommerce, data, logistics and marketing all require significant investment.
That is where the United Hardware model is powerful. Our members can access national buying power, distribution, technology and marketing while retaining ownership of their businesses.
Independence and scale don’t have to be opposites. I believe combining national capability with local entrepreneurship and expertise will become increasingly important to the future of independent retail in Ireland.
My first piece of advice is: don’t start with the product; start with the problem you’re trying to solve.
Are you trying to make the house warmer, reduce energy costs, create more space, improve comfort or increase the long-term value of the property? Once you are clear about the objective, spend time planning, establish a realistic budget and get advice on the right materials and products.
For larger renovations and energy-efficiency projects, think about the home as a complete system. Insulation, ventilation, heating and moisture management can all interact, so improvements should not always be considered in isolation.
I would also focus on long-term value rather than simply the lowest upfront price. The right product, correctly installed, can deliver better performance and save money over its lifetime.
Most importantly, ask for advice. Homevalue stores work with homeowners, builders and tradespeople every day, and that practical experience can be invaluable.
And know where DIY should stop. Electrical, gas, structural and other specialist work should always be left to appropriately qualified professionals.
Our growth has been significant. Over the past five years, the retail turnover represented across the United Hardware network has grown from approximately €350 million to around €600 million. Following the acquisition of Expert Hardware this year, our wider network now extends to more than 200 stores across Ireland, supporting more than 3,500 jobs nationally.
But for me, the numbers are only part of the story. That growth has fundamentally been driven by the strength of our members and our belief in the future of independent retail.
Independent hardware retailers and builders’ merchants increasingly want to retain their independence while accessing the capabilities that come from being part of something larger.
That matters because the economics of retail are changing. Technology, data, ecommerce, distribution, marketing and customer experience all require investment. By creating scale behind independent businesses, we can make capabilities available that would be difficult or uneconomic for individual businesses to build alone.
The acquisition of Expert Hardware this year was another significant step in our development, increasing our scale and allowing us to support an even broader network of independent Irish retailers while Homevalue and Expert continue as distinct brands.
But our ambition isn’t simply to become bigger. Our ambition is to build the strongest platform for independent hardware and home improvement retailing in Ireland.
If we can combine national scale and investment with the entrepreneurship, expertise and customer relationships of independent retailers, I believe there is a very significant opportunity ahead.
Guaranteed Irish represents many of the values central to Homevalue – supporting Irish enterprise, employment and communities.
But supporting Irish businesses shouldn’t mean asking consumers to choose them regardless of value, quality or service. Irish businesses have to earn that support by competing and delivering for customers.
When they do, there is an additional dividend. Our independently owned stores employ local people, develop skills, invest locally and support clubs, schools, charities and community organisations. More of that economic activity remains within communities around the country.
There is also an important skills dimension. As construction methods, regulations and products become more sophisticated, expertise becomes more valuable, not less. As an industry, we need to continue attracting good people and investing in their development.
The person behind a merchant counter who understands a builder’s problem, recommends the right solution and helps keep a project moving is an important part of the construction ecosystem.
For Homevalue, being local isn’t simply a marketing statement. Our opportunity is to combine local ownership, entrepreneurship and expertise with the strength and capability of United Hardware, enabling independent businesses to continue competing, investing and serving their communities into the future.
Guaranteed Irish, Supporting Business that Supports Ireland