diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 97415d68..e475f1eb 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ cd odc
 # Setup environment variables (edit as needed)
 SRC_DIR=$(pwd)
 BUILD_DIR=build
-INSTALL_DIR=$HOME/local
+INSTALL_DIR=$HOME/.local
 export eckit_DIR=$INSTALL_DIR # set to eckit install prefix
 
 # Create the the build directory
diff --git a/docs/content/development.rst b/docs/content/development.rst
index 2a4f3d1a..9065cec1 100644
--- a/docs/content/development.rst
+++ b/docs/content/development.rst
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ To run the test suite, you can use the following command:
    # Setup environment variables (edit as needed)
    SRC_DIR=$(pwd)
    BUILD_DIR=build
-   export eckit_DIR=$HOME/local # set to eckit prefix
+   export eckit_DIR=$HOME/.local # set to eckit prefix
 
    # Create the the build directory
    mkdir $BUILD_DIR
diff --git a/docs/content/installation.rst b/docs/content/installation.rst
index 1c9d32fe..f5c3a9b1 100644
--- a/docs/content/installation.rst
+++ b/docs/content/installation.rst
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ Build & Install
    # Setup environment variables (edit as needed)
    SRC_DIR=$(pwd)
    BUILD_DIR=build
-   INSTALL_DIR=$HOME/local
+   INSTALL_DIR=$HOME/.local
    export eckit_DIR=$INSTALL_DIR # set to eckit install prefix
 
    # Create the the build directory