Swimming Pool Service and Repair

Swimming pool service company – When people purchase a backyard swimming pool, whether it is an in-ground pool or above-ground pool, few salespeople ever talk to them about taking care of it and the maintenance requirements.

Yet all swimming pools need regular cleaning and maintenance, as well as chemical treatment in order for them to be functional. Without these things, they quickly become stinky and unattractive swamps.

Most swimming pool owners take care of the regular cleaning and maintenance themselves. However, there are a large number of pool owners who hire outside labor. While some people consider the cleaning process a relaxing peaceful task, others consider it a tedious and boring chore. This is where you come in.

With a minimal amount of equipment and a vehicle to haul it in, it is easy to start up a swimming pool service and repair business. Your task is to go from client to client, set up your equipment and vacuum the pool, adjust chemical balances and add sanitizer, clean the filtration equipment, and give a cursory look at equipment for potential failures. It’s all fairly easy and quick to do. Where you make money in this job is getting the job done quickly and moving on to the next ASAP.

Swimming pool service and repair companies make money in four ways:

The actual labor of cleaning/service
Seasonal tasks such as opening or closing the pool
The sale of chemicals used to treat the pool
Repairs or replacement of pool equipment

Swimming pool service in a boom economy

Swimming pool service and repair companies are among the fastest growing companies during boom economic times. People are free to spend more money and tend to take advantage of more luxury services. They also tend to want to invest more in swimming pool upgrades rather than making things last just a bit longer.

Swimming pool service in a bust economy

Swimming pool service companies are among the fastest to be hit during a bust economy. Pool service is a luxury for most middle income families and can be cut. That said, pool companies that diversify their customer portfolio to include a wide income range of clients and those who are creative at cutting their costs will likely outlast swimming pool service companies that don’t, and pick up their customers in the process. Smart companies grow in the best and worst of times.

How much money can I make?

Labor and cleaning charges are generally based on a weekly rate plus anything special that might need to be done. Rates vary of course but are often between $40-60 per week. This does not sound like much and isn’t if you have to chase all over the city and spend much time in travel. However, if you route your accounts well and can manage 2-3 pools per hour, the money isn’t bad. And that’s just the start of it.

Seasonal tasks such as opening or closing can yield $100-200 just in labor, plus profits made on selling covers and close up/start up chemicals. Doing 5-6 per day is not uncommon.

Selling swimming pool chemicals is also a great source of income. Many factors are included in how much can be made per pool, but profits of $30-50 per week per pool are not uncommon.

Swimming pool service companies also make a lot of money replacing and repairing pool equipment, and doing upgrades. A replacement in-ground liner could yield a net profit in the $1000-2000 range. Pool pumps and filters can profit you $200-400 each. The trick is to hold onto customers who are in the prime replacement seasons. New swimming pools rarely need such repairs, but pools that are 8-12 years old will probably need quite a few.

All in all, it is not hard for a well run swimming pool company owner to make $50,000-$60,000 by the second year and without any additional labor. Add a part time on-call helper, and you can probably go as high as $80,000-90,000 in a year. At this income level however, note that there are times of year where business is dead and other times where you don’t have a moment to breathe, working 12-15 hours a day. It’s a seasonal business and you have to make it when you can.

Geographical limitations/differences

There are many geographical differences in the swimming pool service business. Areas with high concentrations of swimming pools generally have lower weekly rates per pool, but they are much closer together. You must know your market and your competition’s rates.

Some areas of the country use different sanitizers than in other parts. For example, the northern Midwest is more likely to use a 12% liquid chlorine product while other areas use powdered and tabletized chlorine products. Other smaller areas may have higher percentages of alternative sanitizing methods such as copper/sliver ionizers, bromine, or Baquacil® type products.

Competitors

Your number one competitor for swimming pool service is your customer. It is up to you to convince the customer that you can do it better than they can and that the value is worth the cost. Families with teenagers that have little else to do can be a hard sell, at least on regular weekly maintenance.

Obviously, other swimming pool service companies are your primary commercial competitors. Those who have been in business for awhile have name recognition and a fairly loyal customer base. It’s up to you to be visible when those companies fail and to get to new customers before they can.

Advertising your swimming pool service business

Breaking old clients away from your competitor can be difficult. They have come to depend, trust, and sometimes even know them personally. But there are new clients all the time. When people buy a new house or install a new pool, they are new customers to everybody and no loyalties exist. This is the time to act.

Learn to find new clients in your community. Determine what homes are for sale and contact the current owner. They are more likely to want professional services while their house is on the market or if they have to leave before it is sold. They are also likely to give you a recommendation to a new owner and potential client.

Watch building permits in your area. New pool owners are generally the most nervous about owning that new pool and are more likely to look for professional assistance.

License Requirements

Some communities require licensing and some do not. Some require licensing to do certain tasks but not others. Call your local governing authority to determine license requirements. If your community offers but does not require a license to perform services, it is still recommended that you do it anyway. There will undoubtedly be circumstances when it is advantageous, and it is certainly a nice marketing advantage.

Swimming pool product supply

Many larger metro areas have at least one swimming pool product and equipment supplier. It is recommended that you line yourself up with at least two if possible to give you a variety of offerings and cover yourself when one inevitably backorders a product you need.

Financial Requirements

If you already have a vehicle that could be used as a service vehicle like a van or a pickup, you are most of the way there. A few hundred dollars more of starting equipment for cleaning and you are now in the swimming pool business. You will find that a storage shed is extremely valuable so you aren’t carrying around your equipment all the time, but you can even get by with temporary mini-storage too.

What to do next

Determine whether you will need a swimming pool service/operators license to do what you want to do. These may be available only at certain times of year or you may be required to take a course first.

Locate your swimming pool suppliers and clear credit with them if you choose to go that route. This isn’t necessarily easy, so be prepared to pay cash for supplies and product for at least awhile.

Keywords: swimming pool service, pool supplies, pool chemicals, pool equipment, pool pump, pool filter, pool vacuum equipment, maintenance and repair

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