How Much Do Pool Cleaners Make

How Much Does A Pool Cost Per Month In Electricity

The average swimming pool costs $65 to $100 per month or about $800 to $1,200 per year just for electricity. Most homeowners see a 30% to 50% increase in their electric bills every season. To heat your pool, expect to spend even more.

Regarding the type of pool equipment you have, expect the following costs to run them:

Cost To Run Pool Equipment

Why We Wrote This Post

Old posts, incomplete videos, or case studies focusing only on selling, you name it. In essence, there is so much stuff out there about starting a pool cleaning business that you can go on forever and still end up not finding anything useful.

We thought it would be useful to have one in-depth, step-by-step resource to guide new pool service companies. The idea is to help them focus on the fundamentals and in laying down a solid foundation.

We couldnt find one, so we wrote it ourselves.

Step : Obtain Necessary Permits And Licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Some states require the obtainment of a Pool Contractor License. There is often a specific kind of Pool Contractor License for Pool Servicing. To obtain this license, there is typically either an education requirement of a Bachelors Degree or 4 years of experience. If the applicant meets these requirements, he then qualifies for the Pool Exam which must be passed in order to obtain the license. There are fees for both the exam and the license.

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.

For more information about local licenses and permits:

• Check with your town, city or county clerks office
• Get assistance from one of the local associations listed in US Small Business Associations directory of local business resources.

Service Agreement

Pool service businesses should consider requiring clients to sign a service agreement before starting a new project. This agreement should clarify client expectations and minimize risk of legal disputes by setting out payment terms and conditions, service level expectations, and intellectual property ownership. Here is an example service agreement.

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Plan Your Customer Service

Youre ready to start providing pool cleaning services to your clients! But how will you keep them happy and make sure they stick around?

Solid customer service is what separates the winning pool service businesses from the losersand what keeps your clients coming back. Try these tips for great customer service:

What Is The Best Way To Clean Your Pool

The best way to clean your pool is to hire a professional for regular service. Oftentimes, signing up for regular, ongoing services will drop the per-visit cost significantly.

Basic pool cleaning services will include skimming off debris, leaves and other materials that have made it into the pool. It will also likely include cleaning the pools walls, vacuuming debris from the bottom and making sure the pump and filter are in good shape. A pool cleaner can also test the water and add chemicals as needed.

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Why Start A Pool Cleaning Business

Do you know how many pools are in the United States?

According to the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals , there are 10.4 million residential and 309,000 public swimming pools in the United States.

If we dig deeper into other statistics:

• Swimming is the fourth most-popular sport or activity in the United States.
• 36 percent of children aged 7 to 17 years and 15 percent of adults go swimming at least six times annually in the United States.
• According to IBISWorld, the swimming pool cleaning services industry is a $3 billion industry.

Different types of pools in the United States:

• Above-ground pools
• In-ground pools
• Hot tubs

As far as earning possibilities are concerned, According to Spring Board Pool Route Brokers in 2019, professional pool cleaners earn $50 to $60 per hour and up to $200 if they do equipment repair and maintenance as well.

You see, the idea behind sharing all these numbers and statistics with you is to showcase the opportunities you have with a pool cleaning service business. Once you prove you can do solid work and establish some accounts, a pool cleaning business also provides a potential for consistent, recurring income.

You Can Avoid Heavy Physical Work

While being a pool boy implies some hands-on work, you will still be able to avoid heavy physical work that comes along with many other jobs.

For instance, a construction worker will have to lift heavy stuff all day long.

In turn, people who work in those fields will often experience serious health issues in the long run and may even have to quit their jobs due to those unpleasant things.

As a pool guy, you will have a significantly lower risk in this regard since you can avoid lifting heavy things on a regular basis.

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Pool Flocculant Basics How To Use Homemade + What To Do If Not Working Or Sinking

When swimming pools get dirty, they often have different solutions to this dirt depending on the cause. One of the most commonly used methods to clean pools is adding a flocculant to it. Pool flocculants are some of the best cleaning chemicals for pools owing to how fast and effective they are at it.

Pool flocculants can be quite complex to understand and use as they come in different forms and may have different instructions on how to use them. However, all you need to know is that flocculants are meant to help you clear up the pool that cant be cleared by your filtration system. While most of the flocculants available are bought from shops, you can also make your own right at home and itll be just as effective as the commercial ones.

In this guide, we take a look at what flocculants are, how to use them, a review of the best, how to make your own at home and frequently asked questions.

You Can Avoid Classical Office Work

Another benefit of working as a pool guy is that you can also avoid working in a classical office environment.

While some people like office work, the majority of people dont like it at all.

In fact, working in those office environments often feels quite artificial and it can indeed be considered unnatural since we as humans just havent evolved like that for thousands of years.

Instead, we had been working with our hands in nature and by working as a pool guy, you can get back to the roots to a certain extent.

Consequently, a career as a pool guy can also make sense for you in case you just dont want to work in a classical office job but rather want to work with your hands instead.

Recommended Reading: Endless Pool Maintenance

Hiring Pool Guy Vs A Professional Swimming Pool Cleaner

Pool guys charge about 1.7 times more than it costs to clean your pool yourself. However, be careful who you hirewhile a professional maintenance service might send out someone who barely knows how to clean a pool, you can pay more for someone with many years of experience and who can recognize small issues before they become expensive ones. When comparing pool cleaning services near you, be sure to look for positive customer reviews.

What Chemicals Do You Need To Clean A Pool

The main categories of pool chemicals include sanitizers, oxidizers, water balancers, and specialty chemicals. Sanitizers disinfect pool water. Oxidizers are a second type of sanitizing chemical meant to kill bacteria and algae. Water balancers keep the pH level of the water in the correct place, as well as maintain the proper hardness that is, levels of calcium and other elements. Other specialty chemicals include clarifiers, flocculant, algaecides and more.

If you dont know how to properly use pool cleaning chemicals, consider hiring a professional pool cleaner to help you maintain your pool.

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Swimming Pool Acid Wash Cost

Acid washing is the process of using a very strong acid, known as Muriatic Acid, to remove pool stains due to chlorine, algae, minerals, and dirt, costing between $350 and $550, depending on the size of your pool. During the process, the acid washes a thin layer of plaster off the surface of the pool, exposing a fresh, clean layer underneath. If you keep up with the maintenance of your pool, chances are you will only need to acid wash your pool every five to eight years. Acid washing is the strongest form of pool wash using harsh chemicals. If done too frequently, it can be harmful.

What Do You Need To Only Clean Pools

If all you want to do is run a pool cleaning business and not overall maintenance then there arent as many regulations. If youre servicing private pools and not public, all you have to do is keep it clean.

However, it will be more difficult to find customers without providing a high standard of service. If a company that is more knowledgable and certified is operating at the same price, an unqualified pool cleaning business might not stand much of a chance.

While you will be able to clean pools, youll be unqualified to undertake the more serious maintenance work that pools needs.

Also Check: How To Read Clorox Pool Test Strips

Pool Cleaning Service Prices

There’s nothing like having your own pool to cool off in on a hot day. Regular maintenance, however, is a less satisfying component of pool ownership, and one that many homeowners choose to outsource. The cost of pool cleaning services depends on the size of the pool, the condition of the pool, the local market, and how often cleaning is performed. If a technician finds broken pool components, budget extra for repair or replacement.

Annual Pool Maintenance Cost

Your average annual pool maintenance cost runs from $960 to $1,800, with most homeowners spending around $1,400 along with the cost of any necessary repairs. A considerable variance in pricing depends on the type of pool.

According to Nerdwallet, there are two more costs that many homeowners dont think about in regards to yearly pool maintenance costs when researching the cost to build a pool.

• Liability insurance can bump your monthly pool cost by $17 to $25. A pool increases the chance of injury on your property and will increase the price of your homeowners insurance, and insurance companies recommend liability insurance of half a million with an umbrella policy to bring it up to one million.
• Inground pools typically increase your home’s property value by 7% when it goes up, property taxes tend to follow increase as well.

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What Happens When You Dont Keep Your Pool Clean

It would be a shame to have a stunning pool in your backyard that isnt maintained properly. More than a passing annoyance, an unclean pool can be a breeding ground for harmful bacteria that can cause many health issues, including exacerbating chronic conditions.

Additionally, an unclean pool can:

• Leave stains on the surface of your pool and irritate your eyes
• Break down pool filters and pumps, causing components to malfunction
• Contain a wide range of bacteria and viruses, leading to hospitalization
• Cause significant health problems, including ear, nose, and throat infections

Other factors, including rain, airborne microorganisms, and synthetic oils and lotions, can lessen the quality of your pool water. For these reasons, regular pool cleaning and care can help you prevent harmful pollutants from entering and remaining in your pool.

How And When To Build A Team

Many pool service business owners never hire employees. Those that bring on employees usually hire their first employee once they have more customers than they can serve themselves.

Next Steps

Check out our How to Start a Business page.

Sign up at the Business Center to access useful tools for your business.

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How Much Does It Cost For Pool Service

Wondering how much pool cleaners make an hour? Most pool cleaners are contractors who work in their own business. This means theyll need to charge enough per hour to cover all their expenses, including:

• Their wage

Depending on your service provider, you may need to buy all of these parts and chemicals yourself or they may provide some of them as part of the service.

Cost To Open And Close A Pool

In addition to regular monthly maintenance costs, you should also consider the cost of opening and closing your pool, which ranges from $100 to $350 for opening and $175 to $300 for closing. When temperatures drop below 65°F, closing your pool protects it from debris and contaminants while youre not using it. Of course, if you close your pool, youll have to open it back up again once the weather gets warm enough for swimming. While your pool is closed, you wont have to pay for monthly maintenance.

The table below highlights the average cost of opening and closing the pool based on whether the pool has no cover, mesh cover, or solid cover. The opening of a pool involves skimming away the debris, checking the fittings and filters, vacuuming/brushing the pool, and adding chemicals. The closing of a pool includes lubricating the equipment, clearing the plumbing, removing ladders, diving boards and skimmers, adding some chemicals, and installing the cover.

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Suction Pool Vacuum Cleaners

Suction Pool Vacuum Cleaners use the water flow from your filtration system and attach to either a dedicated suction port or skimmer. As debris are being sucked up, they are collected in the leaf canister, skimmer basket or routed directly to the pool filter. They are reliable, do not require professional installation and are the most affordable pool cleaning option, but keep in mind they require a pool pump to run and increase stress on the pool pump and filter.

Pool Guys Have Poor Job Security

One disadvantage of working as a pool cleaner is that you will have a rather poor job security.

In fact, many pool cleaners change their jobs quite frequently and will also get fired on a regular basis, even though they might do great work.

This means that you will never know how long you will be able to keep your job and this can be really annoying and frustrating since this constant insecurity can greatly lower your overall quality of life.

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Swimming Pool Maintenance By Material

Maintenance is a crucial component to pool ownership, ranging anywhere between $300 and $1,200. The cost of pool maintenance varies based on the type of pool material. You can expect to pay less for fiberglass pool maintenance compared to a concrete pool. The chart below highlights the three types of inground swimming pool materials with their respective maintenance costs, followed by a subsection explaining the type of maintenance involved and factors affecting the cost.

Do I Need To Hire A Pool Cleaner

If you own a permanent in-ground or above-ground pool, itll need to be cleaned regularly. Many people take care of regular pool maintenance themselves, but you might want to hire a professional pool cleaner if:

Plus, youve got a pool so you can spend more time relaxing, not cleaning! Hiring a pool cleaner will give you more time back to do things you enjoy without your pool turning a suspicious greeny colour.

Also Check: Do It Yourself Fiberglass Pools

Building Your Pool Service Business Website

Once you have your business name, business license and decided on the services you are going to offer, its time to establish an online presence for your pool cleaning business.

A professional looking website is a must for you to start booking new services and generating revenue but you dont need to spend too much at the beginning.

When youre starting out, your primary focus should be on getting the essentials locked down:

Your businesss proximity to customers, competition, and main city center play a role in where your pool service business ranks on Google My Business.

How To Start A Pool Cleaning Business

People all over the United States like to go swimming, and many of them head to a swimming pool when they want to take a dip. Keeping the many swimming pools in the country clean and operating properly is major business. According to IBISWorld, the swimming pool cleaning services industry is a $3 billion industry. With no single company dominating the industry, theres plenty of opportunity for new business owners who are interested starting up a business that cleans and services pools.

Learn how to start your own Pool Cleaning Business and whether it is the right fit for you.

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2021-09-09

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Pricing Your Pool Cleaning Services

How much should you charge your customers for your pool cleaning services?

When starting off, many pool businesses make this mistake of charging too little for their services in an attempt to beat the competition and drive more jobs.

However, very soon they realize that it is tough to sustain and make profits by charging less. So, instead of charging too little to attract those initial customers, you should consider different factors when pricing your pool cleaning services. These factors are:

• How hard is the pool going to be to take care of?
• Does the pool have unscreened leaf-pits?
• Are equipment ineffective or completely broken?

As there are so many external factors, we recommend you to offer a free estimate go, inspect the pool and equipment before quoting a price.

You can also use a proven method for pricing your pool cleaning service. This pricing method is known as cost-plus pricing.

Cost-plus pricing also known as markup pricing strategy is a simple pricing method where a fixed percentage is added on top of the total cost incurred to provide a service or manufacture a product.

The first step for you is to calculate the cost you are going to incur to provide a service. This includes:

• Insurance cost

Once you have numbers for all these above points, you will have your baseline. In simple terms,

Baseline = Salaries + Material Cost + Operational Costs

Note: