percent of the responses we received this year.

The average is actually the median Whenever possible, we use the median figure for determining averages. The “average” price for the various levels of service represents actual prices that someone is charging. Half of the reported pricing is higher than the median, and half is lower.

When responses from a region were considered insufficient to give us an accurate reading, we dropped that region from our pricing survey. And whenever possible, we provide “highs” and “lows” for each level of service, to give you an idea of the ranges of pricing we were dealing with. When considering dollar amounts, we rounded up or down to the nearest whole dollar.

How Do You Bill?

We asked readers to supply us with information on how they bill, whether it is by the call or as a flat monthly rate, and whether those charges include or don’t include chemicals. In some cases, respondents indicated they have multiple billing methods. In other cases, respondents declined to disclose billing practices.

As noted in previous years, we found across the board, the majority of service firms that bill at a flat monthly rate regularly made one call per week for their residential customers and one or two calls per week for their commercial customers.

We are providing statistics on monthly charges for the following:

• Residential service, billed at a flat monthly rate for one call per week.

• Commercial service, billed at a flat monthly rate for one, two or three calls per week.

When such information is available in sufficient numbers to be judged valid, it is included in the region-by-region breakdown that is a part of this issue.

However, when there were insufficient replies from a given region for a particular type of service, it was not included in the results. Disclaimer Although it is not a purely scientific survey, we believe that our results present an accurate picture of the state of our industry in 2021.

When reader participation was deemed sufficient, we reported information on a variety of categories that were supported by adequate data.

Information contained in this survey is for informational and historical purposes only and is not meant to encourage readers to set prices in restraint of trade or in violation of any laws.

Northern California

Respondents of service firms in Northern California provided information on over 7,000 swimming pools. These pool maintenance companies have a median account size of 180 swimming pools and 10 stand-alone spas that are serviced each week.

About 83 percent of respondents indicated they employ non-office workers to help service the pools on route. Those companies are comprised of an average of 5 employees who are generally either paid by the pool or paid hourly. About 25 percent of respondents paid their workers by the pool, while 67 percent paid their workers hourly, with the remaining paid by the day or were salaried workers. Hourly wages were about $18, or $30 per pool.

For once weekly residential service, Northern California service companies charge an average of $145 per month, with most including chemicals. In this area, the highest reported per month charge was $260, while the low was $65.

For commercial accounts, about 50 percent of Northern California respondents indicated they service commercial pools, with an average of 13 commercial accounts. These reported they charge an average of $500 a month for twice weekly service, including chemicals, with a high of $900 and a low of $300.

Southern California

The data provided from service firms within Southern California represents information on more than 4,000 total swimming pools. These pool maintenance companies have a median account size of 72 swimming pools and 10 stand-alone spas that are serviced each week.

About 60 percent of respondents indicated they employ non-office workers to help service or repair the pools on route. Those companies are comprised of an average of 2 employees who are either paid by the pool or paid hourly. About 68 percent of respondents paid their workers by the pool, while 37 percent paid their workers hourly, with

the remaining paid by the day or were salaried workers. Hourly wages were about $18, or $14 per pool.

For once weekly residential service, Southern California service companies charge an average of $134 per month, including chemicals. In this area, the highest residential per month charge was $200, while the low was $85.

About 40 percent of Southern California respondents indicated they regularly service commercial accounts, and reported they charge an average of $138 a month for once weekly service, including chemicals, with a high of $140 and a low of $135. Those respondents that do twice weekly service indicated they charge an average of $350 per month, including chemicals, with a high of $3,570 and a low of $240 for commercial accounts. For thrice weekly service, respondents reported charging an average of $700 per month with a high of $2,400 and a low of $375. For those who service commercial pools, they have about 10 such accounts.

Southwest

Florida

This year, respondents of service firms in the Southwest provided information on just over 2,000 total swimming pools. These pool maintenance companies have a median account size of 70 residential swimming pools and 8 stand-alone spas that are serviced each week.

About 75 percent of respondents indicated they employ non-office workers to help service or repair the pools on route. Those companies are comprised of an average of 4 employees who are either paid by the pool or paid hourly. About 60 percent of respondents paid their workers by the pool, while 40 percent paid their workers hourly. Hourly wages were about $20, or $14 per pool.

For once weekly residential service, Southwest service companies charge an average of $163 per month, including chemicals, and $35 per visit, including chemicals. For respondents in this area, the highest per month charge was $360, while the low was $99.

For their commercial accounts, Southwest respondents reported they charge an average of $392.50 a month for twice weekly service, including chemicals, with a high of $500 and a low of $285. For thrice weekly commercial service, the average per month charge was $680, with a high of $3,000 and a low of $285. Respondents have an average of 12 commercial accounts.

Survey respondents of service firms in Florida provided information on nearly 2,000 swimming pools. These pool maintenance companies have a median account size of 138 swimming pools and 2 stand-alone spas that are serviced each week.

About 80 percent of respondents indicated they employ non-office workers to help service or repair the pools on route. Those companies are comprised of an average of 3 employees who are either paid by the pool or paid hourly with the rest of the workers on salary. About 38 percent of respondents paid their workers by the pool, while 50 percent paid their workers hourly, with the remaining paid as salaried workers. Hourly wages were about $15, and also $15 per pool.

For once weekly residential service, Florida service companies reported that they charge an average of $121 per month, including chemicals. In this area, the highest per month charge was $200, while the low was $80. Numerous respondents from this region indicated that they have different monthly charges for pools that are screened, versus those that are completely unprotected outdoors, with an average charge of $97 for screened pools.

For their commercial accounts, Florida respondents reported that they charge an average of $355 a month for twice weekly service, including chemicals, with a high of $375 and a low of $335. However, 90 percent of respondents from this region indicated that they only provide residential service, with very light participation from those who provide commercial service.

Southeast

This year, survey respondents of service firms in Southeast provided information on just over 1,000 total regularly serviced swimming pools. These pool maintenance companies have a median account size of 70 swimming pools and 12 stand-alone spas that are serviced each week. Because of the climate in this region of the country however, many respondents reported that their regularly serviced pools represent only a fraction of the work they perform each year, with thousands of additional pools serviced to open for the spring, or close for the winter.

About 80 percent of respondents indicated they employ non-office workers to help service or repair the pools on route. Those companies are comprised of an average of 4 employees who are either paid by the pool or paid hourly with the remainder employed as salaried workers. About 13 percent of respondents paid their workers by the pool, while 75 percent paid their workers hourly. Hourly wages were about $15. Data was insufficient to report per pool worker wages.

For once weekly residential service, Southeast service companies charge an average of $188 per month, including chemicals. However, 40 percent of respondents from this region specified their monthly rate did not include chemicals, charging an average of $135 with chemicals extra.

For regularly scheduled commercial accounts, respondents charge an average of $375 for once weekly service, with a high of $500 and a low of $200. Twice weekly commercial service averaged $537 with a high of $900 and a low of $374.

Northeast

Survey respondents of service firms in the Northeast provided information on over 3,000 swimming pools, this year. These pool maintenance companies have a median account size of 400 swimming pools and 6 spas that are serviced each week. Like other areas that experience seasonal changes, these numbers don’t include the thousands of pools that service technicians open in the spring or close in the winter.

About 86 percent of respondents indicated they employ non-office workers to help service or repair the pools on route. Those companies are comprised of an average of 15 employees who were almost always paid hourly wages. About 98 percent of respondents paid their workers by the hour. Hourly wages were about $20.

For once weekly residential service, Northeast service companies charge an average of $217 per month, including chemicals.

The highest per month charge was $1,195, while the low was $100.

For their commercial accounts, Northeast respondents reported they charge an average of $280 a month for once weekly service with a high of $600 and a low of $115.

Midwest

Participation from the Midwest region of the country to this year’s survey was light, representing only 3 percent of responses. This year’s survey respondents of service firms in the Midwest provided information on just 1,500 swimming pools. These pool maintenance companies have a median account size of 200 swimming pools serviced each week. Nearly 100 percent of respondents indicated they employ non-office workers to help service or repair the pools on route. Those companies are comprised of an average of one employee who is almost always paid an hourly wage. Hourly wages averaged $17.50.

For once weekly residential service, respondents from Midwest service companies charged an average of $210, including chemicals.

In this area, the high per visit charge was $300, while the low was $125.

For their commercial accounts, most Midwest respondents billed a twice weekly charge that does not include chemicals.

The twice weekly average was $560, with a high of $800 and a low of $295.