logo
    • News
    • Classifieds
    • Free Subscription
    • Book Store
    • Submit
      • Submit a Classified Ad
      • Submit an Educational Announcement
      • Submit a letter to The Editor
    • Past Issues
    • Regional Trade Shows
    • Testimonials
    • Contact
    • News
    • Classifieds
    • Free Subscription
    • Book Store
    • Submit
      • Submit a Classified Ad
      • Submit an Educational Announcement
      • Submit a letter to The Editor
    • Past Issues
    • Regional Trade Shows
    • Testimonials
    • Contact
News
June 14, 2021
Extra profits earned through repairs

By Marcelle Dibrell

The results from this years’ Service Industry News’ annual survey indicate that pool and spa service firms across the country charge their customers about $140 per month (give or take about $20) for once weekly service.

That works out to about $36 a visit, which usually takes between 15 to 25 minutes, to test and adjust chemical levels, and vacuum or skim the pool. At just over two dollars a minute of a service tech’s time, these are pretty good wages.

However, many service firms recognize that the real profit lies in installation and repair jobs, where a single visit to a pool or spa can net over four times what they might make from the same customer in a month. Consider, for example, the average charge to install a heater. Nationwide, the average installation and repair charge is approximately $100 per hour. If it takes a little over 5 hours to install a heater, then the company has made, in one visit, about what it would for a month’s worth of service.

That’s why, for many service firms, installation and repair jobs are where the real money lies, and that is the focus of this issue.

What is the average charge to acid wash or paint a pool? How much does it cost to install a pump or heater? How much profit can be made by doing a new pool chemical start-up?

With thousands of new pools being built this year, many pool and spa service companies have risen to the challenge of tackling the sometimes intricate work of new pool start-ups, which entails a lot more than simply brushing the pool walls every day. Indeed, there are several start-up regimens to choose from, with rigorous chemical parameters that must be adhered to. This means a lot of extra work, which should translate into a lot of extra profit.

Then there are the seasonal jobs, which vary from region to region. For areas that experience an appreciable winter, there is a substantial profit to be made in both winterizing the pool and then reopening it for the season. Survey results show that pool service firms companies charge anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars for these services. That’s not bad for a single visit.

And after last winter, where many areas in the southern portion of the U.S. experienced unprecedented snow and freezing conditions, pool service firms that offer seasonal closing and Spring Openings may soon expand beyond where this was done in times past. Had the pools of Texas been fully closed for the winter, for example, millions of dollars of busted plumbing and destroyed equipment could have been saved. It will be interesting to see how the industry adapts to what might become a new normal.

Meanwhile, if you happen to live in an area where the demand for vinyl lined pools is high, which tends to be true outside the sunbelt, there are thousands of dollars to be made in installing the liner.

Those little extra services can provide the bulk of a service firm’s profit margin.

How do you price your more labor demanding work?

Nationwide regional results have been tabulated beginning on page 19.

LATEST NEWS
Body found in backyard swimming pool
News
Body found in backyard swimming pool
A Suffolk County, NY police detective discovered a body in his swimming pool
June 14, 2025
A Long Island, New York, homeowner and his son discovered a body this May while opening their backyard swimming pool for the season. The body is belie...
this is a test
News
Need to raise prices? Read how to do it
June 14, 2025
This years’ Service Industry News survey revealed an interesting trend: Pool and spa small business owners have raised their average monthly prices. A...
this is a test
Florida pool builder sentenced to 20 years
News
Florida pool builder sentenced to 20 years
June 14, 2025
A Florida pool and spa builder has been sentenced to prison for defrauding customers. According to a press release from the Florida Attorney General’s...
this is a test
Las Vegas hotels discover Legionella in water
News
Las Vegas hotels discover Legionella in water
June 14, 2025
For many American families, the summer months signal a time for vacation. That’s why health departments are sounding the alarm about a hidden health t...
this is a test
News
Todrain,ornottodrain, that is the question
June 14, 2025
The state of Montana has enacted a new regulatory change concerning hot tub maintenance for short-term rentals that is expected to save the state mill...
this is a test
Minnesota struggles with backyard spas:  Public or private?
News
Minnesota struggles with backyard spas: Public or private?
June 14, 2025
When are residential pools, spas, or hot tubs actually public pools, spas, or hot tubs? It sounds like a riddle, but it’s a real question up for debat...
this is a test
Read Our Newsletter
ePaper
coogle_play
app_store
Free Subscription
View Current Print Ads
Educational Announcements
Aquatic Training Institute

Educational Leverage

Foundation For Pool Industry Education

Locey Pool

Pool Chemistry Training Institute

Pool & Hot Tub Alliance

Portofino University

Underwater Pool Masters
Trade Show Dates
  • The International Pool Spa Patio Expo
    Nov. 12-14, Dallas, Texas
  • The Pool and Spa Show
    Jan. 28-30, Atlantic City, New Jersey
  • 35th Annual National Plasterers Conference
    Feb. 26-28, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
  • The Southwest Pool and Spa Show
    Feb. 4-8, Houston, Texas
  • The Western Pool and Spa Show
    Feb. 6-8, Long Beach, California
Books to Order
About Us Terms of Use Privacy Policy
We use cookies to ensure that our website gives you the best experience possible. By continuing to use this website, you agree to this use of cookies.OK