This year’s Service Industry News’ annual billing survey revealed that pool and spa service firms are charging customers monthly fees ranging from about $110 to $420 for once-weekly service, depending on their geographical location.

However, astute service firms recognize that additional profits can be found in installation and repair jobs, which can sometimes yield more than four times the revenue compared to a month’s worth of regular service from the same customer.

Let’s consider the average cost of doing an acid wash as an example. Nationally, service professionals typically charge around $120 per hour for labor and repairs. Now, an acid wash might take two people approximately four hours, (not including draining and refilling) and they could charge about $1,200 to do it. Depending on where they work, each person could generate the equivalent of about five months’ worth of service revenue in just one visit.

This is precisely why installation and repair jobs hold tremendous potential for generating substantial income, and they constitute the focal point of this particular issue.

Each year, Service Industry News publishes three issues that delve into the results of a survey distributed among 10,000 service professionals. This survey covers a wide range of topics relating to business practices, aiming to gauge the pulse of the industry. It seeks insights into billing practices, services offered, types of equipment employed in pools and spas, and the use of various chemicals.

To organize the survey results effectively, they can be categorized into three main areas: how service professionals bill their customers, the types of services they offer, and the equipment and chemicals they utilize. This second issue of the survey is dedicated to labor and analyzes responses related to service offerings and the corresponding charges levied by service professionals.

What is the average cost of chemically starting up a new pool? How much does it typically cost to install a pump or heater? How much profit can be generated from acid washing a pool? What can be earned from installing a vinyl liner? According to survey respondents, these jobs can be highly lucrative, amounting to thousands of dollars.

For instance, seasonal jobs, which vary across different regions, often contribute significantly to a service firm’s profit margin, especially considering that these pools remain closed for half of the year. In regions with distinct winters, there is ample profit to be made from both winterizing the pool and reopening it for the season. Survey results indicate that pool service companies charge anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars for these services. While not all regions of the country exhibited the same level of response to this section of the survey, those that did participate will find these pricing guidelines valuable for evaluating their business practices. As usual, the data that instills the most confidence stems from regions with higher participation rates, notably both halves of California and the Southwest.

In this issue, we present a regional breakdown of standard services, including the percentage of firms offering them. Additionally, we provide information on the “Average” price charged for each service, along with the respective “High” and “Low” charges whenever possible. For those looking for a basis on how to price labor-intensive work, you’ll find nationwide regional results tabulated starting on page ___.

Many thanks to all who took part in this year’s survey making it possible for the industry to get an idea of today’s regional trends.

Look forward to our next and final survey issue on pool chemicals and testing.

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.