With the summer solstice a couple weeks away and Memorial Day just past, it’s hard to argue that summertime hasn’t arrived, and that means that it’s time for the Service Industry News survey issues, where we publish the results of a 3-part questionnaire that takes the pulse of the pool and spa service industry.

• What are you charging your clients for standard pool care?

• What do you charge for the extras?

• What are your costs? Are you charging enough? Too much? Are you paying too much, or are you getting a deal?

Year after year, these are the things you might want to know so that you can tell if you’re keeping up with the Joneses.

And that’s why, year after year, we keep asking.

One question we always ask is: Do you charge your customers extra for chemicals?

So let’s talk about why you would or wouldn’t want to do that.

If you’ve been in the service industry for a few years — since 2020, to be specific — you have witnessed one of the most rapid and dramatic increases in chemical costs that the pool and spa industry has ever seen.

That was the year that the price of chlorine doubled. That was the year that your 50-pound bucket of trichlor went from $80 to $160 literally overnight. And that was the year you may have thought about changing your pricing structure.

The following year, when chlorine prices didn’t come down, maybe you did more than just think about it. And for the next two years, as you muddled through the meaning of the word “inflation,” you probably decided to raise all of your prices accordingly.

Now, with persistent rumors of a looming recession, where demand falls and prices tend to follow, what on earth will you do next?

Wouldn’t it be simpler to try to divorce your pricing structure from the economy? That’s part of why some service pros like to charge their customers for chemicals separately.

Because really, charging extra for chemicals has a lot of selling points.

Think about the financial transparency. Wouldn’t your customers appreciate understanding exactly what they are paying for? You can itemize each chemical, which builds trust and avoids the perception of overcharging. And if the prices rise — because, let’s face it, they always do — you can pass on the charge without changing your labor rate.

Think about the profit. When billed separately, and marked up just a little, chemicals can be a source of profit, and you won’t have to eat the cost if a pool needs more chemicals than usual.

And think about those pools that always need more chemicals.You have your heavy-use or problematic pools. Lots of kids? Lots of landscaping around? There are reasons why expensive enzymes and phosphate removers were invented, and this is it. Now, you might not want to use those pricy chemicals if you’re the one footing the bill. But shouldn’t a much-used pool surrounded by lush vegetation be every bit as pristine as the one barely touched by your DINK customers? Well, if it takes more, it’s going to cost more. That’s just the way it is.

And overall, charging for chemicals separately might help you get a better handle on your inventory and purchasing, and it could make it easier to manage your route profitability.

So what’s on the other hand? Why shouldn’t you charge separately for chemicals?

For customers who have become accustomed to bundled pricing, changing your pricing structure may be confusing or annoying.

Bundled pricing feels simpler, and maybe your customers will feel nickel and dimed.

Worse, charging for chemicals separately could lead to billing disputes. “Why did you use that expensive phosphate remover?” they may ask. “Isn’t there a cheaper brand?” or “How come you barely charged me for chlorine last month, and this month you’re charging me double?” Maybe you find it easier not to have to explain any of this.

Because there will be inconsistent monthly bills. Customers might not like how their bill changes from month to month, especially in the hotter months when chemical demand spikes.

And maybe you won’t like the additional administrative work, itemizing each chemical added at each and every visit. It’s going to take time to keep track of all the stuff you are using, both in the field and in the office, when it’s time for bookkeeping. And you might need to buy additional computer software to track it all.

It turns out that the other hand has just as many reasons not to bill chemicals separately. And you may find that some of those reasons are even more compelling.

In this special issue of Service Industry News , we’re taking a deep dive into your monthly pricing, organized by region, so you can compare your prices to the going rates.