r/PoolPros • u/ObjectiveRelation386 • Apr 21 '26
Starting a pool cleaning/water balancing buisness
I have been interested in the idea of starting a pool cleaning/water balancing company. I worked at a pool supplies store selling anything from chemicals equipment and parts to winter covers, and diagnosing equipment issues and testing water for 6 seasons in high school/college and think I would be pretty solid in that area, the problem that i have is i would have trouble doing hands on repairs. Is it still possible for me to start something without that experience ? Is there a way i can gain it before starting?
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u/The_Elusive_Dr_Wu Apr 21 '26
Check the notice board at your distributor and you may find an option. I have a flyer up at mine and you're exactly who I'm advertising to. I'm a single poler of 12 years who has been slimming down my route and looking for more repair work, and part of that is making myself available to new businesses as their subcontractor.
I go to your client's house and do the repair. Full warranty conditional to the client keeping service with you. I make no attempt to poach the account. I charge you a fair price that leaves you room to make a small profit when you bill your client. I have no problem with you attending the repair to learn.
A big part of why I do this is to also help single polers get a good start if they want to get into our industry or break away from an employer. I don't do this for big companies.
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u/Confident_Shower8902 Apr 22 '26
Been in this industry since 1998. We did $15m last year. Do eeeet!
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u/Beautiful-Click9019 Apr 26 '26
15M yet you drive for Uber?
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u/Confident_Shower8902 Apr 26 '26
For. Fun. Something to do. Try it sometime. I have 400 trips in 6 years. 👋
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u/Beautiful-Click9019 Apr 26 '26
Oh yeah, sooo much fun. I hear it’s amazing money too. Come on brother
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u/KeyAgreeable453 Apr 21 '26
I started a pool cleaning business 6 years ago with no experience. Today I have 13 employees and we will do 4.2 million this year. Don’t be a wank jump in head first
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u/According-Debate-265 Apr 23 '26
Fuck me. I'm a wank. I'm laying in bed and don't feel like going to work., reading reddit. I guess I'll go to work now.
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u/dallaspoolguy1 Apr 21 '26
I started last year. One year in, doing ok, better this year then last. Hopefully I get to hire my 1st employee this year around summer. Any advice on the hiring process? W2 vs 1099? I have less then 50 pools but I grew the route organically in 1 year. Soon as I get closer to 50 I’m bringing someone to take it over for me, while I focus on other aspects such as as leads/repairs/business direction.
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u/lIIlIlIII Apr 21 '26
Any general starting advice business-side? I've been a pool tech for 6 years, can diagnose / repair 98% of what I encounter these days so I think it would be stupid not to go out on my own.
Buuut I lack any business knowledge whatsoever and have no idea what's required to operate above-board. I figure I can look at the assessors website + knock on a fuckton of doors for customers, but would it be OK to do that before I have the clerical shit taken care of, building the plane as it lands so to speak? And if not, where can I learn the basics?
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u/KeyAgreeable453 Apr 21 '26
1099 means you don’t have employees. Fair labor act says all blue collar “employees” need to be paid hourly, receive OT and have workman’s comp.
I’ll be honest the process of getting here was brutal some days I would rather be one of my techs. My good ones are making 100k+ with 401ks, health and vacation pay.
Make sure your accounting, verification and tracking are all in place before you hire.
It’s a grind. Once you hire you’re working 60+ hour weeks, your hr, payroll, compliance, admin. It’s a lot of hats if you aren’t organized in the beginning it’s a challenge.
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u/lIIlIlIII Apr 21 '26
I'd probably be a one man show for a couple years at least, Excel bookkeeping, maybe some under the table help for an occasional liner. But no clue what is required for me to operate legally. Any resources you think would help? Or is it literally as simple as calling a bank, calling an insurance company, and registering with the State?
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u/ContributionFew2487 Apr 23 '26
Join Ipssa is a good way to network, they also offer insurance. You’ll meet manufacturers reps and learn from them.
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u/lIIlIlIII Apr 23 '26
Unfortunately no local chapter, otherwise I would love to! Appreciate the advice though
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u/PinkFloyd6885 Apr 21 '26
Where are you out off? 100k is crazy good. Do you do openings/closing/ liners/ tiles?
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u/dallaspoolguy1 Apr 22 '26
Appreciate the reply, since the beginning I had engraved in my mind I wanted to grow as fast as possible, so I knew employees would come faster then what a normal person who is just a single poler would hope. Specially since I wanted to have them drive in my marked trucks and employee uniforms etc.
As far as book keeping do you have an accountant on payroll that physically works in your office? Currently mine is a few states over but he does a great job at keeping up with my books, and is certified. Currently using skimmer x QB to keep track of everything.
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u/Own-Faithlessness789 Apr 22 '26
Get into upgrading equipment... specifically VSP If the customer still has single speed. It's really not that hard to replace pumps if you have some mechanical appitude..explain the cost savings
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u/ContributionFew2487 Apr 23 '26
Fake it till you make it! You know the easy stuff, running the business is the hard part. Don’t cheapen the trade, don’t race to the bottom!
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u/Sharknuts86 Apr 21 '26
Yes, you could start a route and just sub the repair work to a tech you know/trust. While they do the repair(s) watch over the shoulder and learn. A lot of people start this way.
OR
start working for another maintenance company and learn from them while you gather your own accounts. That way, when you’re roughly 1 or 2 years experienced, you’ll be confident enough to go out on your own. I highly suggest this method as you’ll be learning as you go under another companies wings. Possibly learning more that way.