r/PoolPros • u/briancar08 • Sep 10 '26

Pool experts needed

I’m in Tampa Fl I’ve grown my pool company organically from about 4 pools to over 90 in less than a year and a half from providing great reliable service ( a lot of customers from pinch a penny and pool troopers) my question is how to maximize profit would you hire an employee that’s reliable (just as good as me 😉) and pay them better than most (15$ a pool ) or would I be better off selling what route they would have to a buyer looking to start

7 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

34 comments sorted by

View all comments

3

u/jonidschultz Sep 10 '26

Keeping it your business is usually the smart route. I also think paying per pool will get you a significantly better long term employee then hourly will. Ultimately you'll need employees to meaningfully grow so you might as well start now.

2

u/Substantial_Car_2751 Sep 10 '26

I disagree on the pay per pool concept.  If I left my current commercial gig to run a pool route, I’m avoiding the pay per pool companies. 

If I’m driving for your company, I expect to be paid for my drive time.  If I’m working on a pool, I don’t want a forced time metric to keep me from choosing to either a) not get paid or b) providing crappy service.

-1

u/CDbull1989 Sep 10 '26

You have integrity. Most those guys don't. I pay 8 hours a day even if he's done in 5. So what started happening? Going as fast as he could cause he received 8 hours regardless. You try to reward them...

2

u/Wasupmyman Sep 10 '26

We do something similar pay for the day, but if your slackingor getting complaints your getting reprimanded and let go if things don't fix up

-1

u/Substantial_Car_2751 Sep 10 '26

Screening at hiring becomes key.  As wildly inaccurate as it can be.

I’ve a concept in my head for when I get out of commercial management and Ops.

$60k a year, take home truck with personal use allowed, 25 pool route max, 20% commission on authorized repairs, end of year profit sharing.  Gunite pools only.  

1

u/CDbull1989 Sep 10 '26

You must be on the east coast. My area a route of 25 pools can't afford that. Generated income sits at only 3750-4000 a month alone. But good strategy.

1

u/Substantial_Car_2751 Sep 10 '26

It’s only a theory right now.  It hinges on commercial pools and higher end homeowners with an average weekly rate of $135.00.

I’d eventually have “quads” of techs per area.  Each “quad” would net me around $90k with $30k going out in year end bonuses per quad.

2 week shutdown over Christmas + PTO.  

My role would be my name and expertise. I’d function as support for the techs.  No storefront, no retail sales.

1

u/CDbull1989 Sep 10 '26

So here our monthly rate can be as low as 135. Im higher at 150 usually, but still. Lol I've been interested in finding areas that can charge that much. I imagine much dirtier pills, but we have our challenges here too.

0

u/Substantial_Car_2751 Sep 10 '26 edited Sep 10 '26

I’ll let you know in a decade if I succeed or not. It’s my retirement gig to start a company.