Start a Pool Service Business
Corey Adams started his pool business with $1,200 in equipment and a used truck, and spent 15 years running routes before building Pool Founder. This is the roadmap he wishes he'd had.
Decide if the numbers work
Before you buy a single pole, know what the business actually earns and where new operators go wrong.
How profitable is a pool cleaning business?
Real net margins of 15-45% and what profit looks like at 50, 100, and 200 pools.
Read moreMarket choiceCommercial vs residential: which pays more?
Commercial pays $300-$2,000+/mo per pool, but higher rates come with real tradeoffs.
Read moreReality checkWhy pool service businesses fail
The failure-rate data, and the handful of mistakes behind most of it.
Read moreSet up the business
Entity, license, plan. The paperwork that protects you and takes a weekend, not a month.
LLC vs sole proprietorship
What each structure costs, what it protects, and when the LLC is worth it.
Read moreLicensingLicensing requirements by state
The state-by-state map of what license (if any) you need to clean pools.
Read moreTemplatePool service business plan template
A fill-in business plan built for a route-based service company.
Read moreBudget the launch
Most new operators spend $10K-$20K to get going. Here is every line item, and the insurance that actually pays claims.
Startup costs: every dollar itemized
Bootstrap for $2K or launch fully equipped for $50K — the full breakdown.
Read moreInsurance costWhat pool business insurance costs
Real premium data for general liability, commercial auto, and workers comp.
Read moreInsurance picksThe 7 best insurers for pool companies
Ranked by rates, AM Best ratings, and the exclusions that deny chemical claims.
Read moreGear up
"Buy the minimum to do the job professionally on day one. Everything else, you add as revenue comes in."
Price your routes
Pricing mistakes made in month one compound for years. Set rates from your real costs, not the competition.
Commercial pool service pricing
2026 rate tables by property type, plus the cost-plus formula to bid any contract.
Read moreBilling modelMonthly rate vs per-visit billing
"The guys who shift to monthly recurring build businesses they can actually sell."
Read moreLand customers and grow
Your first 50 customers come from reviews, referrals, and answering the phone — then routes become an asset you can buy and sell.
How Google reviews win pool customers
The data on reviews and local rankings, and how to earn them on every route.
Read moreFirst contactStop losing jobs to missed calls
Most new customers call one competitor first. Answering wins the job.
Read moreMarketingEmail marketing for pool companies
Simple campaigns that fill winter revenue gaps and upsell existing customers.
Read moreGrowthGrowth milestones: solo to multi-tech
What changes at 50, 150, and 300 pools, from an owner who hit every stage.
Read moreSeasonalityPlanning around the off-season
How year-round operators keep cash flowing from October to March.
Read moreRoutesBuying and selling pool routes
Routes trade at 6-12x monthly revenue. Valuation, contracts, and red flags.
Read moreFree starter kit
Start a pool service business with the numbers already run.
A short email series from an owner who started with $1,200 and a used truck. No software pitch, just the four things that decide whether year one works.
- Startup cost breakdownEvery line item from $2K bootstrap to fully equipped
- Pricing calculatorThe minimum you can charge per visit and still profit
- First-10-customers playbookDoor hangers, referrals, and the phone script that closes
- Licensing & insurance checklistWhat your state requires and which insurers pay claims
Already running routes? Try Pool Founder free
"I have seen guys drop $8,000 on equipment before they have a single customer. That is backwards. Buy the minimum to do the job professionally on day one — everything else, you add as revenue comes in."