How to Start a Pool Cleaning Business? (A Complete Guide)

According to the estimates of timesnext.com, the global swimming pool market is set to grow by 3.56 billion USD between 2020 to 2024. And estimated that it would progress at a 2% CAGR during the same forecast period. 

So, if you are wondering to start your own pool cleaning services and expand your services, then you are thinking in the right direction. 

However, just being the best pool service provider is not enough as there is a lot more to building a profitable pool cleaning service business from the scratch. 

This comprehensive guide will cover everything you need to know about setting up and growing a pool cleaning business. From understanding the industry and water chemicals to purchasing the right pool cleaning equipment.

Here is a complete guide on how to start a pool cleaning business and everything you need to create a pool cleaning business plan.

Why Starting a Pool Cleaning Business?

Do you know there are over 74,610 swimming pool service businesses in the US as of 2022, an increase of 5% from the previous year? And as per the research, the business is expected to bounce back. 

A pool cleaning business owner will make about $50 to $60 per hour cleaning pools. Working full-time comes from $2,000 to $2,400 per week.

How to Start a Pool Cleaning Business from Scratch?

Let’s explore the steps to start your own pool service business with no experience.

1. Gather Experience and Knowledge About Pool Cleaning

Starting a business without the necessary expertise and experience is like jumping into the water without knowing how to swim. As a result, before starting a pool cleaning service, make sure you have all of the expertise and experience necessary to develop a successful pool cleaning business. 

For instance, while training, try to learn from more than one expert and learn about different types of pool.

2. Do Research and Make a Pool Cleaning Business Plan

Next; once you have gained all the expertise and experience, do all research and planning to build your profitable pool service business. Here are a few areas that you should look into:

• Financials

  Determine your startup costs and business expenses. Here are two questions that you should consider.

  • How much will you charge for your services?
  • How much do pool cleaners make?

  On average, pool cleaners make $13-16 (USD) per hour. Hence, you need to figure out how much you will charge for your services, the resources you currently have, what you need to invest in, and plan where and how you spend your money.

• Employees

  Will you be working on your own or with a team or partner? You may ask your friends and family if they are interested in joining your pool maintenance services.

• Services

  Decide whether you want to provide one-off visits, recurring pool maintenance, pool cleaning education, or other services. Take into account the market demand while making a decision.

  Also, determine whether you will work full-time, part-time, or seasonal. What kind of clients will your pool service industry serve? Commercial clients, residential ones, or both. Think about it.

• Competitors

  Check out your local competitors. What services and benefits do they offer? Think about how you can be unique from them. Create your niche to make your pool service business stand out from the rest.

• Decide a Business Name

  Pick a business name. Choose it based on your city, work ethic, or pool company values. It should be something that makes you happy, as it will be the identity of your pool cleaning service.

3. Register your Pool Cleaning Business for Taxes

Before starting a business, register your business with the appropriate state and federal taxing authorities. For this, you’ll need an EIN, which is a straightforward and hassle-free process.

The EIN can be obtained at no cost through the IRS website, tax, or postal mail.

4. Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card

For your long-term financial health, it is very important to separate your business and personal finance by opening a business bank account and getting a credit card. Opening a business account enable you to keep track of all your business expenses and liabilities.

Additionally, building business credit can be a way to obtain credit cards and financing under the business name and better interest rates and credit lines.

5. Complete all your legal formalities

Complete all your legal formalities that are only there for slowing down your launch. All these legal formalities are there to just safeguard the interests of a company like yours.

The first legal hurdle you’ll have to clear is figuring out what kind of company entity you want to register. As a small business owner, you must register as either a sole proprietorship or a limited liability corporation. A business license is also necessary to keep your firm running in the area where you live. In most states, there are rules and regulations that must be followed. Business insurance is another important aspect to safeguard your business from all kinds of property damage.

6. Purchase Essential Equipment

To service swimming pools, hot tubs, spa tubs, or jacuzzi, you need a lot of equipment to purchase. The cleaning pool business is a low-investment business if you are not considering transportation.

For a pool cleaning business to start, you need to purchase essential supplies like:

• A brush and a skimmer
• A small or large leaf rake
• Equipment for testing water
• Chemicals for cleaning pools
• A vacuums and hoses
• A business vehicle for transporting & delivering a pool equipment
• Responsive business software or app for handling scheduling, billing, and daily operations

Apart from these supplies, business cards, service agreements, and company-branded apparel also need to be considered before starting a business.

7. Hire Workers for Your Business

When you have all essential equipment available, you should look out for experienced workers to keep the pool area clean. You should hire employees who possess excellent swimming skills. At this point, even if you find the right person, you need to provide proper training. 

During this process, it might not be possible for you to hire multiple workers right away, but you will get an overview of how many people you want to hire. Once you have the entire workers team on board, you can move on to the next step.

8. Market your Business to Get the Customers

It’s essential to think about how you will market your pool service business.

Branding creates a feeling and shows consumers what they can expect from you.

• Design a Logo

  Design a professional-looking logo. With tools like Canva or Looka, you can design it yourself. You can even hire a designer or branding agency if you have the budget for it.

• Define the Whats and the Whys

  Create a story. Tell your clients what you do and why you do it. It could be that you grew up around pools, always felt fascinated by it, or a 9-5 job just wasn’t your cup of tea.

• Find your Value Proposition

  There is a lot of competition in the pool industry. Hence, you should offer something that nobody in the market can.

  It could be that you provide the best service in the city, or you guarantee that your pool is algae-free. That is how you will create value and promote it in your marketing campaign.

• Business Listing

  You can get your pool cleaning business online with a free Google my business account or Facebook business page.

  It will give potential customers a platform where they can get in touch with you, put in a job request, and check reviews from others.

• Create a Website

  You can use hosting platforms such as WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, or GoDaddy and get a custom domain that includes your business name.

  These hosts have website builders to help you create your website. Some provide email domains that let you add the branded email address to your website.

• Materials

  You can add your branding to the vehicles, uniforms, invoices, and business cards. Anything that customers can see.

  With Canva or Looka, you can design these materials yourself. A designer or an agency too can help you with this task. Print them with online services like Vistaprint, Primoprint, or Customink.

• Advertise Your Business

  You can promote your pool cleaning service business throughout the area using door hangers and postcards and secure customers. Try using Google Local Services Ads to reach out to clients and bring them to your website for appointments.

9. Use Pool Service Software

For how long you will continue to use the same approach of scheduling and dispatching jobs? That was a bygone age in which individuals operated their pool businesses with the use of spreadsheets and excel sheets. This is the era of digitalization, where everything went digital. You also benefit from FieldCamp’s digitization of your field service business, from scheduling to billing, allowing you to earn more money while working less.

Utilize the accompanying mobile app to provide your professionals with the tools they need to complete projects and eliminate paperwork in the field. Try pool maintenance software like FieldCamp right away and provide your consumers with the prompt and high-quality service they expect.

10. Plan your Customer Service and Expand your Business

Now you are ready to provide pool customer service to your customer. But how will you keep them happy and make sure that they contact you again? Don’t know, worry not, here are tips to provide great customer service and keep your clients coming back to you.

• Always arrive on time

  Plan your day diligently, let your customers know when you’ll be there, and give them the best service you can.

  Avoid being late by planning your personal time the same way you do your professional time. When it comes to relationships, that same level of self-control transfers over.

• Communication

  Even a small amount of communication with your clients may go a long way.

  Clients appreciate being reminded of upcoming appointments, on my way texts, and follow-up emails when a visit has been completed.

• Educate your clients

  Find a new and better way to use the product and tell them about it to your customer. Remember, if you want to stand out, show them you’re the expert in your field.

• Know your limits

  As tempting as it may be to cram every day with work, especially if you purchase an existing route, keep in mind how service quality is affected by volume.

  If you don’t deliver excellent customer service, the news will spread—and you don’t want that.

• Offer tailored service

  Asking your customers what they want and delivering it is all it takes to provide excellent customer service.

  You’ll sell more than anybody else in town if you can provide each customer with a unique experience that they can’t find anywhere else.

• Find your value proposition

  As a pool service provider, you need to stand out from the competition by offering a product or service that no one else is able to supply.

  You may be the finest in town at what you do, or you might have a guarantee that your products are free of algae. In your marketing materials, emphasize the value you’re able to provide by considering how you can add value.

11. Run a Business Through Your Phone

Enabling an online business service via mobile is the perfect way to attract potential customers. Even it will help you strike a balance between your personal and work life. This method of adopting a business phone will attract more potential customers. On the other hand, they would reach you easily. 

Nowadays, entrepreneurs usually choose a phone system before setting up the entire business plan. This is because they want to make themselves available to their new or existing customers. Also, this technique would improve your customer satisfaction as you can collect customer feedback. Phone service would help them reach you instantly in case of urgency.

Pros and Cons of Starting a Pool Cleaning Business

Start Your Pool Cleaning Business Now

Want to start your own pool cleaning business?

You just need to keep in mind the essential steps mentioned in the article to start your pool cleaning business like thorough research for marketing your business. It will help you to enhance your own business and performance to a great extent. Additionally, we have also specified the top things that will make your mindset start your new business.

Once your business is ready, make sure you automate your day-to-day business operations so that you can spend your time expanding and growing your pool cleaning company. With FieldCamp – cleaning job management software, you can automate and streamline your business completely. FieldCamp is a technologically advanced service scheduling software for technicians that makes it easy for you to manage the overall aspects of your pool cleaning businesses.