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There are several areas of income in the pool business. The two that will concern us here are pool service and minor pool repairs.
The average pool man makes approximately $40.00 per hour cleaning pools (this will vary somewhat depending on the area of the United States your service is located) and approximately $150.00 per hour doing minor maintenance on the pool equipment. The business is not difficult for the average person to learn. Most pool route sellers will train the new owner for a period of two weeks or longer. The accounts are guaranteed to transfer to the new owner during a transfer period. The transfer period may vary depending on when the accounts are notified of the transition. A letter notifying the customer of the transfer should be sent after training is completed. The attrition rate during a transfer period should be approximately one to two per cent. These items will be discussed in greater detail throughout this web site.

If you are in the Northeast or the Northwest, your hourly fee for service will vary from the Sunbelt servicemen. Most pool service professionals in the North will have an abbreviated swimming season. However, their service income is supplemented by the opening and closing of the swimming pool. The opening and closing of a pool in the North can run into several hundred dollars. Poolmen across the country make the same amount of money for the same number of hours worked. If in California a poolman charges 60.00 for pool service and in Texas a service man charges $120.00, they will end up making the same amount of money because it takes the Texas serviceman longer to service his pools. He charges more but services less pools. In the North pool servicemen, with their abbreviated swim season, average the same income as Sunbelt servicemen, they just do it in a shorter period of time. Usually the Northern serviceman is off three to four months of the year. Let's all move to the north.

The average pool service professional, if running his route correctly, should be netting between $75,000.00 and $80,000.00 per year. If you have a monthly gross service income of $4,000.00 per month, that equates to $48,000.00 per year generated from cleaning. Your expenses should be approximately 20 per cent depending on your frugality. If you run your route correctly, your net income for the year should be approximately $40,000.00 plus repairs and sales. Repairs and sales net income should be fifty per cent of your service net. If your net income from service is $40,000.00 then your net from repairs and sales should be $20,000.00. Again, this is assuming that you run your route correctly.

Running a route correctly is not difficult. You must keep your overhead as minimal as possible. Run your business from your home. Use a small truck, shop your supplies, etc... You must also charge the proper service rate for your area. Charge for additional service items, and upgrade your customer's equipment whenever possible. The manufacturers will assist you at every turn when it comes to equipment upgrades and renovations. It is in their best interest to assist you. The more assistance they provide and the more familiar you are with their equipment, the more likely you are to install their brand. Never feel embarrassed or shy when it comes to asking a manufacturer for assistance. They are there to help. Click here for a list of the more helpful manufacturers or click here to continue.