Common seller tricks in pool service
Sellers count every stop on a summer list as if it will still be there in November, and as if the customers will stay when the familiar tech does not.
- A stop count taken at the July peak, not a trailing twelve-month average.
- Repair and equipment-replacement spikes treated as route income.
- No written contracts; customers can leave when the route changes hands.
- The best technician planning to take a book of accounts independently.
- Ignoring drought rules, water shortages, or HOA changes that already cut service frequency.
Which numbers to verify
Ask for stop counts by month, average revenue per stop, and a split between chemical service and repairs. Reconcile deposits to the route software. Look at openings and closings as their own line. Recast the owner’s days on the route. If drive time between stops is long, labor efficiency is worse than the revenue suggests.
Licensing and key-person risk
Some states or counties license pool service or pool-repair contractors separately from a simple business tax receipt. Chemical handling and, for repairs, electrical or plumbing work can require additional licenses. Insurance for chemical spills and property damage should be in force and transferable in cost, not just in name.
Equipment and condition
Trucks, tanks, testers, and on-board water should be inspected. Repair shops need a real parts inventory and a place to work. If ‘equipment included’ is a pile of worn pumps, price the replacements. Software and texting tools should be licensed to the company.
Seasonality and the calendar
In much of the country the route shrinks in winter. In warm climates the risk is drought and HOA rules, not ice. Either way, monthly stop counts tell the truth. Closing in September without a cash buffer can be a long wait for spring openings.
Customer concentration
A few HOAs, apartment communities, or hotels can dominate a commercial route. Residential routes are usually less concentrated but more personal. Ask for the top accounts and whether any community contract is out to bid.
Questions to ask before you make an offer
- May I see stop counts, average ticket, and cancellations by month for two full seasons?
- What share of revenue is weekly chemical service versus repairs and equipment sales?
- Do customers have written agreements, and what happens to them at a sale?
- Which technicians would stay, and do any have a following that could leave with them?
- May I ride a typical route day in a peak month and in a slow month?
- What licenses and insurance are required for service and for repairs in this county?
- How have water restrictions or utility rates changed frequency or pricing?
- Which HOA or commercial accounts are more than 10% of revenue?
- What equipment is included, and what has to be replaced in the next 24 months?
- After an LOI, may I speak with your accountant and a senior tech?