How To Start A Pool Cleaning Business

Pool cleaning presents exciting opportunities for any entrepreneur interested in starting a business in this line.

To get to these opportunities, you’ll naturally encounter challenges. This is normal. You only succeed after you’ve scaled through them all.

The first hurdle though has to do with having an understanding of what to do or how to start a cleaning business.

This article helps you with that. We show you all you need to know about starting your pool cleaning business.

As a new business, you may be combining all business roles. That is, managing the business as well as working as a pool technician. It all depends on how ready you are as well as what resources are available to you.

Take Your Time To Research

The amount of research you do depends on if you have prior experience in pool cleaning or not. If this field of business is quite new to you, then lots of research is needed.

First, you have to get yourself trained. Pool cleaning isn’t about guesswork or trying to figure out how it’s done. You need to learn the basics of how it operates and how it can be cleaned.

Cleaning isn’t restricted to removing dirt from the pool but also about knowing the exact chemical compositions of the water. You also need to figure out the most common types of cleaning services demanded by clients. This helps you structure your services appropriately.

The advantage of extensive research on pool cleaning is that you succeed in equipping yourself with critical knowledge. Being able to understand and map out pool cleaning strategies is the basic foundation you need to succeed.

• What Tools Or Cleaning Equipment Are Needed?

After researching what it takes to start a pool cleaning business, getting equipped is another factor you need to focus on.

If you plan on including pool chlorination and maintenance, in addition to cleaning, you might be needing a wider set of tools. It will be much easier if you a friend who’s into this business.

Otherwise, search online for pool cleaning tools. You might also want to discuss this with pool equipment dealers.

Get Certified

To be certified as a pool cleaner, you must be able to demonstrate your knowledge in this area.

Therefore, training should naturally come before obtaining certification. Apart from sitting for and passing a test, test regulations usually aren’t uniform.

Becoming licensed as a pool operator gives you the edge when it comes to starting a business.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Starting A Pool Cleaning Business

As with most types of businesses, there are inherent benefits as well as downsides to pool cleaning. You’ll need to have full knowledge of this to determine if it’s what you want to do.

• Advantages

Starting with the positives of pool cleaning, you get to choose your working hours. Being able to set your work schedules as well as pool cleaning hours gives you control over your time. You are your boss and decide when and how to provide your cleaning services.

If you love the outdoors, then you’d love pool cleaning. This isn’t to say that there aren’t indoor pools, but because most are outdoors, it can be a refreshing time especially in summer. You are also constantly moving from one pool to the next. This means you aren’t tied to a single location.

The work is quite physical. Not everyone loves this, but for those that do, pool cleaning keeps you in shape. You also get to do what you love. Getting to do what you love can be the most rewarding experience.

• Disadvantages

There are downsides to pool cleaning. You shouldn’t expect to get called for pool cleaning jobs in the winter. This is a seasonal business that means a halt in business activities at some point each year. At least until the winter season is over. There’s a corresponding halt to your pool cleaning income.

You will constantly work in a chemical environment. Some of these could be toxic if you don’t know how to handle them properly.

Even if you do, a little carelessness can be dangerous. There’s also the time spent in training. This involves theoretical and practical training and can be quite stressful.

Cleaning accidents are a possibility. Although this doesn’t happen every time, it is a reality you’ll have to deal with.

Get In The Mix

If you wish to succeed with your pool cleaning business, you’ll need to find, join, and interact with a pool cleaning community.

All sectors or industries have this. You get to interface and network with pool cleaners, providers of pool cleaning supplies, and real estate brokers.

Here, all things relating to pool cleaning services are being discussed and information exchanged.

There’s a wealth of information to be gained through interaction. You also get to establish useful relationships that will be mutually beneficial and will last for a long time.

Structure Your Business For Success

For a pool cleaning business to be successful, necessary things must be put in place. These are central to smooth running and functioning.

The following must be obtained before you can move further.

• Have A Business Plan

No pool cleaning service will be effective without a business plan.

This is a major requirement as it covers all areas of your pool cleaning business. It also lets you track if you’re keeping up with set goals and if you’re operating at a profit or loss. Being able to refer to your plan in tracking your business operations gives you greater control.

• Business Registration

This is a compulsory requirement for most types of businesses. To get your pool cleaning business registered, you’ll need a business name, as well as choose the right structure for it. The structure you choose should depend on the benefits to be derived.

Common structures include sole proprietorship, partnerships, LLCs or corporations. Discuss this with a legal expert for better understanding which is most suitable.

• Get Insured

Insurance for your pool cleaning business should be a major consideration. Insurance coverage protects your business, your clients as well as your workers in case of damage, injury or accidents. There are several insurance plans.

Find out which offers more comprehensive coverage.

• Marketing

This is one of the most important activities you’ll need to undertake when starting your pool cleaning business. Marketing is never enough. You’ll always need to raise and sustain awareness about your business to attract clients.

Marketing strategies are numerous and include the use of traditional channels such as TV, Radio and Print media.

There are also online platforms to leverage on such as the social media space. More importantly, you need a website for your pool cleaning business. Effectively implementing these marketing strategies will greatly enhance and widen your reach.

You will also need to have business cards to distribute to pool owners.

• Setting Your Price Structure

You want to have a competitive price structure that is favorable both to your business and to clients needing your service.

To do this, you’ll need to find out what is obtainable in the industry. Try calling or asking for price quotes for all types of pool cleaning services. This helps you figure out how your service cost should look like.

• Transport

To run a successful pool cleaning business, you’ll need to be mobile. Getting a cleaning vehicle or truck for your operations makes things much easier. However, this can add to your startup costs significantly.

To cut down on this, you can opt for truck leasing. Under this arrangement, you pay a fee for using such a truck.

Having a truck you can easily convert for this purpose makes things much easier. Your pool cleaning truck should bear your business name and logo. People should be able to know what your services are just by looking at your truck.

Consider this another way to market your business. Your branded vehicle is a moving billboard and will eventually attract clients.

Funding

Adequate funding for your pool cleaning business is so crucial. You can’t jump into such a business without having what it takes to successfully launch it. Lots of pool cleaning businesses have gone under due to under-capitalization.

This is most common for new businesses. Yours shouldn’t take the same path.

There are ways to raise the required funding if you don’t have this set-aside. Loans and investments are some of the most common.

However, you’ll need to be creditworthy to be considered for loans or investments. You shouldn’t start unless you have this fully sorted out.

Do You Love What You Do?

No pool cleaning business should be started on making profits alone. You must have a strong interest or passion in this area of business. Your passion helps sustain you during challenging times.

What’s more? By doing what you love, you won’t see it as work but as a hobby. There’s no better feeling than this.

Pool cleaning is a viable business area you can take advantage of if you’ve got what it takes. It doesn’t matter what level of understanding you have of the business. You can begin by learning from scratch.

Follow the tips provided above to create a successful pool cleaning business you’ll be happy for.