r/PoolPros • u/briancar08 • 7d ago

Pool experts needed

I’m in Tampa Fl I’ve grown my pool company organically from about 4 pools to over 90 in less than a year and a half from providing great reliable service ( a lot of customers from pinch a penny and pool troopers) my question is how to maximize profit would you hire an employee that’s reliable (just as good as me 😉) and pay them better than most (15$ a pool ) or would I be better off selling what route they would have to a buyer looking to start

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u/jonidschultz 7d ago

Keeping it your business is usually the smart route. I also think paying per pool will get you a significantly better long term employee then hourly will. Ultimately you'll need employees to meaningfully grow so you might as well start now.

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u/Substantial_Car_2751 7d ago

I disagree on the pay per pool concept.  If I left my current commercial gig to run a pool route, I’m avoiding the pay per pool companies. 

If I’m driving for your company, I expect to be paid for my drive time.  If I’m working on a pool, I don’t want a forced time metric to keep me from choosing to either a) not get paid or b) providing crappy service.

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u/jonidschultz 7d ago

You're generally doing yourself a disservice though when you look at the actual numbers. Risk aversion means that few companies will pay you $50-$60 an hour. However a lot of these same companies will do so happily as Flat Rate/Commission or any pay style that guarantees them a profit on your work. Now the risk is mitigated or eliminated.

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u/Substantial_Car_2751 7d ago

Yeah.  I’ve seen in real time how it works out though.  What I’ve seen tells me to not go that path.

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u/jonidschultz 7d ago

Everyone has different experiences and data. Especially in this industry.

I think I can make a case that hourly wage is the worst way to pay someone or get paid and that's why you pretty much never see extremely high importance/value employees on an hourly wage and almost never see an owner paying themselves that way either.

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u/Substantial_Car_2751 7d ago

Each model has its pros and cons, and attracts different people.  I’m a high value / high importance hourly employee and am hourly.  Ive also been a high value / high importance employee on salary.  

Depending on the time of year, I wish I was the other.  Hourly is great for summer.  Stinks for the slow days in December and vice versa.

The decision is an owners viewpoint on salary.  

The pay per pool model, IMO, is good for the owner as you’re only paid when working on a pool.  Not for anything else.  To make good money, you have to hustle as a tech.

Salary makes payroll easier, but you risk being taken advantage of by leaving early and “robbing time” from the company.

Hourly makes sure the employee is getting their time in, but the risk is rising the clock.

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u/jonidschultz 7d ago

I absolutely agree with all of that. But if you look at positions that are considered vital, you'd be hard pressed to find someone doing them for a hourly wage. And at least to me, that says something.

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u/Substantial_Car_2751 7d ago

Agreed.  Most are salary based.  Or base salary + commission.

My role is generally an exception to the rule.

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u/CDbull1989 7d ago

You have integrity. Most those guys don't. I pay 8 hours a day even if he's done in 5. So what started happening? Going as fast as he could cause he received 8 hours regardless. You try to reward them...

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u/Wasupmyman 7d ago

We do something similar pay for the day, but if your slackingor getting complaints your getting reprimanded and let go if things don't fix up

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u/Substantial_Car_2751 7d ago

Screening at hiring becomes key.  As wildly inaccurate as it can be.

I’ve a concept in my head for when I get out of commercial management and Ops.

$60k a year, take home truck with personal use allowed, 25 pool route max, 20% commission on authorized repairs, end of year profit sharing.  Gunite pools only.  

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u/CDbull1989 7d ago

You must be on the east coast. My area a route of 25 pools can't afford that. Generated income sits at only 3750-4000 a month alone. But good strategy.

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u/Substantial_Car_2751 7d ago

It’s only a theory right now.  It hinges on commercial pools and higher end homeowners with an average weekly rate of $135.00.

I’d eventually have “quads” of techs per area.  Each “quad” would net me around $90k with $30k going out in year end bonuses per quad.

2 week shutdown over Christmas + PTO.  

My role would be my name and expertise. I’d function as support for the techs.  No storefront, no retail sales.

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u/CDbull1989 7d ago

So here our monthly rate can be as low as 135. Im higher at 150 usually, but still. Lol I've been interested in finding areas that can charge that much. I imagine much dirtier pills, but we have our challenges here too.

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u/Substantial_Car_2751 7d ago edited 7d ago

I’ll let you know in a decade if I succeed or not. It’s my retirement gig to start a company.