How Much Do Pool Cleaning Services Cost?

There is a growing demand for pool cleaning services in the community – pools in residential yards, municipal complexes, and resorts all need frequent maintenance, and pool cleaning service providers fill that gap.

According to marketdataforecast.com, the pool maintenance industry is expected to reach a value of $19.51 billion, garnering a CAGR of 11.7% over the projection period of 2022-2027. Looking at the numbers, we can say that the pool maintenance industry is booming and will continue to thrive over the years to come.

Therefore, a well-executed pricing plan will allow you to watch the growth unfold as the business grows. However, when starting your own pool maintenance business, you aren’t sure what to charge when starting your own pool maintenance business.

Depending on the tasks to be performed, your geographic location, the size of your pool, and many other factors, the pool maintenance prices can vary greatly.

This guide will explain how to price pool maintenance services step-by-step, covering everything you need to know.

Cost of Pool Cleaning Service

Pools consist of multiple components that need regular maintenance, and sometimes replacement. A proactive approach could help you keep overall pool maintenance costs to a minimum throughout your relationship with your client by ensuring the pool is well maintained.

Let’s peep into the economic pricing plan

• Pool cleaning price range: $80 – $183 – Monthly
• Cleaning price range: $137 – $333 – One time
• Pool price range: $228 – $583 – Opening/closing
• Pool price range: $147 – $888 – Repair
• Pool maintenance price range: $1,064 – $1,800 – Annually

After looking at the above pricing plan, you can expect to pay between $1,064 and $1,800, or an average of $1,432 annually for pool service. If you are opting for basic cleaning from a pro every month, then it costs about $80 to $183, or an average of $132 monthly.

Annual pool maintenance cost

An annual pool maintenance fee charged by many pool maintenance company usually range from $350 to $2,600, depending on how often the pool is serviced. A majority of pool services offer a maintenance plan that is available on a weekly or monthly basis. You are responsible for regularly maintaining and cleaning your client’s homes to prevent more significant future problems.

These main categories of pool maintenance services costs can help you determine the cost of pool service for your company.

Seasonal pool maintenance cost

The other greatest type of pool maintenance service is seasonal pool maintenance cost. It is one of the most demanded pool service, ranging from $350 to $1,050 annually.

There are three visits during a seasonal service, one in the spring, a summer visit, and a winter visit, during which basic maintenance and routine care will be performed to ensure that your client pool is running at its best.

As far as the exact cost is concerned, that depends on the kind of pool, its size, and the services agreed to be provided.

Monthly pool maintenance Cost

In the case of an annual contract for basic pool service with monthly visits, the price range could be between $30 and $90 per month or $360 to $1,080 for basic pool maintenance services on a monthly contract.

Clean various pool parts monthly, test and clean the filters, ensure the pool chemicals are correct, find leaks and cracks, lubricate the plugs, and check the pool equipment.

If any problems occur, it is imperative to keep track of these tasks every month, so any issues can be addressed as soon as possible.

Cost of opening and closing a pool

Depending on your maintenance contract, it will cost $450 to $650 per year for only opening and closing services. Depending on the pool’s type and size and the required services and tasks, the cost of opening and closing a pool will vary. Chemical costs for chlorine pools may be higher than those for saltwater pools of the same size.

Weekly pool maintenance Cost

If you have an annual pool maintenance contract with 11 weekly visits, the cost can be between $20 and $50 per week, or $1,040 to $2,600 total, depending on the maintenance needed.

As part of a routine weekly maintenance program, pH levels should be checked, the filters should be cleaned, pool chemicals solution put into the system to avoid staining and algae, and malfunctioning pool equipment should be noted.

Weekly maintenance of a dirty pool entails the removal of leaves and debris, emptying the skimmer basket, cleaning up the walls, and vacuuming the entire pool each week.

Besides checking the water levels, it is also essential to ensure they are at a level that enables the system’s smooth operation.

Factors That Affect Pool Cleaning Services Prices

Before beginning pool maintenance, it is important to understand what factors affect pool service prices.

To stay on top of your competition, you will need to determine the price for your client’s pool.

To help you evaluate the right factors that influence the cost of your pool services, we have listed all possible factors that could impact the pricing.

To determine the cost of your pool maintenance services, let’s examine some factors.

Pool size

If you decide to charge your clients for services based on the total size of the pool, you can produce an estimate for them and charge them accordingly. In terms of establishing a unit rate for service areas and determining the amount to be charged based on the size of the pool, how do you go about it? Here are a few options to consider:

• Bottom surface calculation: When you are only vacuuming the bottom surface of the pool, it may make sense to include that in your price.
• Bottom and wall surface calculation: Calculate the total area of the pool bottom and its surrounding walls to determine a fair price for pool service technicians who offer to vacuum and brush.
• Gallon calculation: A pool’s capacity is a standard method for determining pool size, and pool owners are likely to know how many gallons their pool holds. The pricing system should be based on tiers of gallon capacity.

Per service

Another critical factor that determines the price of the pool maintenance service is charging based per service. Clients requiring only one-time service or considering a test clean before signing up for a long-term contract may find it easier to obtain timely estimates using flat-rate pricing.

Consider the following method for establishing flat-rate pricing:

• An average-sized pool takes a minimum of two hours to complete one service, so determine how long that will take.
• Calculate an appropriate hourly rate for you or your staff.
• You should total your typical expenses for supplies, fuel, meals, and other expenses.
• Calculate your additional expenses by multiplying your estimated time by your hourly rate.

With InvoiceOwl, it acts like a helping hand for pool company to estimate the annual or monthly pool maintenance cost

Follow-up and routine maintenance service

Including the routine maintenance service in the package is essential since it is also an important part of the cleaning company. Routine pool maintenance and other follow-up services determine the price of the pool maintenance services.

There are some examples of bundles that could include the following:

• An all-in-one cleaning package that includes nets, brushes, and vacuums
• Keeping pumps clean and maintained with a bundle
• All your services are combined into one price

Also, if you plan to offer routine maintenance contracts, you will need to consider how you are going to implement the contracts. You can provide a discount to regular customers in several ways, such as a rewards program for repeat clients or other incentives to encourage potential repeat customers to use your service again.

Service location

Costs for cleaning services are heavily influenced by location. If you have to cover a long distance to reach the job site, you need to consider adding the travel cost from the clients.

Consider the following two factors when determining your pricing based on location:

• The proximity of your office or headquarters to a client
• Location of your general geographic area

Find out what the market price for pool maintenance is in your area by researching the prices in your area. If you’re going to price pool services, you should ensure that your estimates reflect local market conditions. If you don’t know anything about your competitors’ pool services and what they offer, look at their advertisements to get a feel for what they offer and their price points.

Types of Pool Maintenance

Whether you are helping homeowners complete their home maintenance checklist or working with commercial clients, cleaning services for pools include the following:

Pool vacuuming

When pool vacuuming is performed, technicians use an attached hose and suction device to remove sand, dirt, leaves, and other debris from the pool’s surface by attaching the hose to the pool return valve, which is integrated into the system. As far as maintaining a pool is concerned, it is the most time-consuming task.

A vacuuming routine is crucial to maintaining a pool. Pool service technicians vacuum beneath the surface to identify issues before they become significant problems.

The following things should be removed in this type of pool maintenance service:

• Stains on surfaces
• Holes or cracks
• Growth of mold
• Lights drain, and valves that are broken

You are likely to receive many requests for vacuuming as well. Starting a pool service company requires developing a vacuuming pricing guide.

Pool netting

The purpose of pool netting is to remove debris floating on top of the water by skimming it. The most common target for nets is grass clippings and leaves.

It is possible to reduce the time you spend vacuuming your pool by using proactive netting, which traps debris before it sinks to the bottom. As a result, effective netting can prevent algal growth on surfaces and surface staining.

Cleaning swimming pools with netting will expose pool cleaners to insects, amphibians, and other animals. Skimmers are typically convenient for removing unwanted visitors, but they may carry viruses or bacteria that can make you sick. As a result, netting services deserve their place on your pricing chart.

Drain and clean

The best way to avoid draining and cleaning a dirty pool is to keep it clean, but sometimes that’s the only way to restore a polluted pool to its original condition. Draining and cleaning a swimming pool typically costs between $500 and $700 and usually takes several days to complete.

As it is more expensive to use this treatment, most pool companies will try other common methods of cleaning the pool first to save money. However, stubborn algae stains, extensive floor dirt, and unresolved water due to unresolved murky situations often indicate that the drain and cleaning must be carried out completely.

Brushing

The same goes for brushing your pool as you would for your teeth. It is one of the essential forms of pool maintenance services that every pool company should offer as part of their price package, as it is one of the most critical aspects. It helps eliminate all the scum and grime that accumulates on the walls and floors of the pool.

There are different types of brushes for different pools—vinyl or fiberglass pools require a soft brush, whereas plaster pools or concrete pools require a stiff brush. Weekly pool brushing is the best method for ensuring no dirt or scum is left in it.

How does pool brushing benefit your clients?

• Protection against algae: Pools can become green from algae or become unsafe to swim in. Algae thrive in aquatic environments (especially in warm climates), so pool owners must keep the algae at bay as proactively as possible. The algae growth can be prevented, and water safety can be maintained by brushing away spores before they become visible.
• Surface protection and maintenance: Dirt and debris can stain or facilitate algae growth if they settle on the bottom of swimming pools. You should brush the sides and bottom of your pool regularly so that dirt and debris won’t stick to these surfaces, ensuring it looks shiny and clean.
• New surface protocols: It is not uncommon for grout particles, dust, and a variety of other debris to accumulate at the bottom of a swimming pool after it has been resurfaced or filled with water. To prevent caking and damage to the finish after resurfacing, pool surfacing manufacturers recommend brushing the pool often until the pool filter removes the shed particles.

It can be time-consuming and labor-intensive to brush pools, so it is essential to reflect that in your pricing.

Pool maintenance

The pool cleaner will vacuum, brush, and nette the inside. In addition to cleaning the inside, they will also be able to offer other basic pool maintenance services, including:

• Filter cleaning

  The swimming pool relies on a series of filters to perform self-cleaning functions and to ensure that the water is safe for swimming. However, these filters will not clear on their own, so pool service technicians will remove a pool’s various filters, remove all debris, and then clean them for the pool to operate at its best.

• Chemical management and water treatment

  To ensure that the water in the pools is safe for swimming, a variety of chemicals must be added, such as chlorine pool, bromine, shock solutions, or salt, to keep the water safe. Pool maintenance companies sometimes offer chemical maintenance as a service to help pool owners keep the pH level of the pool at a safe level.

• Maintenance of pumps

  The system of a swimming pool requires pumps to circulate the water. To maintain the suction, function efficiently, and filter contaminants, pool pumps require maintenance.

In addition to pool cleaning, offering your customers pool maintenance services can allow you to become a one-stop shop for pool owners. The cost of maintaining a swimming pool depends on many factors, such as whether it is necessary to treat the water or clean the filters chemically.

Swimming Pool Maintenance Factors

Maintaining the swimming pool is essential to ensure it remains functional without resurfacing or replacing it for the longest possible period. Swimming pool maintenance is a crucial factor every cleaning company considers to satisfy the client and stay competitive.

Here are the top factors that affect swimming pool maintenance:

• Skimming

  

  The first and foremost factor that influences swimming pool maintenance is skimming.
  Keep your pump and filter from getting clogged with debris by using a skimmer net as often as possible. The skimmer basket on the pump should be emptied once a week.

• Vacuuming

  A handheld or automatic pool vacuum can be used to clean the walls and floors of the pool. An automatic vacuum that crawls the entire pool requires the least manual labor.

• Brushing

  Using a pool brush, brush your pool’s floors and sides once a week. As a result of brushing, algae buildup is prevented, and dirt that adheres to pool sides can be loosened and captured via the filter. The bristles can be wire, stainless steel, nylon, or steel, and the poles can be steel, alloy, or aluminum.

• Cleaning filters

  Backwashing and inspecting all filters should be done regularly. Ensure that they are in good condition by manually inspecting them and washing them when they seem clogged or backwashing sand and DE filters whenever they seem clogged.
  
  Each time a DE filter is backwashed, the DE needs to be replaced.

• Pool heater maintenance

  Pool heaters can malfunction for several reasons. Tubes can become clogged with buildup, so check them and clean them before calling a technician.

• Water level

  A pool-level reader attached to a garden hose with an automatic open/shut valve is the most convenient way to keep the water level accurate.

• Maintaining pH

  Ensure the pool water’s pH, alkalinity, and chlorine levels are tested at least once weekly. Technicians must consider adjusting these levels by adding chemicals to get them to their default settings.

  

  Depending on the pool’s condition, technicians will need different amounts of chlorine. The most convenient way to maintain a chlorine pool is to buy a maintenance kit containing all the necessary chemicals.

• Leak detection

  A pool leak can be detected by monitoring the water level every day. Water levels can drop drastically in scorching weather, leading to leaks because low levels can lead to higher humidity. Water levels can be determined easily by using a bathtub crayon to mark the side of the pool and measuring the levels daily.

• Winterizing

  It is essential for any pool company or technicians handling the swimming pool maintenance should consider the winterizing factor. The pool’s pH needs to be changed to 7.2–7.5, the water level needs to be lowered by about 18”, dirt and debris need to be cleared out, algae must be vacuumed or brushed out, and the pool needs to be covered.

By removing the water from the pool equipment and plugging plumbing features, technicians can preserve them. If you anticipate below-freezing temperatures frequently, your pool company may also vacuum and blow nontoxic antifreeze through them.

Conclusion

Several factors determine the cost of pool maintenance services, including the services offered, the pool’s size, and the service’s location. Considering each aspect mentioned in the article can help you set a fair pool cleaning service prices. With the right pool equipment, you can satisfy clients with the best possible pool cleaning service.