Skip to content
POWER100
Join Free
Content

E-275 Pool Nation Podcast – Pool Service Pricing 2026: How to Calculate Your REAL Cost Per Pool

📅 November 24, 2025 ⏱️ 1:13:55 🎤 Edgar De Jesus, Zack Nicholas, John JJ Flawless

Chapters

Click to jump to section

  • 0:48
    Introduction to Cost Per Pool
    The hosts introduce the critical topic of calculating the real cost per pool and per stop, essential for profitability and making informed business decisions.
  • 1:42
    Clarity Through Numbers
    Understanding your true cost per pool provides clarity, eliminates guesswork, and empowers business owners to make confident decisions about pricing and operations.
  • 3:09
    The 5-Minute Calculator
    The episode presents a simplified '5-minute calculator' method to determine cost per pool and per stop, emphasizing that it doesn't require extensive accounting knowledge.
  • 3:30
    Calculating Cost Per Pool & Stop
    Detailed steps are provided for calculating total monthly expenses divided by customer count for cost per pool, and total expenses divided by service stops for cost per stop.
  • 5:01
    Understanding Your True Costs
    The calculation reveals the true average cost per pool and highlights that many pros underestimate their actual expenses, which impacts their profitability significantly.
  • 8:11
    Overlooked Expenses: Drive Time
    Drive time is identified as a significant hidden cost that directly impacts profitability, emphasizing the need for route density and optimization.
  • 9:24
    Rising Insurance Costs
    The discussion covers the increasing costs of various insurance types (auto, liability, workers' comp) and their substantial impact on overall business expenses.
  • 10:07
    The Real Cost of an Office
    The episode explores the myriad of expenses associated with running an office, from rent and utilities to software and supplies, highlighting their often-underestimated contribution to business costs.
  • 11:39
    Next Steps: Margin & Profitability
    The hosts outline future discussions, focusing on ideal profit margins for different business stages and strategies for protecting profitability in 2026.

Speakers

E
Edgar De Jesus
Host
Z
Zack Nicholas
Host — the pool boy
J
John JJ Flawless
Host — the fastest netter in the west

Key Takeaways

✦

Calculate your true cost per pool and per stop by dividing total monthly business expenses by your total customer count and total service stops, respectively, to gain crucial financial clarity.

✦

Do not underestimate 'hidden' costs like drive time, increased insurance premiums, vehicle maintenance (tires, brakes, oil), and office supplies/rent; factor every business expense into your calculations.

✦

Regularly review your cost per pool (monthly or quarterly) as expenses (e.g., fuel, chemicals, insurance) fluctuate, especially considering seasonal variations, to avoid underpricing your services.

✦

Understand that W2 employee labor costs are significantly higher than their base hourly wage, including payroll taxes, workers' comp, sick days, vacation, and training (typically 25-30% higher).

✦

Tighten your service routes to minimize drive time, which is a non-billable expense that significantly eats into profit, and proactively re-evaluate route density regularly.

✦

Rebid your insurance policies annually or semi-annually, as premiums are rapidly increasing across all categories (auto, general liability, workers' comp), to potentially mitigate rising costs.

Want the full experience?

Join Power100 for full access to every episode, AI-powered insights, personalized coaching, and a network of industry leaders.

Join Power100 →