How to start a pool service business

Get licensed and certified

Routine pool cleaning usually needs only a business license, though many operators earn the Certified Pool Operator (CPO) credential for credibility. Equipment repair, plumbing, or construction work generally requires a contractor license, and chemical handling is regulated in some states.

Register your business and get insured

Register as an LLC or sole proprietorship, get an EIN, and open a business bank account to keep finances clean. General liability is standard; handling chemicals and customer property makes solid coverage important, and commercial accounts often require proof.

Buy your core equipment

Plan on $5,000–$20,000 to start. A truck, cleaning and testing equipment, and chemical inventory; repairs and equipment installs may require a contractor license that raises the cost.

Set your prices

Price weekly maintenance as a monthly route fee with a card on file; quote open/close, repairs, and equipment swaps by the job. Regular pool service runs about $80–$150 a month, or roughly $1,000–$4,000 a year per pool; route density plus seasonal open/close and repair work builds a strong income.

Get your first customers

Cluster customers by neighborhood for efficient routes; win them through Nextdoor, referrals, and Google reviews, then add seasonal open/close and repair upsells to each stop.

Set up the system to run it

Use one tool to schedule jobs, send estimates and invoices, take payment, and follow up automatically — so admin doesn't eat your evenings. JobStack is the AI-powered CRM built for pool technicians.