Pool Routes By State

Starting a pool business can be hard. You need to learn the ins and outs of the industry and you have to figure out how to get accounts.  Most of the time the best solution is to purchase a route to get started. Purchasing a route can have a few benefits. You can learn from somebody that has been in the industry and you can also create an income as you look to grow your company.

So how do you find a pool route to purchase?  There are three main ways. First you could look at Craigslist. This can be tricky and you really have to do your due diligence.  Next you can go to your local pool supply distributor and check the bulletin boards. You can often find some good deals from route owners looking for quick cash.  This is a better strategy once you know more people in the industry and can ask around to see if someone is reputable. Finally, the most common way is to go through a broker. You can choose from a variety of listings and have someone experienced in the buying process walk you through the steps of purchasing your route.

But regardless of which route you choose, here are some tips for choosing the best route and making a safe purchase.
After finding a route that you like, you should meet the seller in person.  At this time, you need to ask yourself if you are comfortable with having this person teach you about the business.  If the answer is no, then move on and find another route. You should make sure you are confident you will learn all you need to from the seller prior to making the purchase. 

Some questions to ask the seller:

How long they have been in the business?

How many accounts will they have after they sell to you? (If they are only selling a few of their accounts it is a good sign.)

What are some of their different revenue streams within the business other than just service?

Questions about the route they are selling:

How close are the homes within the route?  You want to be able to plan your days so that you aren’t spending most of you time driving form pool to pool. The tighter the routes are, the more pools you can service a day, the more money you will make. It is that simple. 

How long have they been service these accounts and what is the payment history?  The length of time they have been customers is a good indication that they will continue to be loyal and utilize your service. Probably more important is payment history. You don’t want to purchase delinquent accounts or accounts that require a lot of effort to collect payment from.

At this point you should have a decent idea about the person you’re buying from and the route you are purchasing.  You should negotiate a price that you are comfortable with and decide on a closing date. If you are working with a broker they will put a percentage of money in escrow to protect you from any problems that might arise during the transfer of accounts.

Finally, your training begins. During this phase ask tons of questions and take it all in.  This is your best opportunity to learn everything about the business from someone who has experience. You should be comfortable that you can operate the route on your own by the end of the training period. 

When you are ready to grow your business even more check out some of our options.