What pool buyers check first
- Number of weekly accounts and what each pays per month
- How tight the routes are, measured in stops per technician per day
- Account churn over the last two or three years
- Share of revenue from repairs, equipment and remodels versus weekly service
- Whether technicians stay and know the customers by name
Recurring Revenue Is the Asset
A pool service company is valued mostly on its weekly accounts. Each one is a monthly payment that shows up whether or not the owner answers the phone. Buyers love that predictability, and many pay closer attention to account counts than to anything else.
Some buyers price small routes as a multiple of monthly billing. Once a company has several technicians, an office person and repair work, buyers look at cash flow like any other company. See how buyers price a small business for how that math works.
Route Density Changes the Math
Two companies with 400 accounts each can be worth different amounts. If one has stops clustered in a few Mesa and Gilbert neighborhoods and the other sprawls from Apache Junction to Chandler, the first makes more money per technician hour.
Buyers will map your accounts. A clean customer list with addresses, service days and monthly rates helps them see density quickly.
Repair Work Adds Value, With Caveats
Pump, filter and heater jobs often carry better margins than weekly cleaning. Buyers like them, but they want to know who sells and performs that work. If only the owner can diagnose a variable speed pump, the buyer sees a gap to fill.
Track repair revenue separately so it can be shown on its own, along with who on the team handles it.
Summer and Winter in the Books
Pool work in the Valley never fully stops, but chemical use, green pool calls and repairs spike in the hottest months. Buyers expect that curve. They want two or three years of monthly figures to see it is steady year after year.
Churn matters too. Accounts lost when homes sell are normal. Accounts lost to a competitor point to service problems.
Getting Ready to Sell
- Keep an account list with start dates and current monthly rates
- Put service agreements in writing where you can
- Write down chemical, equipment and safety procedures
- Make sure vehicles and equipment titles are in the company name
Our page on preparing your company for sale covers the wider list.
Arizona Steps at Closing
Pool service and repair can raise transaction privilege tax questions, especially on parts and equipment. A buyer will want proof your TPT is paid before releasing all of your price.
Read Arizona TPT successor liability when you sell a business and talk with your CPA.
For a price range on your routes, send the form or call (480) 555-0124.
