Blueprint for a Multi-Territory Pool Service and Maintenance
This acquisition opportunity involves a well-established pool service, repair, and maintenance company operating across three adjacent high-income suburban territories in the southwestern United States. The business has been operating for 15 years and services over 700 residential pools on a weekly or biweekly basis, in addition to commercial accounts including HOAs, apartment complexes, and boutique hotels. It also performs equipment repairs, filter replacements, pump installs, and seasonal cleanups.
With $2.95 million in annual revenue and adjusted EBITDA of $610,000, the business is lean, highly route-dense, and asset-light, operating out of a small headquarters with remote crew deployment and GPS-monitored service vans. The business enjoys high retention due to consistent service quality, local name recognition, and tight dispatching logistics that minimize technician windshield time. Approximately 84% of revenue is recurring through flat monthly service fees billed in advance, making it highly eligible for SBA 7(a) financing with minimal lender adjustments.
However, pool service businesses particularly in warmer climates require special attention to seasonality, technician turnover, commercial service licensing, and client churn due to home sales. Below is a step-by-step breakdown of how to structure this deal for long-term resilience and immediate cash flow without exposing the buyer to disproportionate transition risk.
SBA 7(a) Acquisition Structure
A typical financing framework for this transaction would be:
Purchase Price: $2.25 million (3.69x EBITDA)
SBA Loan: $1,687,500 (75%)
Buyer Equity Injection: $225,000 (10%)
Seller Financing (Subordinated): $337,500 (15%) with customer retention and route assignment continuity provisions
Given the labor intensity and seasonal fluctuations, the seller note should include clawback provisions. For example, if more than 15% of recurring monthly revenue cancels within 90 days of closing, a defined percentage of the seller note would be forgiven or offset.
This approach ensures that buyer and seller are aligned on customer continuity and supports lender comfort by hedging downside exposure during transition months.
Technician Staffing, Licensing, and Retention
The business employs 14 W-2 pool service technicians and 2 repair specialists. Each technician services 50–65 pools per week, assigned geographically to maximize density and minimize travel. Technicians are supported by a central dispatcher who handles route optimization, customer communications, and emergency rescheduling (e.g., for storms or equipment delays).
Notably, the seller no longer performs fieldwork but remains involved in higher-level client retention, hiring, and vendor management.
Licensing requirements vary by jurisdiction, but most states mandate at least one “Qualified Pool Operator” (QPO) on staff or per region for commercial accounts. Buyers must confirm the QPO license is valid and transferrable or be prepared to retain the seller on a transitional basis until a replacement is certified.
To preserve workforce stability, buyers should:
Secure pre-closing agreements with the top 6 technicians by client count, including stay bonuses of $1,000–$2,500 tied to tenure milestones
Implement route-based performance bonuses that reward technicians for on-time service, minimal rework, and upselling equipment repairs
Assess each technician's license status, driving record, and work comp claim history, especially for those with long-haul routes or operating alone on commercial sites
The seller note should also include a clause that reduces principal if technician turnover exceeds 25% within 60 days of close or if labor coverage falls below required thresholds to service all assigned pools.
Customer Revenue and Route Analysis
Approximately 84% of revenue is monthly recurring flat-fee service contracts, broken down as follows:
Residential Pool Cleaning (Weekly/Biweekly): 68%
Commercial Cleaning (HOAs, Apartments, Hotels): 16%
Equipment Repairs and Installs: 12%
Green Pool Cleanups & Seasonal Openings: 4%
Residential accounts average $165/month, while commercial contracts range from $700–$2,200/month depending on pool size and frequency. All accounts are billed via ACH or credit card on the 1st of the month, with a 96%+ on-time payment rate. Dunning is handled automatically via invoicing software, and delinquency over 30 days is rare (<1.2% of accounts).
Route mapping reveals tight cluster density across the company’s three core zip codes, with average round-trip drive times under 12 minutes between stops. This route optimization directly supports gross margins of 52–55% on recurring service and 62–67% on repair work.
Post-close, buyers should plan to:
Maintain route density by avoiding expansion into poorly clustered areas without sufficient volume
Deploy a zone-based growth model, with one new tech added for every 50 new residential customers acquired within a 5-mile radius
Assess the bottom 10% of accounts by margin—some may involve long drives, difficult customers, or excessive chemical consumption that reduce profitability
Refactor repair scheduling workflows to better separate reactive vs. planned repairs and avoid tech burnout during peak season
Seasonality and Revenue Stabilization
Despite the warm climate, service volume still dips in the December–February period when fewer green pool cleanups and equipment installs are needed. Buyers should model monthly revenue over a trailing 24-month period to normalize for weather events and regional economic fluctuations (e.g., housing sales slowdown).
To stabilize shoulder season revenue, new ownership can:
Introduce pre-summer service bundles (filter swaps, pump inspections, etc.) marketed in January/February
Launch a winter chemical-only route with lower pricing but high margin, targeted at snowbirds or part-time residents
Offer off-season equipment upgrades or pool tech trials (e.g., smart sensors, robotic cleaners)
Expand to non-pool services such as hot tub maintenance or patio cleaning if covered under local license
These revenue levers can buffer working capital needs during lean months and provide upsell value to existing customers without increasing customer acquisition costs.
Facility, Equipment, and Systems
The business operates from a small 2,100 square foot facility with two roll-up bays, chemical storage, and dispatch space. The rent is $3,400/month gross with 18 months remaining and one 3-year renewal option. Hazardous materials compliance, spill control, and local zoning ordinances have been consistently followed.
The fleet includes 13 branded service trucks with bed tanks, test kits, and route inventory.
Buyers should:
Request a full vehicle maintenance history and confirm title status
Include all tools, uniforms, route books, and vendor accounts in the asset purchase agreement
Budget $25,000–$35,000 for vehicle upgrades or additions within 18 months if expansion is planned
The company uses Skimmer for route dispatch, customer notes, and visit verification; QuickBooks for accounting; and Stripe/ACH for billing. Tech adoption is relatively high, but SOPs for back-office processes are informal and need documentation.
Legal, Insurance, and Risk Diligence
Key diligence items include:
Verification of licensing for commercial work
Valid insurance: $2M general liability, $1M auto, $1M umbrella, and active workers compensation
Review of all commercial contracts for assignment, liability exposure, and SLA terms
Employee handbook and HR documentation to confirm no pending wage claims, terminations, or EEOC actions
Buyers should also review:
Chemical handling procedures and OSHA compliance for chlorine, muriatic acid, and other corrosive substances
Spill protocols and storage practices at the facility
Customer dispute logs, refund history, and legal correspondence
Marketing and Sales
The business currently spends less than $2,000/month on marketing.
Customer acquisition is driven by:
Organic search and local SEO (Google Business Profile reviews, map pack ranking)
Referrals from realtors and pool builders
Word-of-mouth from neighborhood associations and community Facebook groups
The buyer can grow revenue 20–30% within 12 months through:
Paid local ads (Google Local Services, Facebook zip-targeted campaigns)
Affiliate program for realtors, home inspectors, and pool supply stores
Direct mail postcards during shoulder months
Bundling repairs and cleanups for new movers and recent homebuyers
Ideal Buyer Profiles
Existing pool service or HVAC operators expanding into adjacent service lines
First-time buyers with management or dispatch experience
Blue-collar roll-up platforms seeking route-based cash flow
Investors seeking low-CapEx recurring revenue businesses with operational leverage
Post-Close Execution Priorities
Finalize technician retention bonuses and licenses
Transition top 50 commercial and residential accounts personally
Map route density for potential zip code saturation and expansion
Document and digitize SOPs for back-office and field operations
Initiate a seasonal campaign calendar with repair and service promotions
Conclusion
This multi-territory pool service company offers recurring revenue, minimal CapEx needs, and a platform for growth through route optimization and technician productivity. By structuring the SBA acquisition with proper seller-financed protections, retaining workforce, and expanding margin through service bundling, the buyer can unlock significant equity value. With modest working capital and immediate operational continuity, this business offers an opportunity to control a defensible, service-based portfolio asset in a fragmented and under-institutionalized industry.
