Regional Pool Maintenance and Repair Business
This acquisition strategy focuses on a regional pool service and maintenance company serving high-income residential clients, homeowner associations (HOAs), and boutique commercial properties such as apartment complexes and country clubs. The business operates in a warm-climate U.S. metro with year-round service demand and minimal seasonality, allowing for predictable monthly recurring revenue (MRR). With a reputation built over 20+ years, the company manages over 1,200 weekly service stops across 18 technician routes and also performs lucrative renovation work, including resurfacing, tile repair, pump upgrades, and automation installs.
The company generates $4.9 million in annual revenue with $1.02 million in adjusted EBITDA. Approximately 72% of revenue is recurring from weekly cleaning and chemical balancing services, while the rest comes from repair and renovation work. Most residential customers are on autopay monthly subscriptions, and all commercial clients are on annual maintenance contracts with fixed monthly billing.
This pool business is a prime candidate for SBA 7(a) acquisition financing due to its MRR model, defensible route density, equipment-backed operation, and strong employee tenure. The business does not require the owner to hold a specialty contractor license, though some renovations are subcontracted. Buyers must be ready to manage scheduling, water chemistry compliance, and renovation scoping—but the operational foundation and market position are already established.
Proposed SBA 7(a) Deal Structure
With the strong recurring base and asset-light admin structure, the transaction can be modeled with leverage and performance alignment:
Purchase Price: $3.85 million (3.77x EBITDA)
SBA Loan: $2.887 million (75%)
Buyer Equity Injection: $385,000 (10%)
Seller Financing (Subordinated): $577,500 (15%) amortized over 5 years with 12-month interest-only period
Deal protections:
25% clawback on seller note if over 15% of route clients cancel in 120 days post-close
Bonus payable to seller if buyer closes $750K+ in renovation work within the first 12 months
Seller to remain available for up to 9 months to assist in vendor management and tech transition
Customer Base and Revenue Composition
Client breakdown:
Residential homes (weekly cleaning): 65%
Commercial pools (HOAs, apartments, clubs): 20%
One-off renovations and resurfacing: 15%
Service types:
Weekly cleaning, skimming, brushing, filter checks
Chemical balancing and treatment
Pump, filter, and heater repair/replacement
Pool automation system setup
Tile and resurfacing projects (contractor-supervised)
The average residential client pays $165–$215/month depending on pool size and chemical package. Commercial clients pay $700–$2,500/month with more frequent service (2–5x per week) and reporting requirements.
Top 100 customers generate 44% of revenue. No single customer is more than 2.5% of gross sales.
Route Operations and Scheduling
The company operates 18 service routes:
Each tech completes 60–80 stops per week
All routes are GPS-optimized using Skimmer and QuickBooks integration
Each van is stocked with a chemical kit, test strips, vacuums, and route-specific tools
Mid-day dispatch support team assists with emergencies or special service calls
Fleet:
18 branded service vans (FMV ~$520K)
All owned, fully equipped
Replaced every 5–6 years
Buyers should consider upgrading to electric vans over time for reduced fuel spend. Dispatch team monitors tech arrival and departure from each stop, capturing photos and readings on-site.
Staffing Model
Current team:
18 pool technicians (W-2)
2 renovation project managers (bid, scope, manage subs)
3 field supervisors (support, QC, troubleshoot)
2 customer service reps
1 admin/bookkeeper
1 general manager
Pool techs are trained on water chemistry, customer service, and route efficiency. The company runs a technician apprenticeship program (90 days paid training) and offers quarterly bonuses tied to retention and client reviews.
Post-close labor plan:
Provide retention bonuses for all techs staying through Year 1
Develop internal training library for faster onboarding
Introduce tiered pay structure for top-rated techs with 100% route completion
Review routes quarterly for balance and growth potential
Facility and Equipment
5,000 sq ft leased facility with:
Supply room
Van parking yard
Admin offices
Renovation materials bay
Lease: $4,950/month NNN, 2 years left with 5-year renewal option.
CapEx forecast:
$75K–$100K for new vans over 24 months
$15K for CRM expansion and mobile app integration
$20K for supply and test kit restocking
Sales and Marketing Infrastructure
Marketing channels:
Google Ads + LSA
Website with quote request form and autopay enrollment
Yelp and Angi leads
Realtor and property manager referrals
Inbound from truck branding and local signage
$7,500/month average marketing spend\
Post-close opportunities:
Create enhancement menu (LED lighting, automation, safety rails) to upsell to route clients
Launch annual re-sign campaign with discounted rate locks
Develop HOA-targeted proposal templates for 50+ known associations in service area
Add outbound sales rep targeting high-end residential neighborhoods and new construction
Financial Performance Summary
Revenue: $4.9M
COGS (chemicals, labor, equipment, fuel): $2.57M
Gross Profit: $2.33M
SG&A: $1.31M
Adjusted EBITDA: $1.02M (20.8%)
Monthly revenue is consistent with a 2–3% lift in summer months. Route churn is under 6% annually, with most clients staying 3+ years. Renovation income is spiky but highly profitable.
Cash collections are strong with 92% of clients on ACH or credit card auto-pay. No significant AR or collections concerns.
Legal and Risk
Fully insured: $2M GL, $1M auto, $1M umbrella
W-2 labor model for techs with signed NDAs and route agreements
Licensing: pool techs certified; subs for resurfacing carry appropriate licenses
No open lawsuits or regulatory issues. Buyer should audit all subcontractor agreements and ensure vendor pricing continuity.
Working Capital Requirements
Payroll float: $110K–$125K
CRM/scheduling upgrade: $12K–$15K
Van replacements (can be staggered): $90K
Renovation bid tools and equipment: $10K
Seller consulting: $30K
Ideal Buyer Profiles
Route-based home service operators (pest, lawn, HVAC)
Private equity-backed platforms targeting recurring service
Franchisors seeking a base for future expansion
High-income entrepreneurs seeking semi-passive cash-flowing businesses
Post-Close Execution Plan
Retain top techs and conduct intro visits with all HOA boards and large commercial clients
Launch automation system upsell to all eligible residential clients
Implement route profitability dashboard and review for optimization
Build inbound renovation pipeline with seasonality-based promos
Evaluate expansion into adjacent zip codes with route saturation
Conclusion
This pool maintenance business offers an incredibly stable base of recurring route revenue with strong margins and room for upsell through renovations, automation, and commercial service bundling. With SBA 7(a) financing, a buyer can acquire the business for under $400K out of pocket, cash-flow quickly, and scale through marketing, retention, and geographic expansion. The opportunity is ideal for buyers seeking long-term service contracts, field operations, and proven operational playbooks in a highly defensible, non-discretionary vertical.
