Regional Pool Service and Commercial Water Feature Maintenance

This article outlines a detailed acquisition strategy for a pool service and water feature maintenance company that specializes in recurring residential and commercial accounts, primarily serving homeowners' associations (HOAs), resort communities, apartment complexes, hotels, and public park systems. In addition to pool cleaning, chemical balancing, and mechanical maintenance, the business also services fountains, splash pads, lazy rivers, and decorative ponds for commercial clients. It holds all applicable state-level water treatment licenses and employs certified pool operators (CPOs) with route-based service schedules.

The company earns $3.85 million in annual revenue with $860,000 in adjusted EBITDA. About 86% of revenue is recurring via weekly or bi-weekly service contracts. The remainder is generated through one-off equipment repairs, seasonal pool openings/closings, and specialized water feature restorations. The business operates out of a centrally located warehouse and dispatch center and manages a fleet of service vehicles that support over 320 route stops per week.

This business is a strong candidate for SBA 7(a) financing due to its consistent cash flow, contract lock-ins, skilled labor, and defendable market position. It’s positioned for growth via technician recruitment, service line expansion (e.g., remodeling), acquiring smaller route-based operators, and regional geographic expansion into secondary markets.

Proposed SBA 7(a) Deal Structure

Due to high recurring revenue and route-based operations, this deal supports a conventional SBA 7(a) financing structure:

• Purchase Price: $3.44 million (4.0x EBITDA)

• SBA Loan: $2.58 million (75%)

• Buyer Equity Injection: $344,000 (10%)

• Seller Financing (Subordinated): $516,000 (15%) amortized over 6 years with 12-month interest-only period

Protective provisions:

1. 25% clawback on seller note if more than 10% of recurring route stops are lost within 180 days

2. Seller receives a $50K bonus if buyer adds $500K in new recurring revenue within the first 12 months

3. Seller to stay on in advisory capacity for 6–9 months and assist with HOA board transitions and RFP renewals

Customer Segmentation and Revenue Streams

Customer profile:

• HOA and gated community pools: 38%

• Hotels and resort-style pools: 22%

• Apartment complexes: 14%

• Municipal splash pads and fountains: 11%

• Commercial office parks and campuses: 8%

• Private residential high-end clients: 7%

Revenue streams:

• Recurring pool maintenance: $2.7M

• Seasonal openings and closings: $450K

• One-time equipment repairs and upgrades: $360K

• Decorative water feature service: $220K

• Compliance inspections and chemical rebalancing: $120K

Contracts typically run 1 to 3 years, often renewing automatically with annual review clauses. They include weekly or bi-weekly visits, routine cleaning, pH/chemical balancing, pump monitoring, and reporting for compliance logs. Water features are handled on monthly or custom schedules and require licensed staff.

Top 50 clients represent 58% of revenue. No single client contributes more than 7.9% of revenue.

Fleet, Facility, and Infrastructure

Fleet:

• 9 service vehicles (2017–2023), fully equipped with chemical tanks, skimmers, testing kits, and vacuums

• FMV: ~$265,000

• All trucks GPS-tracked and equipped with mobile route app access

Facility:

• 5,400 sq ft warehouse and admin office

  • Chemical storage and mixing station

  • Equipment inventory room (pumps, filters, motors)

  • Admin center and technician locker room

  • Training bay and testing pools

Lease: $4,500/month, 3 years remaining with renewal option

CapEx outlook:

• Replace 2 aging trucks within 18 months: $65K

• Expand CRM and technician tracking: $9K

• Implement customer dashboard for service reporting: $7K

Staffing and Operational Model

Team:

• 7 certified pool operators (CPOs)

• 2 water feature specialists (with plumbing and tile restoration background)

• 1 route coordinator/dispatcher

• 1 in-house trainer and compliance officer

• 1 general manager (non-owner)

Technicians are assigned routes based on region, with 3–5 stops per day. Each route is optimized to minimize drive time and maximize on-site efficiency. Standard KPIs include chemical usage per pool, pH range adherence, client satisfaction, and job completion logs.

Post-close strategy:

1. Create retention bonus plan for technicians tied to route growth and customer satisfaction

2. Launch apprenticeship pipeline with trade school partnership

3. Offer licensing support for junior techs to attain CPO status within 12 months

Sales and Marketing Engine

Current acquisition:

• Direct referrals from property managers and HOA board members

• Word-of-mouth in gated communities and via clubhouses

• SEO and paid ads for “pool service [city]” and “commercial fountain maintenance”

• RFP participation for municipal and county splash pad programs

Annual marketing budget: ~$40,000

Expansion opportunities:

1. Hire HOA-specific account rep to secure new community contracts

2. Expand into pool remodeling (resurfacing, tile work, LED lighting) as an upsell

3. Acquire 2–3 small operators (<$500K revenue) for route absorption

4. Launch water conservation audits and green chemical programs

5. Add automated text/email visit reports to differentiate service offering

Financial Summary

• Revenue: $3.85M

• COGS (labor, chemicals, vehicle fuel, parts): $1.9M

• Gross Profit: $1.95M

• SG&A: $1.09M

• Adjusted EBITDA: $860K (22.3%)

Margins by category:

• Recurring pool maintenance: 55–60%

• Seasonal opening/closing: 70%+

• One-off repairs: 60–65%

• Water features: 65–70%

• Chemical compliance testing: 75%

Invoicing is monthly, often prepaid or ACH-auto-billed. Municipal accounts typically pay net-30 through PO. Residential and HOA billing is tied to board budget cycles, usually quarterly.

Compliance, Insurance, and Licensing

• All technicians CPO-certified and OSHA 10 compliant

• Licensed state water system operator for chemical handling

• Certified to work on splash pads and interactive water features

• Fully insured: $2M GL, $1M auto, $1M workers comp, $1M umbrella

No open EPA or OSHA violations. Annual chemical usage reports are filed per state environmental requirements.

Working Capital and Transition Budget

• Payroll float: $95K–$110K

• CapEx for vehicles and CRM: $70K

• Seller licensing and HOA transition support: $35K

• Marketing and expansion budget: $25K

• Apprenticeship and technician training program: $12K

Ideal Buyer Profiles

• Route-based service business owners (landscaping, pest control, cleaning)

• Facilities management operators seeking water feature servicing vertical

• SBA-qualified operators with mechanical or compliance experience

• PE-backed acquisition groups targeting HOA vendors and recurring contract firms

Post-Close Execution Plan

1. Conduct HOA board meetings to reaffirm contracts and introduce buyer

2. Deploy customer dashboards and SMS/Email visit reports for higher client visibility

3. Launch new division for water feature restoration and lighting upgrades

4. Acquire two small pool service operators in adjacent counties

5. Scale route planning software and implement margin tracking by route

Conclusion

This pool and water feature maintenance business delivers recurring, seasonal-proof revenue from clients that rely on consistent, compliant service. It has route density, trained staff, and compliance infrastructure that are difficult to replicate, creating a moat in both residential and commercial verticals. With modest CapEx, strong technician loyalty, and scalable SOPs, the buyer can easily expand through technician onboarding, HOA market targeting, and small acquisitions. This is a high-margin, repeatable service business ideal for SBA 7(a) acquisition and scalable to $10M+ with the right infrastructure and growth plan.