With as low as $5,000 or even lower, you should be able to start a small-scale pool cleaning business especially if you will be operating the business from your home, a shared office, or a virtual office.
With that, you will be able to eliminate the bulk of the money you are to spend on renting an office space or storage facility. It is important to note that you will need to spend over $150,000 to start a standard and well-equipped pool-cleaning business.
There are some key factors that can determine the total budget for starting a pool cleaning business. In this article, we will look at some of the major factors.
Factors That Influence the Cost of Opening a Pool Cleaning Business
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Your Choice of Location
When we talk about the location of a business, we are not just talking about the physical address of the business, but we are talking about everything that the location of a business brings.
Of course, you know that the location of a business will determine how much rent or lease you will pay, it will also determine how much you will spend on labor and employment, operational costs, and the amount you will spend on utilities.
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The Choice of Facility
Although, a pool cleaning business can be started from just a small office on a street corner, but in order to start a standard pool cleaning business, you are expected to rent, or lease an office facility that comes with a storage space for your materials, tools, equipment, and supplies. Trust me, in order to get a facility that is big enough, you must be ready to spend extra money.
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Your Budget for Equipment and Supplies
If you are planning to start a pool cleaning business, then you must make plans to purchase a pool skimmer, pool brush, telescopic pole, pool vacuum, water testing kit, pool chemicals (chlorine, pH adjusters, algaecides), test strips,
Safety equipment (gloves, goggles, mask), pool net, chemical storage containers, pool cleaning chemicals and supplies, pool vacuum hose, chemical feeder, leaf rake, pool maintenance kit, chemical measuring cups, water circulation pump,
Hose connectors and fittings, pool filter, chemical mixing container, first aid kit, and service vehicle or transportation. Please note that the quality and quantity of the equipment, tools, and supplies you plan to buy will impact your budget.
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Licensing and Permit Requirements
You cannot legally start a pool cleaning business in the United States of America without having the basic licenses, and permits.
Licenses and permits include; business licenses, trade name registration, zoning permits, environmental permits, health and safety permits, fire department permits, chemical handling permits, air quality permits,
Hazardous materials permits (if applicable), building permits (for facility modifications), waste disposal permit (if applicable) and signage permits (for storefronts).
Note that there might be other permits or licenses that are unique to the city or state you want to start your pool cleaning business hence you should make enquiries from your local government or county office.
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Your Budget for Training and Education
A pool cleaning business requires specialized training and skills unlike regular cleaning and the amount you will spend to acquire pool cleaning skills can significantly influence the overall cost of starting the business.
For instance, every pool cleaning business owner is expected to undergo apprentice programs where they are expected to get hands-on experience that covers how to handle all the required tools and equipment needed for pool cleaning, and the pool cleaning chemical application process at al.
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Your Budget for Insurance
The need for insurance for a business is not just all about complying with state regulations, but actually protecting the business owner and the business from claims, accidents, and unforeseen events that can ruin the business.
In essence, if you are planning to start a pool cleaning business, then you must make plans to purchase at least some of the basic insurance coverage for a pool cleaning business.
Insurance policy coverage such as general liability insurance, professional liability insurance (errors and omissions), commercial property insurance, business interruption insurance, workers’ compensation insurance,
Equipment breakdown insurance, employment practices liability insurance, and environmental liability insurance are some of the insurance coverages you should consider.
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Your Budget for Marketing and Branding
If you are planning to start a pool cleaning business, then you must create a robust budget for marketing and branding that covers your website, the designing of a logo, printing your business cards, and other promotional materials.
Even though there are no specific costs attached to marketing and advertising a business, the bottom line is that if you want to launch a pool cleaning business that will win a fair share of the available market in your location, then you must be ready to invest a significant amount to promote your pool cleaning business.
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Your Budget for Staff and Labor
If you choose to start out small, you might want to hire one person or two, but if you want to start on a large scale, then you might want to higher more hands to get the job done.
Take note that on whatever scale you opt to start on, you cannot start out alone. You would always need experienced people or apprentices to work with you.
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Miscellaneous
When we talk about miscellaneous for a pool cleaning business, we are talking of a budget that covers your utilities, unexpected expenses, waste disposal, and the transportation of your supplies and workers to and from pool cleaning sites.
Although your budget for miscellaneous might depend on the extra money that the owner of the business has to spare, it is indeed an important factor that can influence the cost of starting a pool cleaning business.