How to Choose the Right Pool Service Company
In this video I go over some of the
things to look for when you go to hire a pool service company to
service or to do a repair on your pool. There are many fly by night
service guys out there so if you want to hire a reputable company
the video goes over some of the things to look for. I will also
detail them here.
Of course your first impression
matters. Personal appearance and how the person carries themselves
are important. If the person is not polite or just doesn't appear to
be professional, chances are they are not the right person to service
your pool. They should have these basic forms to show you when they
give you a bid for service:
A drivers license (copy)
A business license (copy)
A business card
A service agreement (copy)
A Website where you can see their
services and rates listed
Customer references
Personal references
Liability Policy
One thing that is often overlooked is
if the service company has a General Liability Policy. I would not
hire anyone who is not licensed or insured and learned this lesson
the hard way when I was remodeling a rental property a few years
back. Now I hire only licensed and insured contractors, electricians
and plumbers. It is the same concept when you hire a pool service
company or landscape company. Not that something will happen, but
something could happen, and if they are not insured you will have
little to no recourse.
So ask them if they are insured with a
class A-rated underwriter. If you are hiring the person for your
Commercial Account (Apartment, Motel or Hotel) they should carry a $2
million dollars per occurrence policy. For standard residential
pools, a $1 million per occurrence policy is sufficient. If you
already have a pool service company servicing your pool, ask them if
they have a General Liability policy.
If you are a pool service company and
want to get a Liability Policy you can contact SPPA. I also offer a
group rate thru my Patreon site:
Some areas require your pool service
technician to be CPO certified. This means they have passed an exam
and are certified to service residential and commercial pools. The
Certification includes things from pool chemistry to state and local
codes and is administered by The
National Swimming Pool Foundation® (NSPF®). You can read more about
it on their website:
Hiring someone CPO certified is a good idea and it shows that they have a levle of competency to service your pool.
These
are some of the basic requirements that you need to ask for, and a
reputable service company will have all of the above in place.
Most
companies will offer a variety of pool service options. These will
include a chemical only rate or a chemical, skimming rate, and a full
service rate that includes brushing and vacuuming. You may not need
full service at your pool or you may just prefer that the chemicals
are balanced every week. Most of my service accounts are full service
but choose the right level of service for your needs.
You
must trust the pool service technician completely since you are
giving them access to your property. So vent your service
professional carefully. You do not want to find property missing or
the pool guy's family using your pool while you are out of town,
believe me this does happen. So trustworthiness is a key when you
pick your service person.
I
touch briefly on my vehicle because that is important. If the pool
service technician pulls up in a compact car or a truck that looks
like it is held together by duct tape, chances are you will get
frequent calls that they can't make it because their vehicle is in
the shop. My truck has broken down before on a few occasions, but it
is rare and you don't want that to be the norm with your pool
company. So the service person's vehicle is a factor. They don't
need to be driving a brand new Chevy but they should have a decent
vehicle.
References
are important. I don't hire anyone now without getting references.
The pool service company you choose should be able to provide you
with at least three current customers and some personal references
like their Pastor, neighbor or business associate. It is also good
to get a service company recommendation from your own friend or
neighbor who is already using them for service.
I
also have a list of pool service companies on my website. These are
all friends and associates or guys who follow me on YouTube and my
other sites. I know them personally so check the list for a service
company in your area. I am adding to the list all the time:
So
I suggest you use due diligence when you hire a pool service company.
If you follow these steps and guidelines I am confident that you will
hire the right company.
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