Before You Build

Before jumping into construction, there are a few factors pros should consider. The following questions can help you assess your readiness: 

Do I have the skills and certifications to do construction work?

Bram Schad, director of pool construction for America’s Swimming Pool Company in Macon, Georgia, says any required state or local licenses should be clearly identified and completed. 

Beyond licensure, Schad advises pursuing education specific to the pool types you will build. This could include manufacturer-led installation boot camps or industry training programs offered by organizations like the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance or GENESIS. 

“These programs provide critical exposure to construction sequencing, best practices, engineering concepts and risk management, helping reduce costly mistakes before taking on builder-level responsibility,” Schad says. 

Mentoring and job shadowing can also identify knowledge and skill gaps.

Walker Draeger, staff designer at Avree Custom Pools in Spring Branch, Texas, owned a small service company before transitioning into construction. It takes humility to ask, but Draeger says job shadowing is everything.

“It allows you to understand how and why they build things a certain way,” he says. “It allows you to be in a safe space where you can ask those open-ended questions.”  

Coming from the service side can also give new builders an edge in design.

“As service pros, you know the pools better than the people who built them,” Draeger says. “It allows you to design more strategically for the future.” 

Adam Aguirre, owner of California Poolman in Los Angeles, mentors other service pros moving into construction and says ride-alongs and job shadowing not only helped him learn the trade but also what not to do. 

“I would see things I didn’t agree with and things I could do differently,” Aguirre recalls. “What a mentor tells you isn’t always law; it presents the mentee with the opportunity to reinvent the wheel their way.” 

Do I know the rookie mistakes to avoid?

Aguirre warns against relying on handshakes and verbal agreements. 

“One thing service pros overlook is the importance of a written contract,” he says. “In pool service and repairs, so many agreements are sealed not with the signature upon agreement but just a firm handshake.” 

Pool construction has higher stakes, and Aguirre says a contract protects the client and the contractor. 

Another avoidable mistake is overlooking access to the construction site, Aguirre says. 

“This one seems simple enough, but it’s a costly mistake,” he says. “Just as the service pro once thought, ‘Can my pool service cart get through the side yard to the pool?’ We now must think, ‘Can an excavator get back here?’ ” 

As service pros, you know the pools better than the people who built them. It allows you to design more strategically for the future.”

Walker Draeger, Avree Custom Pools

This can also affect the project cost, which Schad says is often a blind spot for service pros still familiarizing themselves with construction estimates and pool system structures.

“While service pros may be comfortable pricing maintenance and renovations, new construction introduces variables such as excavation conditions, groundwater, access constraints and material logistics that can dramatically impact cost if not properly scoped,” Schad says. 

Am I financially and legally ready for long, complex builds?

Having a contractor’s bond and general liability is a must and gives the client peace of mind, Aguirre says. “If you can confidently say, ‘Licensed, insured and bonded,’ you will almost always get hired over the contractor who cannot say that,” he says. “The caliber of work I chase is the caliber of work that requires it.” 

Schad advises new builders to work closely with their insurance provider to confirm adequate coverage for construction activities. “Insufficient coverage can be catastrophic if a major loss or injury occurs on a jobsite,” he warns. 

Draeger agrees general liability is one of the most overlooked legal considerations, and getting properly covered is the wiser route.

To do that, Draeger recommends having a clear cash flow plan.

“I would at least have 50% of a project cost taken in,” he says, referring to collecting a significant portion upfront as a client’s down payment. Unlike service work, construction requires upfront capital for materials, labor and scheduling — making progress payments critical to staying financially stable throughout a build. “Do it properly and make sure that you know you have the right capabilities, general liability and those types of things so you’re ready to take the proper steps in building pools.” 

Schad adds: “Funds collected for a project must be allocated and used specifically for that project. Mixing funds across jobs or using customer deposits to cover unrelated expenses is one of the fastest ways new builders get into financial trouble.”

Do I have the right team, vendors and systems to manage construction projects?

As a service pro, you already have relationships with vendors who are crucial in helping track down pumps, filters, heaters, handrails and even tile, so reach out to them.

Get familiar with design software and use programs for estimating, project management and client communication. Some design platforms like Pool Studio and AutoCAD come with these features, but other construction-focused platforms include JobTread and ProDBX.

New builders should also be honest with themselves and decline projects when necessary.

“Be prepared,” Schad says. “Know your numbers, understand your costs, build a strong team and don’t be afraid to clearly communicate that you are now operating as a pool builder. Confidence backed by preparation goes a long way.”