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The Solo Operator's Playbook
How to service a pool, stock the truck, and price it to actually make money.
The complete starter playbook for solo pool operators. The routine, the gear, and the pricing model that gets you out of survival mode — built from years on real routes in Southwest Florida.
Part One
How to service a pool.
The routine, the readings, and the chemistry that goes into every single visit. Get this right and the rest of the business gets easier.
01 — The Service Routine
What a real weekly visit looks like.
This is the standard checklist every pool gets, every week. Skip steps and you'll have angry customers and dirty water within 30 days.
1
Test the water
Always test first. Every adjustment that follows depends on it.
2
Scrub the tile
Tile line first while you're already on the pole.
3
Vacuum if needed
Open pools weekly. Screened pools as needed — usually biweekly.
4
Brush walls & floor
Loosens debris and prevents algae from setting in corners.
5
Net the surface
Catches what brushing kicks up. Floor too if there's heavy debris.
6
Empty skimmer baskets
Always. Every visit. No exceptions.
7
Empty pump basket
Check it visually even if it looks clean from above.
Cartridges every 30–45 days, D.E. every 6 months, sand every 5 years.
10
Clean salt cells every 90–120 days
Adjust based on scaling and water chemistry.
11
Dose the pool last
Run the system for at least 4 hours after to fully circulate.
02 — Target Readings
The numbers every pool should hit.
Memorize these. These are the targets you're chasing on every test, every week. Anything outside these ranges needs adjustment.
Chlorine
2 – 4
ppm
pH
7.4 – 7.6
range
Calcium
200 – 400
ppm
Alkalinity
80 – 120
ppm
CYA
30 – 50
ppm
Phosphates
< 100
ppb
Salt
3000 – 3200
ppm
03 — Chemicals
What each chemical actually does.
Most chemicals you'll source through commercial distributors (see below) — buying in bulk is the only way the math works. Use this as your reference for what to use and when.
Sanitizers
Liquid Chlorine
Raises chlorine levels. Your daily driver for sanitation.
Trichlor
Used to treat algae or shock pools. Powerful and acidic.
CalHypo
Alternative to liquid chlorine — also raises calcium hardness.
3" Tabs
Slow-release chlorine. Increases CYA and lowers pH over time.
Balancers
Muriatic Acid
Lowers pH. Handle with serious respect — fumes and burns.
Sodium Bicarbonate
Raises alkalinity. Same stuff as baking soda, just in bulk.
Calcium
Raises calcium hardness in soft water.
Cyanuric Acid (Stabilizer)
Protects chlorine from UV degradation in outdoor pools.
Specialty Treatments
Tile Soap
Mixed with one capful of muriatic acid to form a paste for the tile sponge. Tough Tile or Pool Boy.
Ascorbic / Citric Acid
Removes metal stains from plaster.
Phosphate Remover
Strips phosphates that feed algae and reduce sanitizer efficiency.
Enzymes
Breaks down body oils, lotions, and other organic load.
Stocked at Amazon
CULator 4.0
Drops in the skimmer to bind metals. Cheap insurance against staining.
Used strictly for backwashing filters and rinsing equipment. Never fill customer pools — water level is the homeowner's responsibility and filling is a liability you don't want.
This is your starter stock — enough to fully service a small route and handle most situations that come up in the first few weeks. Bulk volumes from your distributor, specialty items where they make sense.
Source these from a commercial distributor — Gormans, SCP, or Heritage. Retail pricing on these volumes will destroy your margin. Open a commercial account before your first stock-up run.
4 – 6 jugs
Liquid Chlorine
Your daily driver. Enough to handle a starter route plus a few unexpected dose-ups in the first weeks.
Gormans · SCP · Heritage
1 case
Muriatic Acid
For lowering pH on every route. A case lasts a while and you don't want to run out mid-week.
Gormans · SCP · Heritage
2 bags
Salt
For salt chlorinator pools. Two bags covers initial top-offs across multiple customers.
Gormans · SCP · Heritage
50 lb bag
Calcium
For raising calcium hardness in soft water. One 50lb bag covers a small route comfortably.
Gormans · SCP · Heritage
50 lb bag
Sodium Bicarbonate
For raising alkalinity. You'll go through this one fast — bulk is the only way.
Gormans · SCP · Heritage
50 lb bag
Cyanuric Acid (CYA)
Stabilizer for outdoor pools. Protects chlorine from UV burn-off — essential in Florida sun.
Gormans · SCP · Heritage
10 lb bucket
3" Chlorine Tabs
Slow-release tabs for floaters and chlorinators. A 10lb bucket gets you through the first month or two.
Gormans · SCP · Heritage
1 bottle
Tile Soap
Tough Tile or Pool Boy. Mix with one capful of muriatic acid until it forms a paste, then apply to the tile sponge for waterline cleaning. One bottle lasts a long time.
Distributor or pool supply
1 small bottle
Orenda Phosphate Remover
For knocking down phosphates that feed algae. A small bottle is plenty — a little goes a long way.
Distributor or pool supply
06 — Storage
How you carry chemicals matters.
Buying chlorine and granular chems in bulk only works if you have a way to safely transport and store them.
Chlorine Jug Coffin
~$200 · Gormans or SCP
Holds your jugs upright in the truck bed. Contains spills, prevents tipping, and protects the truck. Non-negotiable for serious operators.
The site itself. Free, customizable, and the most flexible platform for service businesses.
08 — Distributors
Where to buy chemicals at cost.
Retail prices on chemicals will eat your margin. Open a commercial account at one of these and buy in bulk.
Gorman Company
SCP (Superior Commercial Pool)
Heritage
Part Three
How to price it & actually make money.
Most pool guys are broke because of one decision: the pricing model. Here's the membership + chemicals model that gets you out of the truck — and a calculator to run your own numbers.
09 — Service Plans
Our service tiers, explained.
An example of pricing tiers that actually work in the field. Two tracks: Membership + Chemicals — the model that makes money — and All-Inclusive — for customers who want one flat number, priced high enough to absorb chemical risk. Pick a plan and pool size to see how we structure ours.
Pool Type
Pool Size
Membership + Chemicals
Screened pool · 9,000 – 20,000 gal
The pricing model that actually makes you money.
$150
/month + chemicals
Chemicals billed separately at cost. You only pay for what your pool actually uses.
What's Included
Weekly visits
Full water testing
Brushing & netting
Skimmer & pump basket
Tile scrubbing
Equipment inspection
Filter cleaning (rotational)
Salt cell cleaning (rotational)
10 — Pricing Calculator
Run your own numbers.
The all-inclusive model is a death trap. The membership + chemicals model is what gets you out of the truck. Adjust the inputs below to see the math on your own route.
The setup: You're running a route of pools. The old way bundled chemicals into one flat rate, which meant you absorbed the variable cost. The new way charges a clean membership fee and passes chemicals through at cost (with a small margin to cover software). Same revenue per customer, completely different bottom line.
Your Numbers
Drag the sliders. The math updates live.
Route Size & Pricing
70
51
$140
$150
$25
Operating Costs (Monthly)
$4,500
$1,350
$508
The Bottom Line
Switching models adds $29,400 to your bottom line every year.
Old Model
$20,304
annual profit
New Model
$49,704
annual profit
Difference
+$29,400
per year
All-Inclusive Trap
Chemicals bundled. You absorb the variance.
Service revenue$9,800
Chemical cost (absorbed)−$1,750
Tech labor−$4,500
Truck costs−$1,350
Overhead−$508
Monthly Profit
$1,692
Margin · 17%
Membership + Chems
Chemicals pass through. Margin is yours.
Membership revenue$10,500
Chemicals (pass-through)$0
Tech labor−$4,500
Truck costs−$1,350
Overhead−$508
Monthly Profit
$4,142
Margin · 39%
What you actually earn per stop
70 pools · 51 visits/yr · 3,570 stops/yr
Old Model
$5.69
profit / stop
New Model
$13.92
profit / stop
Difference
+$8.23
per stop
What this means: Hitting 30%+ margins is what lets you actually run a business — pay yourself, hire help, market for growth, cover a real workspace. Below that, you're not building a business. You're buying yourself a job. The old model traps you on the truck for six trucks before you can step off. The new model gets you off by truck #2.
The Whole Playbook →
This is the free version.
The full course goes deeper — the routes, the systems, the marketing funnels, and every script we use to run Black Flag Pools as a profitable solo operation. Coming soon.
