In this episode of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar continues the Winter Business Series with Part 3: uncovering the hidden leaks that silently destroy profitability in your pool service business. If you’ve ever felt like you’re working harder than ever but your bank account doesn’t show it, this episode is for you.

Edgar breaks down five of the biggest hidden profit leaks in a pool route: drive time and windshield time, chemical creep (especially in summer), non-billable labor and callbacks, bad route design, and overlooked office and equipment costs like tires, brakes, laptops, phones, software, and printers. He walks through real-world examples using cost-per-pool and burdened labor rate so you can see exactly how “small” inefficiencies quietly erase thousands of dollars in profit every year.

You’ll learn how to tighten your routes, track true chemical costs per stop, factor in non-billable time, and build office/vehicle replacement cycles into your pricing so unexpected breakdowns don’t become financial emergencies. This episode sets you up for the next part of the series, where Edgar will dive into margins, good–better–best pricing, and how to build new rates for 2026 based on your real cost per pool.

Whether you’re just starting your pool route or you’re scaling with multiple trucks and techs, this is a must-listen if you want to price profitably, protect your margins, and avoid burnout.

• [00:00:00] Intro & Welcome – Winter Business Series Part 3

• [00:01:00] Recap of Cost-Per-Pool & Why Hidden Leaks Matter

• [00:04:30] The “Invisible” Profit Killers in a Pool Service Business

• [00:05:30] Hidden Leak #1 – Drive Time & Windshield Time vs. True Labor Cost

• [00:13:30] Hidden Leak #2 – Chemical Creep, Summer Usage & Per-Stop Chem Costs

• [00:20:30] Hidden Leak #3 – Non-Billable Labor, Callbacks & Burnout

• [00:30:30] Sponsor Break

• [00:34:30] Zach’s “Micro Tasks” Concept & How It Ties Into Profit Leaks

• [00:36:00] Hidden Leak #4 – Bad Route Design & Route Density Fixes

• [00:44:00] Hidden Leak #5 – Office, Trucks & Equipment Leaks (Tires, Brakes, Laptops, Phones, Software)

• [00:56:00] Final Sponsor Break

• [01:00:30] Final Thoughts, Next Episode Teaser & Encouragement for Pool Pros

• [01:04:15] Outro – Pool Man University & Where to Learn More

A huge thank you to our visionary partners for supporting the Pool Nation Podcast and the Winter Business Series:

• The SPPA –

• Blu-Ray XL –

• US Motors / Nidec –

• AquaStar Pool Products –

• Natural Chemistry –

• Raypak –

• Heritage Pool Supply

• Hayward Pool Products –

• Poolside Tech

• Pool Brain

• Nidec

Thank you for your continued support of education and profitability for pool pros.

Pool service pricing has changed — and today we break down the number that decides EVERYTHING in your business: your true cost per pool and cost per stop.

In episode 275 of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar and Zac go deep into the financial side of running a profitable pool service business. We walk through the 5-minute cost-per-pool calculator, the expenses most pros overlook, how to calculate your real cost per stop, how drive time destroys profitability, and why understanding this number becomes your most powerful business tool heading into 2026.

Whether you're a one-pole operator or building a multi-truck operation, this episode will give you the clarity and confidence to price correctly, protect your margins, grow profitably, and eliminate the guesswork.

If you’ve ever wondered “How much should I charge?” — THIS is the episode you’ve been waiting for.

00:00 – Welcome to the Pool Nation Podcast 01:00 – The intro Edgar finally nailed after 6 years 😂 02:00 – Team updates, nervous presentations & personal branding training 05:00 – Customer retention challenges & why winter months are deceptive 07:00 – Pool guy holidays & California storm stories 09:00 – Price increases for 2026 & what the financial reports are showing 11:00 – Why most pool pros undercharge without realizing it 12:00 – The “aha moment” when you finally calculate your real costs 14:00 – Why small companies MUST learn their cost per pool early 15:00 – The real expenses pool pros forget to include 17:00 – Death by a thousand cuts: the sneaky costs killing your margins 19:00 – Why you don’t need to be a CPA to understand your numbers 20:00 – Step 1 of the 5-Minute Cost-per-Pool Calculator 23:00 – Step 2: Add ALL your expenses (no exceptions) 25:00 – Cost per pool vs cost per stop — and why both matter 28:00 – How cost per stop reveals the “leaks” in your business 30:00 – Why your emotional pricing is hurting your profits 33:00 – The hidden expense that steals thousands: drive time 37:00 – Fuel, maintenance, and the REAL cost of trucks 41:00 – Insurance: the fastest-rising expense in the industry 45:00 – Labor burden explained (your $22/hr tech REALLY costs $28–$30) 49:00 – Red flags to look for when reviewing your chemical spend 54:00 – Office & administrative costs most pros forget to calculate 59:00 – How non-billable hours crush profitability 01:04:00 – Why clarity is the most powerful business advantage 01:10:00 – What’s coming in Part 3: Pricing for 2026 & target margins

A huge thank you to our podcast partners and sponsors who make education like this possible:

• The SPPA –

• BluRay XL –

• AquaStar Pool Products –

• Natural Chemistry –

• Raypak –

• Heritage Pool Supply Group

• Hayward Pool Products –

• Poolside Tech –

• Pool Brain

• NEC / US Motors –

We appreciate your ongoing support and commitment to the pool industry.