So let’s take a look at the breakdown of costs if you decide to service your own pool.
- Testing kit – $15 will be added into costs if you decide to maintain a pool yourself.
- Chemicals – One of the most important aspects of maintaining your pool is the chemicals. These can cost up to $30 per month. Pool companies with a contractors license get a discount on chemicals while consumers without a contractor’s licenses are stuck paying the full price. For a jug of Chlorine from Pinch a Penny, it costs 3.79 per gallon. This is excluding the initial cost of 8.00 for a single jug container that holds it.
- Filter replacement cartridges – These can cost anywhere between $40 for a basic cartridge and up to $120 for a more high-end type. Pool contractors also get huge discounts on these filter replacements, just like a mechanic would on car parts.
- Replacement sand – This is likely to cost around $12 for 50lb.
- DE for filtering – As a rough guide, this will cost somewhere in the region of $20 for a 25lb bag.
- Pool Vacuum: These can cost anywhere from $200 – $1000 depending on the brand and quality.
According to a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, it can cost anywhere between $700 and $1000 per year to manage your own pool in South Florida, even if you buy some of the necessary kits from a discount store. This price excludes the cost of buying a Pool Vacuum or any other pool service equipment.
This of course also does not take into account the time it takes for you to work on your pool, keeping it in good working order and any repairs that need fixing. It excludes the gas that it requires for you to pick up chemicals, the smell that is left within your car or truck after you drove home with the chlorine, and the cost of shocking and restoring a green pool should you mismanage your own pool cleaning service.
While you could be enjoying your pool with friends and family, you’ll be finding the time to buy and add chemicals, making sure the water levels are just right, cleaning a ton of leaves off the pool, inspecting equipment, and polishing the handrails till they gleam—this is clearly not the best use of your time.
At the end of a busy day, it can seem like one of those endless chores that you never complete…
Vacations also need extra planning, since you would have no choice but to hire a pool company to take care of your pool while you are gone.
Overall when you add in the labor needed in order to keep your pool to a good standard, the cost could in part depend on how much you value your spare time. For some, saving $200 – $400 a year is worth the time exchange, while for others, it is better to enjoy the family and spend the extra money to hire a specialist to take care of their pool.
So, you might be wondering how the best pool maintenance company in Florida can assist with your pool maintenance needs. We will cover that shortly. But first, let’s see what the average pool company covers with their maintenance service!
Vacations also need extra planning, since you would have no choice but to hire a pool company to take care of your pool while you are gone.
