To install, or not install, an automatic cover that is the question
Installing automatic covers does require a certain amount of skill and ability; therefore, the question pool professionals should ask themselves is whether they should sell and install the automatic cover or simply sell them and outsource the installation.
For instance, Edwards installed all of the automatic covers his company sold for more than six years; however, he recently decided to outsource the installation and the maintenance of these products after being approached by a subcontractor who specializes in the field.
“We are a gunite pool builder. We do everything from excavation to rebar, as well as plumbing and plaster. There aren’t a lot of subcontractors in our region so my crews need to know how to do everything,” says Edwards. “At the same time, however, it’s hard to have your crew be an expert at everything and be able to maintain the high-end quality of construction.”
By outsourcing these jobs, it gave Edwards a set cost from which he could easily build into his pool project quotes.
“When we were installing the covers ourselves, we had to build the box that held the automatic cover, which was time consuming to manage. Building the box always led to multiple trips by my crew, which made it hard to track the labour of that process through the installation,” he says. “There was never a set cost to the preparation and installation of the automatic cover on the pool; however, since outsourcing the installation, this part of our business has become highly profitable.”
Like Edwards, many pool professionals outsource this aspect of the job because the subcontractor installs and maintains the cover, and the builder does not need to worry about it. With automatic covers, there is frequently a need to return to the customer’s pool to make adjustments after installing the cover.
“This allows me and my crews to stay focused on the front end of the business—installing pools—and not having to mess with things after we have completed the project,” says Edwards.
That said, Hillside Pools takes a different approach. “We are pool builders, so it makes sense for us to complete the pool installation along with the automatic cover at the same time,” says Hill.
The market demand for automatic covers continues to grow year over year. Pool professionals have a tremendous profit potential when selling these products, whether they install them or work with a subcontractor to perform the work. Either way, now is the time for builders/retailers to consider adding an automatic cover line to their product offering as a way to increase their bottom line.
Michael Shebek is owner and CEO of Automatic Pool Covers Inc., a cover manufacturer based in Westfield, Ind. The business was started in 1979 as a pool cover installation and service company. Shebek has more than 20,000 hours of in-field pool cover service experience. He can be reached via e-mail at mshebek@apc-mfg.com.
