Automatic pool covers are a money-making opportunity for builders

by jason_cramp | September 13, 2017 10:18 am

By Michael Shebek

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High-end pools are no longer the only projects where one will find an automatic cover. In fact, these covers are quickly becoming the norm in many markets throughout Canada and the United States. With more homeowners frequently requesting them, industry professionals need to decide if they should train their staff on how to install and maintain them, or outsource the installation and maintenance to a specialized company. In either case, all pool professionals should be offering automatic covers so they do not miss the opportunity to increase their profits on every pool they install.

Product awareness

Many pool professionals agree the automatic cover market is growing exponentially due largely to the increased awareness of the product’s availability.

According to Owen Wlodarczak, president of Reflection Pools, in Kelowna, B.C., the market for automatic pool covers is growing in his region, as roughly half of his prospective customers are aware of the product prior to meeting with him.

“Five years ago we weren’t installing any automatic covers, but today homeowners are much more aware of this option, which makes it easier to sell them as  part of our pool project packages,” he says. “They have either researched cover options or have seen them on other pools. In either case, we put automatic covers as an option on all of our quotes.”

Terry Hill of Hillside Pools in Ft. Wayne, Ind., says he has also noticed the same trend.

“Five years ago, only half of our customers purchased an automatic pool cover,” says Hill. “Today, 90 per cent of our clients are purchasing one. Homeowners see their neighbours with these pool covers and come into our store inquiring about getting one for their pool. As a result, automatic pool covers have become a highly profitable product for us.”

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Today, homeowners are looking for maximum gratification out of their backyard pool investment. They do not want to work at maintaining their pool; they simply want to enjoy it. Therefore, when pool professionals interview a prospective customer about how they plan to use their pool, it is important to discuss maintenance with them as well. This is the perfect time to plant the seed about opening and closing procedures, day-to-day upkeep, and the importance of keeping debris out of the pool in relation to water maintenance. If the customer is not considering an automatic cover already, this will jumpstart the thought process of the various benefits they can offer.

“I always interview prospective customers in the store about how they plan to use their pool before my husband goes out on the sales call,” says Chris Hill, co-owner of Hillside Pools. “After having this discussion, I find all of our customers want the convenience of being able to open and close the pool quickly while keeping as much debris out of the water as possible.

“It’s a lot easier for my husband to sell the customer an automatic cover if they are aware of the product’s benefits based on our earlier conversations.”

Steve Edwards of Edwards Construction in Wichita, Kan., says automatic covers are pretty much a standard pool accessory in his region. In fact, 85 per cent of all the pools his company builds have an automatic cover, making these products an integral component to every project they install.

“We regularly get 128 km/h (80 mph) winds which can fill an uncovered pool with debris and particulate matter, especially in the spring and fall,” he says. “An automatic cover helps keep our clients’ pools clean, which is a terrific convenience for our customers.”

Selling savings, safety, and convenience

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In addition to convenience, it is important pool professionals do not forget to promote the many other benefits automatic pool covers provide. For instance, they can help reduce the customer’s overall cost in maintaining their pool (e.g. retain heat when the pool is not in use, as well as prevent chemicals and water from evaporating). These additional benefits contribute to the reduction
of a pool’s operational costs over a three-to-five year period.

“We sell an automatic pool cover on half of the pools we build and renovate each year,” says Michael Dominici of Long Island Pool and Patio in Coram, N.Y. “An automatic pool cover is expensive initially, but we explain to the homeowner they can save money in the long run.”

Safety benefits are another selling feature, as many homeowners do not want to leave their pool open when it is not in use.

“They feel better knowing it’s closed when they are away or not supervising the pool and that the automatic cover (depending on the make and model) requires a code to reopen,” says Hill.

Many professionals agree automatic covers are an easier sell compared to other pool cover options.

“For many, the main reason for wanting a cover is for safety and, as a result, pool owners started using traditional mesh safety covers on their pools,” says Dominici. “While safe, installation and removal of mesh safety covers can be laborious.

“Automatic pool covers not only offer homeowners the same security, but also the advantage of one-touch open/close functionality. Customers are willing to spend the extra money for this convenience.”

Wlodarczak agrees, pointing out the number one reason his company has had success selling safety covers is the fact the homeowner does not have to manually remove it when they want to use their pool. The other reason is safety, which is actually a close second to convenience.

“The fact it only takes 30 to 45 seconds to open or close the pool is intriguing to customers,” he says.

When they discover the added security of being able to key in a four-digit code, which makes the cover more secure, the thought of installing one on their pool becomes more compelling. Further, by installing the keypad in a location that provides the homeowner with full visibility of their pool, they can be certain no one is using it when they close the cover.

Selling esthetics

When opened, an automatic pool cover does not detract from the backyard’s esthetics, as it essentially disappears. This is another feature that helps pool professionals sell these products. Even though there are multiple colours to choose from, many retailers say colour options are not important to closing a sale. Customers generally pick a cover colour that matches or co-ordinates with their house.

“The biggest deterrent to purchasing an automatic pool cover is the price, at least for our customers,” says Hill. “We build many pools for families who have strict budgets; therefore, in some cases, the additional $13,000 to $14,000 for an automatic cover is too much for them.”

In this case, Hill says his staff tells customers who are contemplating an automatic cover that it is advantageous to put it in during the construction of the pool, as this allows for the installation of a hidden track under the pool edge.

“If they decide to add the automatic cover later, the homeowner will need to contend with an on-deck track system and cover box, which may not be appealing for those homeowners who are concerned with the esthetics of their pool space and backyard.”

Five things pool dealers must tell new pool cover owners

1. Installing a cover will allow them to save approximately[4]: a. 37,854 L (10,000 gal) of water per year. b. US$1,500 in natural gas or US$1,000 in heat pump water heating savings per year. 2. Remove water on top of the cover with the cover pump prior to operating. Note: when opening the cover, remove any remaining standing water before opening it all the way. 3. There must be pool water supporting at least 50 per cent of the cover. Without this support, there is risk of damage occurring to the cover and/or pool. Therefore, addressing pool leaks immediately is crucial. 4. Despite an automatic pool cover’s ability to hold thousands of pounds, tell the homeowner they should never walk on it. Installers should read the cover’s printed safety label, American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) F1346-91 (2010) with the homeowner. 5. Never operate the cover until all swimmers are out of the pool and on the pool deck

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.

[5]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[6].

Source URL: https://www.poolspamarketing.com/trade/automatic-pool-covers-are-a-money-making-opportunity-for-builders/

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