One mistake we commonly see from people who start up leak detection businesses in our neck of the woods is a temptation and tendency to adopt a strategy of advertising their services far below the going market rate. They will often circulate ads promoting, for instance, a $300 flat fee to detect leaks in any pool. We hear about operations like this all the time, because we usually get called out to find leaks behind them.
One reason strategies like this are bound to fail is because eventually a leak scenario comes along that isn’t so straightforward. Some pool leaks may require many repeat visits and attempts, depending on the size and complexity of the pool. At other times, a pool may require further efforts many months after the initial leak detection was performed. These scenarios are not common or daily, but they happen often enough. In these situations, the person trying to do leak work for so much less than everyone else is highly likely to throw in the towel and walk away. On the other hand, the individual who is getting a good fee has more reason to hang in there and do what it takes.
The point being made here is: there is nothing wrong with being a capitalist. The hard work of running a pool leak detection business is hardly worth it if your not making money. Getting good money for your work allows you to stand behind the jobs you do without losing money whenever warranty issues or other things beyond your control arise.
Standing behind your work is essential to running a responsible business, and doing so brings added value to your services. In our experience, many customers are willing to “pay a little more” in order to use someone who will always do the right thing.
