Pool Cleaning

[maccasa]

Hi All - has anyone ever tried to get a group together to negotiate a group "contract" with a pool cleaner? It seems we are all paying various amounts €50-100 seems to be the range, and from what I have seen this is relatively easy Money! My man comes on a monday for ~ 15mins and then on Thursdays (when he vacs the whole thing) for ~ 30-40 mins. That works out at ~4hrs/mth! and in winter its only half that.
My system doesnt use chemicals (as its a chlorinator system) but even for normal chemically treated pools the chemicals and test strips are not that expensive. So what about a group getting tgether and negotiating a deal? I'm sure we could arrange a bank direct debit to one "trust group" account and then a large single debit from that one to whoever does the job each month?.
Anyone intersted - I dont mind starting it off and doing the negotiating as long as I can get about 10 together - the more the merrier!

[joanne]

Hi

Our pool man charges us 60.00 Euros a month and the pool is always well looked after, will give you his no when we out next maybe worth getting a quote of him.

Hope the Toes healed well

Joex

[djprescott]

Not wishing to put a dampener on this, but looking from the pool cleaners point of view - if he is already busy with sufficient clients, why would he be happy to reduce his income for the same level of work?
I can see where you are coming from if someone is starting up a new business and needs customers but eventually when he is established he will be seeking to charge competetive rates that other company's are charging.
Don't forget also that he needs to travel between clients and that has to paid for somewhere as well as running a vehicle so costs are not purely down to time spent at the pool, so to speak.
Worth looking into however, and will be interested to see if it could work.
Dave.

[carvoeiro1]

My pool man said this to me"
so when sterling starts to go up again to say like it was 3 years ago, will you brits stop moaning about how expensive things are here?
Bet you wouldnt like us to increase our prices then , like you expect us to drop them now"

Suppose he may have a point!
Still not happy

[maccasa]

All very relevant points, but I have had 4 people ask me if they could clean my pool - I think there could well be someone who would take on a "contract" for 10 or more guaranteed customers. We will wait and see how the response is, but I am out in 2 weeks and can start to organise something then.

[PortugalHaven]

I would be more than happy to provide a contract for say 10 villa owners combining both pool cleaning and gardening within Carvoeiro area. We are a property management company which is both fully licensed and has been trading for over 4-years. We are slowly building an enviable portfolio of properties and over the last year have secured many pool and gardening contracts for owners main residences or holiday properties.
I look forward in being of service!
Regards,

PortugalHaven

[maccasa]

Thanks your reply - you are the only "supplier to have responded - when I have any more responses from the "users" I will be in touch

[davepp]

I would like to recommed, Jose Silva from Cristal Water regarding any type of cleaning and maintanance of pools etc.

919501613 OR cristal.water@sapo.pt and tell him Dave sent you.

Nice guys and helpful.

[djprescott]

Just wondering if you managed to get anything set up regarding group contract for pool cleaning.

[maccasa]

No not really - had several people offering to do the job for (say) 10 pools, but I only had 3 people respond and say they would be interested in joining a group. Guess everyone is happy paying their €50-80.??

[pato]

Does the pool need maintenance for the 12 months of the year, even if it's only used for 3 months of the season? I pay 90 euros a month inc chemicals, throughout the year

[maccasa]

€90 mth is the highest Ive heard of - most people pay 50 - 80 (depends on pool size). If your pool is a normal size (9 x 4 ish), and uses standard chemicals - €60-70 is normal for 2 visits/wk in summer, 1 visit/wk in winter. The pool does need looking after in winter - especially if you dont have a cover. All rubbish needs removing, as not only does it make the walls dirty and promote Algae growth, but the sand causes the pump to wear out.

I think if we could get say 10 people together to act as one contract @ around €50/mth, it should be acheivable. 10 pools would be 20 visits/wk (4 per day) Apr-sept, then 1 visit/wk for the other 6 mths. I have never seen my pool man spend more than 30-45 mins each visit, so for (26wks x 20 visits) + (26wks x 1visit) x 0.75hrs = 585 hrs work, Lets call that 15 weeks work for (€50 x 10pools x 12mths ) = €6000 (cash). I reckon thats above the minimum wage

[steve]

The problem I see with this idea is that if existing pool men can make €70 a month from 10 individual pools why would they want to take €50 a month from 10 pools in a group unless there was ome one new starting up who wanted to break into the market.

[jonc]

The answer to that would be if there would be a saving for them. For example, if all the pools were very close together. That way they save on travelling time.

Otherwise, I agree with Steve.

Jonathan.

[maccasa]

Hi steve, Jon - yes thats correct and I do have someone who wants to get into this market - a man came to see me who works mainly as a JCB digger man, but he also does a few pool cleans - however he wants to expand and wants his son to start up the business.

The other aspect is there are quite a few people inthis market and they all seem to charge different rates etc. What if we got 50 people together? Dont you think that would get their attention?
Anyway either of you interested if we could do it? Ive got 6 so far!