Inventory and chemical purchasing

Chemical and parts inventory is the second-largest operating cost (behind labor) for most routes. Small purchasing improvements compound fast.

The big four chemicals. Liquid chlorine, muriatic acid, cyanuric acid (stabilizer), calcium hypochlorite (cal-hypo) or trichlor tablets. Salt for SWG pools. Algaecides as needed. Buy in bulk where storage allows.

Per-stop chemical cost benchmarks. Residential weekly: $4–$9 per pool average, varies 2x with pool size and water condition. If yours runs over $10/pool, look at: dosing accuracy, chlorine drift in storage, over-shocking, and brand premium.

Volume tiers. Most chemical distributors have clear price breaks at 55-gallon, 1-pallet, and 1-truckload tiers. Once you're past 100 stops, a single trip to a distributor (vs. weekly pool-store runs) saves $0.50–$1.50 per pool.

Storage that doesn't burn down. Store acids and oxidizers (chlorine, cal-hypo) in separate, ventilated areas. Keep SDS sheets posted. Concrete floor, no organic materials nearby. A small chemical fire from improperly stored cal-hypo and chlorine can total a shop.

Parts inventory. Stock the 80/20: O-rings, gaskets, tabs, salt cell brushes, common pump impellers, common cartridge filter sizes. Do NOT stock heaters, controllers, complete pumps, too expensive and rarely needed; order on demand.

Vendor relationships. A primary distributor (chemicals) and a secondary (parts) get you most of what you need. Build a personal relationship with at least one rep, same-day deliveries during a problem week are worth far more than 2% off.