Pool builders:
Unlocking hidden value
for contractors
By Tom Casey
NCCN special feature
The housing market is booming in the Triangle, with
more than 40,000 homes approved or built within the
past seven years. With so many homes hitting the mar-
ket, future homeowners have the luxury of choosing a
house that meets all of their qualifications (neighborhood,
size, yard, etc.). As a result, contractors need to make
their project more appealing to homeowners, with added
features, such as a swimming pool.
Typically, a house is
built by contractors and
then customized by the
family. After buying the
house, families then ex-
plore the idea of building
a pool. In other cases,
when a family already
knows that they’ll be
building one, they will only choose a house that offers the
space for a swimming pool. Contractors can consolidate
this process, though. Rather than waiting for a family to
bring in a pool builder after the house
is built, contractors can be strategic
and make pool builders a cornerstone
of the building process.
Oftentimes, including a swimming
pool builder in the process means
that the contractor must take on the
swimming pool expense until a
homebuyer comes along. But, identi-
fying a pool-building partner that has
the ability to underwrite the pool, can
be a crucial money-saving strategy. This partnership al-
lows the pool builder to hold off on charging the contrac-
tor for the pool until the house is sold, even if the house
sits on the market for an extended period.
Underwriting is a unique capability to find in a swim-
ming pool builder, but those with the capacity to do it will
allow contractors to focus on building the home and sell-
ing it, rather than being tied up in payments. The addition
of the pool adds immense market value to the home,
though, so the collaborated effort of pool and home
building is advantageous for the contractor.
While contractors will love the money-saving benefit of
this collaboration, it’s important to consider the future
homeowners as well, when choosing a pool builder. The
underwriting process is a key attrib-
ute for contractors, but finding a
swimming pool builder that can also
provide service after the house is
sold is just as important.
For one, swimming pools require
regular maintenance, and if the
house sits on the market for an ex-
tended period, someone will need to
manage that. But also, new home-
owners will be much more at ease
knowing that, in addition to having the pool of their
dreams, it already comes with a team ready to service the
pool as needed.
With a growing market like the Triangle, contractors
need to take the extra step to make their homes stand
out. Bringing in a swimming pool builder from the onset
can help contractors get the most value out of their proj-
ect. A swimming pool builder that understands both the
needs of the contractor and the future homeowner,
though, can help contractors add the ultimate value when
building a home.
Tom Casey is Vice President of Sales at Anthony & Syl-
van Pools. He can be reached by phoning (215)-489-5626
or emailing TCasey@AnthonySylvan.com.
The North Carolina Construction News — May-June 2018 — 9