Challenge #3: Stop Bleeding Profit: The Case for Real-Time Job Costing
In the pool and spa business, a job can look good on paper but still lose money in reality. Maybe the work took longer than planned. Maybe the parts cost more than expected. Or maybe a subcontractor’s bill showed up after the job was done. By the time you realize the problem, the job is over—and there’s nothing you can do to fix it.
Without real-time job costing, you’re basically guessing whether a job will make or lose money until it’s too late. Guessing isn’t a smart way to run a business, especially when small mistakes can eat into your profits fast.
How Delayed Cost Tracking Hurts You
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When you can’t see the real costs of a job while it’s still happening, you risk:
It’s not just about losing money—it’s about missing the chance to stop the problem before it gets worse. |
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Why Guesswork Is Dangerous
Imagine you estimate a repair job will cost $1,500 in labor and $500 in materials. But once the work starts, it takes more hours, the parts are pricier, and you hire a subcontractor for a tricky repair. If you’re not tracking these costs as they happen, you might still bill the original $2,000. After paying for labor, parts, and the subcontractor, there’s barely any profit left.
Or worse, you bid on a pool construction job, not just fixing a pool pump. You estimate the project will cost $150,000. You plan for $85,000 in labor and subcontractors, $45,000 in materials, and $20,000 for permits, design and extra costs.
On paper, it looks solid. But once the work starts, surprises show up fast. The dig uncovers solid rock, so you need extra equipment and more crew hours. Material prices jump, and suddenly costs 15–20% more than you thought. Then the homeowner adds a custom tile design and water features, and you bring in a specialist subcontractor. That’s another $25,000 added to the project.
If you’re not tracking these costs and adding change orders while they happen, you may keep billing close to the original estimated costs of $150,000 plus your mark-up. But when payroll, materials, rentals, and subcontractors are all paid, the real cost might be $175,000 or more. Instead of a strong profit, the job eats into your margin—or worse, loses money.
That’s why real-time tracking matters. On big projects, even small overruns pile up quickly. Without the right system, a “profitable” pool build on paper can sink your bottom line in reality.
Now imagine this happening on multiple jobs. If you can’t see it while it’s happening, the same mistakes can drain your profits again and again.
How PoolSmart Solves the Problem
PoolSmart, lets you track all job costs live:
- Labor: Hours are logged from the field daily and connected to the job instantly.
- Materials: Parts used are recorded on-site, updating inventory and job costs.
- Subcontractors: Vendor invoices are linked to the right job as soon as they arrive.
- Overhead: Standard costs are automatically added so you see the true margin.
- Change Orders: Scope changes are captured in real time so budgets and billing always matches the work.
- Reports & Dashboards: Easy-to-read views that show costs, progress, and profit in one place.
This gives you a clear picture of whether you’re on budget, ahead, or falling behind—while you can still do something about it.
Turning Data Into Action
With real-time costing, you can:
- Adjust schedules or job scope before costs spiral – catch problems early and avoid surprise overruns.
- Get customer approval for extra work right away – no more chasing signatures after the job is already done.
- Bill milestones or partial payments accurately to keep cash flowing – steady income means less strain on your budget.
- Use real numbers to set better prices for future jobs – estimates become smarter, not guesswork.
Instead of waiting until the project is finished, you see the truth as it happens. That means fewer surprises, smoother communication with customers, and more confidence in your numbers. When you know the facts, you make better decisions, protect your profits, and run a healthier business.
Learn More about Accrete’s PoolSmart Solution or reach out for a demo!
What’s Next in the Series
This is Challenge #3 in our “5 Challenges Holding Back Pool & Spa Companies and How to Fix Them” series.
Next, we’ll look at Challenge #4: Today’s Pool Customer Expects Real-Time Updates. Are You Delivering?—how clear, automated updates can keep customers happy and loyal.
Check out our previous article: Challenge #2: No More “Where’s My Tech? — Solving the Dispatch Dilemma