How much does pool builder marketing cost?
Short answer
You pay two things: ad spend, which goes straight to Facebook and Instagram, and $150 to $200 for each qualified in-home appointment we book, with nothing up front. At $30 a day in ad spend, expect 7 to 10 appointments a month. $300 a day is ten times that. The number that matters is cost per signed job, because one signed pool can be worth $60,000 to $150,000 or more.
How pricing works
- Ad spend, from $30 a day. Paid directly to Facebook and Instagram, so you can see exactly where it goes.
- $150 to $200 per qualified in-home appointment. That is Aqua Expand's fee. Every appointment is qualified on budget and timeline before it reaches your calendar.
- Nothing up front. No setup fee and no retainer.
- One builder per service area. We're selective about who we work with, and we take one pool builder per service area. Once you're closing jobs from the campaigns, we look to build a long-term partnership.
What your ad spend gets you
At $30 a day in ad spend, expect 7 to 10 in-home appointments a month, qualified on budget and timeline. It scales in a straight line, so $300 a day is ten times that: 70 to 100.
| Daily ad spend | Monthly ad spend | In-home appointments per month | Aqua Expand fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| $30 a day | $900 | 7 to 10 | $1,050 to $2,000 |
| $100 a day | $3,000 | 23 to 33 | $3,450 to $6,600 |
| $200 a day | $6,000 | 47 to 67 | $7,050 to $13,400 |
| $300 a day | $9,000 | 70 to 100 | $10,500 to $20,000 |
Estimates based on a 30-day month. Results vary by market, and at higher budgets they depend on how many buyers are in your service area. We tell you on the call if your market can't absorb the spend.
What changes your budget
- Market size. A metro area with hundreds of thousands of homeowners can take more daily spend than a small town.
- Average project value. $150K custom gunite builds justify a higher cost per estimate than $40K fiberglass installs.
- How many appointments you can handle. There's no point buying more walkthroughs than you can run. Start where your calendar can take it and scale from there.
- Season. Homeowners plan pools months ahead, so starting before your busy season costs less per booked estimate than starting in the rush.
Measure cost per signed job, not cost per lead
A lead is a name. A booked estimate is a homeowner in their backyard with you. A signed job is revenue. Work it out like this:
- Cost per appointment = (ad spend + Aqua Expand fee) ÷ in-home appointments
- Signed jobs = appointments × your close rate
- Cost per signed job = (ad spend + Aqua Expand fee) ÷ signed jobs
Calculator
Drag the slider to set your daily ad spend, then enter your close rate and average project value. Results vary by market, so treat this as an estimate, not a guarantee.
Want to check it against your market?
A builder doing $60K renovations and one doing $150K custom gunite builds need different budgets. On a 20-minute call we look at your service area and average job size, give you a realistic range of appointments, and tell you straight if the numbers don't work.
Questions pool builders ask
How much does pool builder marketing cost per month?
There are two costs. Ad spend is paid directly to Facebook and Instagram, starting around $30 a day. Aqua Expand's fee is $150 to $200 per qualified in-home appointment, with nothing up front. At $30 a day in ad spend, expect 7 to 10 in-home appointments a month, qualified on budget and timeline. It scales in a straight line, so $300 a day is ten times that: 70 to 100.
How many appointments do I get for my ad spend?
At $30 a day in ad spend, expect 7 to 10 in-home appointments a month, qualified on budget and timeline. It scales in a straight line, so $300 a day is ten times that: 70 to 100. Every appointment is qualified on budget and timeline before it reaches your calendar. Results vary by market, and at higher budgets they depend on how many buyers are in your service area.
How does Aqua Expand charge?
Aqua Expand charges $150 to $200 per qualified in-home appointment, and takes nothing up front. Ad spend is paid directly to Facebook and Instagram. You pay for appointments that reach your calendar, not for promises.
Who does Aqua Expand work with?
We're selective about who we work with, and we take one pool builder per service area. Once you're closing jobs from the campaigns, we look to build a long-term partnership. That's why the first step is a short call, where we tell you straight if your market can't support it.
What is a good cost per lead for a pool builder?
Cost per lead is the wrong measure on its own. A cheap lead that never books an estimate costs more than an expensive one that signs. Track cost per booked appointment and cost per signed job instead.
Is there a long-term contract?
There's no contract for the strategy call. Once you're closing jobs from the campaigns, we look to build a long-term partnership. Terms are covered on the call.
Find out if your market can support it
20-minute call. We look at your service area and average job size, give you a realistic range of booked estimates, and tell you straight if it isn't worth doing.
No contract for the call. One builder per service area.