New Ways to
Grow Pool Renovations in 2026

I’d like to share some new ideas about how to make more money and profit in this highly lucrative slice of the swimming pool industry.

First of all, let’s remember that every time someone sells and installs a new inground pool, that’s adding yet another future prospect to the pool renovations business. And every year, every in-ground pool gets closer to needing a renovation.

That’s been happening for over 100 years now (thank you Wagner Pools and Claffey Pools). Best estimates suggest we have more than 6 million in-ground pools in the United States alone, and every year, we add more. Even when year-to-year new pool sales are flat or down (like much of the US right now), the number of swimming pools that will need a renovation still goes up every year.

Just like pool service, it’s a lucrative, forever-growing business.

But what excites me even more is all the new ways we can upgrade and renovate these old pools. Not just plaster, tile and coping, because that’s a given for any pool more than 10 years old.

The excitement happens when you visualize a pool built back in 1985. Or 1975. Or 1965. Do you see a cutting-edge beauty, with all the latest features? More likely, you see a stark relic from the past, looking woefully out-of-date and out-of-place next to a home that may be old, but has likely been updated to modern times.

In fact, let’s consider how homeowners keep their 40-, 50- or 60-year-old homes looking modern and contemporary. Like replastering a pool, re-painting a house is a given. It helps it look well-kept, but it does not make it look modern. So eventually, re-painting your home is simply not enough.

The most popular way to modernize a home is to completely gut the kitchen, and install all new cabinets and appliances, to the tune of $100,000 or more.

The bathrooms will be next, similarly completely gutted and reconfigured to look completely updated. You might also knock down some walls, widen some doorways, add some skylights, and do any number of other major modifications to help your home keep up with the times.

The same is true with a swimming pool. A 40-year-old swimming pool probably doesn’t have a vanishing edge, or beach entry, or perimeter overflow, or tanning ledge, or deck jets, or sheer descent waterfalls, or LED lighting, or many other features we now take for granted. Or maybe it’s an old freeform, lagoon-style pool, and the homeowner would prefer something more linear and modern.

And looking beyond the pool, it probably doesn’t have an outdoor kitchen, or a sports bar, or a “Ladies Lair,” or pizza oven, or sport court, or putting green. Nor a bath house or guesthouse, for friends and family to spend the night.

These are options that would potentially delight the homeowner to no end. They probably never considered it, because they didn’t know these options were possible. And that’s because most renovators would balk at suggesting such high-dollar items, for fear they would get laughed out of the running for the renovation.

And while it’s true, some homeowners would never consider spending six-figures renovating a pool that only cost them four or five-figures brand new. But every year some homeowners do consider it, and do spend that money.

It comes down to having the courage to “talk about the possibilities.” If you’re a little shy in this arena, let me suggest a line that can easily open up the conversation without scaring away the homeowner.

I would say “I’ll be happy to quote you a price for the basic renovation here, which would be the interior finish, the tile, the coping, and maybe the deck. But if you want to have a little fun, I can also share with you some other ideas that you may have never considered. Maybe you didn’t even know they were possible. If you’re game, we can talk about what it would take to make your pool look like it was built in 2026, instead of 1976.

“Would you like to hear a few wild and crazy ideas?”

Rare is the pool owner who doesn’t want to at least hear a few interesting ideas to make their old swimming pool look more modern. We’re not suggesting they should buy these ideas. We’re just throwing some ideas out there for brainstorming, and a little bit of fun.

Now once you’ve broken that ice, and had a little fun talking possibilities, they may find a wild and crazy idea they actually fall in love with. And before you know it, you’ve sold a 6-figure project to a homeowner who is on cloud nine because of the amazing transformation you’ve offered them.

After all, who doesn’t want a transformation? Especially if it’s a 40-year-old pool they’ve considered an eyesore for years.

I’ve got two additional strategies that go beyond the usual “upgrade the backyard” ideas here. I’ll share those with you next week.