California Pools

California Pools traces its origins to 1952 in the American Southwest, when Wayne Steimle, a high school physics teacher, built a swimming pool for his family. After neighbors began asking for similar work, the project developed into a pool building business with a long record of industry recognition. The company is now a third generation, family owned brand led by CEO Ryder Steimle, Wayne's grandson. Wayne's son, Doug Steimle, ran the company for more than two decades before transferring leadership. The headquarters is now in Texas, reflecting expansion beyond California. Since its founding, California Pools has built over 80,000 pools. President and COO Steve Terry hosts the Pool Kings television series, giving the brand national media visibility. Pool and Spa News regularly places California Pools among the Top 50 Builders in the United States. Forbes named it one of the Best Pool Installation Companies of 2021. The Association of Pool and Spa Professionals has given California Pools more custom pool design awards than any other pool company globally, and the company appears on that organization's Top 5 Pool Builders list each year. California Pools adopted a franchise model in 2018. Approximately 28 franchised locations operated across California and the Sunbelt States as of May 2024. That places the system in an early franchise growth phase, with room for expansion and the related risk of a less mature network.

Swimming pool construction falls within the Specialty Trade Contractors sector and benefits from continued demand for outdoor living projects. The global swimming pool construction market reached $6.7 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow to $8.4 billion by 2027, an annualized growth rate of nearly 4%. California's swimming pool construction market is estimated at $1.9 billion in 2026, with 1,673 businesses operating in the state. The California industry grew at an average annual rate of 2.9% from 2020 to 2025. Employment in the state's pool construction sector totals 8,216 people and increased 2.5% annually over that same period. Across the United States, the broader Specialty Trade Contractors industry has an estimated total addressable market of approximately $62.5 billion and a compound annual growth rate of 2.4%. Worldwide, the specialty trade contractors market was valued at $5,149.38 billion in 2021 and rose to $5,721.41 billion in 2022 at a CAGR of 11.1%. It is projected to reach $8,405.13 billion by 2026 at a CAGR of 10.1%. Demand has been supported by the pandemic era shift toward spending on leisure at home, continued remote work, and increasing household net worth in Sunbelt markets. Pool construction also remains fragmented, with tens of thousands of independent contractors serving local markets outside franchise systems. That structure gives a recognized brand such as California Pools potential conversion candidates and a way to compete through brand recognition, proprietary design systems, and professional marketing infrastructure.

The California Pools franchise cost structure has changed since franchising began. Under the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the initial franchise fee is $45,000, compared with the $20,000 fee listed in the original 2018 FDD. Qualified veterans and first responders receive a 10% franchise fee discount, reducing the payment by $4,500 to $40,500. The estimated investment for a new location ranges from $72,940 to $126,340. Costs vary with geography, local permitting, equipment timing, and whether the launch uses a larger buildout or a leaner format. That range is below the initial investment commonly required in food service, lodging, and fitness, where total costs often fall between $300,000 and $1,500,000. A conversion franchisee, including someone moving from a California Pools affiliate license or agency agreement, has an estimated investment of $9,440 to $25,840 and makes no upfront payment to the franchisor. Royalties increase over time. The rate rises during months thirteen through twenty four. California Pools does not require a local or regional cooperative marketing contribution. The company advises prospective franchise partners to maintain at least $500,000 in net worth. No specific liquid capital minimum is formally required, although Vetted Biz reports an approximate minimum cash requirement of $15,000. California Pools does not provide direct or indirect financing.

The operating model allows franchisees to concentrate on design, sales, and construction management while the corporate office handles marketing, website development, and central infrastructure. The 2018 FDD described 29 total training hours, including 21 hours of classroom instruction and 8 hours of on the job training. Current materials describe education in custom pool design, current construction methods, and maintenance practices. Corporate assistance includes ongoing operations support, marketing help, business development guidance, and proprietary systems developed through more than 70 years of pool building experience. This is an owner operator model or a business for an owner who remains closely involved in daily operations. The franchisee must be able to manage subcontracted construction crews, maintain client relationships throughout the sales and design process, and coordinate several projects at once. Subcontractor based staffing can reduce fixed labor costs compared with a format that requires a large full time workforce, but it places greater demands on vendor relationships and scheduling. California Pools operates through service territories rather than retail or food service locations. Real estate costs are therefore limited, while business development, sales tools, and project management account for much of the overhead.

The range reflects differences in market size, franchisee experience, and local competition. The difference between the publicly stated $2.7 million average and the $1,085,780 Vetted Biz figure shows why buyers should test several performance scenarios. Reaching $2.7 million would likely require eight to fifteen completed pools each month, depending on contract size. Premium custom pool projects can range from $75,000 to $250,000.

California Pools has expanded since launching franchising in 2018, when an early FDD recorded 24 franchised locations in five states: California, Nevada, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin. The system had 30 locations in six states by March 2022. By September 2021, it had reached 35 locations, including 19 in California. Prospective buyers should ask the franchisor whether departures reflected dissatisfaction with the system or ordinary business transitions. The brand opened a Sacramento location in September 2021, added a Temecula, California location by April 2024, and opened a San Antonio, Texas franchise in August 2025. The company has stated goals for continued national expansion and possible international growth. The East Coast and Midwest are identified as priority development corridors beyond the established Sunbelt footprint. California Pools' competitive position draws on its more than 70 year operating history, over 80,000 completed pools, Forbes recognition, and Pool and Spa News Top 50 designation. Independent local builders generally cannot reproduce that full record. Steve Terry's Pool Kings television presence adds national awareness through earned media without an incremental cost to individual franchisees. Recognition from the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals for custom pool design, described as more awards than any other pool company globally, supports the brand's premium positioning and its ability to distinguish its work from an unbranded local contractor.

The preferred California Pools candidate does not need to be a licensed pool contractor, but should have business management ability, comfort with project based sales, and the discipline to coordinate subcontracted labor across several residential construction projects. The company favors candidates with business development experience, sales ability, and the financial capacity reflected in its $500,000 net worth recommendation. That profile may fit a mid career professional or an existing entrepreneur better than a first time small business owner. New territory development is concentrated in Sunbelt states, where spending on outdoor living is high. The company's stated interest in the East Coast and Midwest suggests that territories may also become available in markets without current California Pools representation. Public disclosures available for review do not detail the franchise agreement term or renewal terms, so candidates should request those provisions during legal review. A service territory model can reach first revenue sooner than a food service or fitness concept that requires facility construction. Pre launch work centers on territory planning, building a contractor network, and starting marketing rather than negotiating a lease or completing a facility buildout. Multi unit development may suit experienced franchisees after they establish a first territory. The maximum estimated initial investment of $126,340 for a new location also creates a financial structure that can support expansion into multiple territories without institutional scale capital.

California Pools offers a franchise opportunity built around more than 70 years of brand history, Pool Kings media exposure, global design award recognition, and a swimming pool construction market projected to reach $8.4 billion globally by 2027. The estimated initial investment for a new franchisee reaches $126,340. The PeerSense Franchise Performance Index score is 44, placing the brand in the Fair category. That rating reflects early franchise development and limited public unit level financial transparency. Buyers who value an established brand, outdoor living demand, and a lower capital entry point may consider the system for further due diligence. The tiered royalty schedule, absence of a cooperative marketing fee, and conversion investment range of $9,440 to $25,840 affect the overall ownership cost. PeerSense provides independent due diligence information, including SBA lending history, the Loan Activity Score, location maps with Google ratings, FDD financial data, and comparison tools for evaluating California Pools against pool, home services, and specialty trade franchise systems.