A buyer's guide written by 35-year industry veterans. Seven questions to ask, five red flags to avoid, and how to spot a specialist vs. a generalist.
If a leak company can't answer these clearly, keep shopping. This isn't about favoring us — it's about protecting you from the patterns we've seen thousands of homeowners regret.
Every leak company will verbally "stand behind their work." Far fewer will put terms, durations, and conditions in writing. And even fewer will write warranties without a "water loss threshold" that lets them dodge small, legitimate leaks.
The industry default is drain-and-replace. But underwater crack injection technology has existed for nearly 30 years and works on the majority of shell cracks. If a company only offers the invasive option, they're missing the most efficient tool in the modern repair toolkit.
Florida licenses pool contractors at two levels — commercial (CPC) and residential (RP). A CPC license is required to work on any commercial property and is the higher certification. It also means the company carries the insurance and passes the technical exams required.
There's a real difference between "we do leak work" and "we're a leak specialist." Most leak diagnostics are pattern recognition — the more leaks a company has seen, the faster and more accurately they find yours. Look for specialist-only operations with at least 15+ years.
A confident leak specialist will tell you they'll find it — and won't charge you if they can't. A less-confident operator has a "diagnostic fee" built in even on unsuccessful calls. The difference matters, because second-opinion calls (where another company missed the leak) are common.
Quality leak companies can tell you the typical residential detection runs $350–$650 without needing to see your pool. They know their pricing structure and they're not trying to upsell you on the estimate call. Companies that refuse to give ranges are usually pricing based on what they think you can pay.
Even if your pool is residential, a company's commercial client list is a strong quality indicator. Resorts, HOAs, and theme parks are sophisticated buyers — they've already done the vetting you're trying to do, and their standards are higher than most residential customers'.
These patterns aren't subtle. If you hear any of these during the initial call or site visit, end the engagement and call someone else.
"We have a cancelation tomorrow — if you can sign now, we'll give you $300 off." Legitimate companies don't need flash sales.
Verbal "we stand behind our work" without a signed document means no warranty at all. If it's not written, it's not enforceable.
Major quotes on the first visit, before detailed testing, often mean a drain-and-replace being pushed because it's easier to execute than a targeted repair.
Any legitimate Florida pool contractor knows their CPC or RP number by heart. Inability to provide it means they don't have it.
In Florida, draining a pool carries real structural risk (hydrostatic lift). If a company requires draining for basic detection, they lack modern testing capability.
A specialist with 15+ years of Florida work should have hundreds of reviews and a roster of past commercial clients they can reference.
Here's how we stack up against the patterns we see in the industry — good and bad. Use this as a checklist when you're gathering quotes.
| Capability | Typical Florida Leak Company | Advanced Leak Detection |
|---|---|---|
| Years in business | 2–15 years | 35+ years (since 1990) |
| Total jobs completed | Unstated | 100,000+ repairs documented |
| Detection warranty | 30 days verbal | 60 days written |
| Minor repair warranty | 30 days verbal | 2 years written |
| Major repair warranty | 90 days or vague verbal promise | 3 years written |
| Water-loss threshold | Usually ½ inch/day | None — all leaks covered |
| Underwater repair | No (requires draining) | Yes (no draining required) |
| If we can't find it | $200+ diagnostic fee anyway | You don't pay for detection |
| Commercial clients | Residential-only or light commercial | Theme parks, resorts, HOAs |
| Florida service footprint | Single metro area or franchise | East Coast coverage, one company |
We're confident we win on substance. Ask the seven questions above to anyone you consider. If another company answers them all at our standard, hire them with confidence. If not, you'll know why we're Florida's specialist.
Get a Quote → Read Reviews