With access to the best pool/spa builders in the country, we can’t pass up the opportunity to learn as much as we can from them.
For this reason, every year we survey the Top 50 to find out how the year is going so far, how last year panned out, and attitudes about issues of the day.
And, once again, our Top 50 show us how and why they rise to the top. While sales of new pools and spas continue to decline, this class continues to pivot, putting a larger focus on renovations, commercial work, and higher-end projects.
Like so much over the past few years, the view of 2026 so far is a toss-up. Just over half — about 55% — are seeing an increase in leads compared with 2025. However, enough are experiencing reductions to cause concern, with 31.2% reporting fewer leads than this time last year. In answering some questions, builders almost evenly split between those reporting increases and those seeing declines.
When it comes to current issues, these builders are not as concerned as before about tariffs or the threat of them, with almost half — 42% — saying they have no effects and aren’t expected to. That issue has been replaced by fuel costs, with a sizable portion of builders believing this condition is cutting into profits and even causing some consumers to delay in making a final purchase. But they are responding proactively. Their willingness to flex with the times also can be seen in attitudes toward artificial intelligence, with many saying they have a basic grasp of the technology, and plenty actively looking for ways to implement it.
See what these industry luminaries had to say.
THE YEAR SO FAR…
While year-long backlogs have become rare, this group still reports having plenty of work lined up, with 58.1% saying they have enough work to last three to six months.
So far, this year is presenting ups and downs. While the largest group is seeing increases of up to 10%, the next largest group is experiencing decreases of up to 10%.
Despite the headwinds, 58.2% of Top 50 builders are enjoying increased revenue compared with the same time last year. Another 18.6% are even.
The numbers are a little mellower when it comes to volume: Just under half are building more pools and spas this year compared with same time last year, while a quarter are even. Almost one-third report building fewer.
Renovation remains a winner, with 62% showing growth in that area so far. Only 11.6% are trending downward in that area.
Similar to last year, nearly half of builders credit renovations with a larger portion of work than last year, while just over half say this work accounts for the same portion of work. Only a handful see renovations trending the other direction.
Average price per project continues on the upswing for this group, as more than three-quarters report higher contract prices than in 2025.
Optimism has not alluded this crowd yet, as only 23% expect sales to compare unfavorably with 2025’s. Nearly half expect to close the books on 2026 with modest increases.
Looking back at last year, more than half of the Top 50 report increases, mostly less than 10%. But 28% experienced declines.
When it comes to residential construction, profits fell about in line with revenue, as 62% report increases.
The same portions of builders report volume increases up to 10% as those who report volume decreases of up to 10% in 2025. Together, these two groups account for two-thirds of the builders.
While a healthy portion of Top 50 Builders do not expect negative effects from tariffs or the threat of tariffs this year, the majority still do.
When asked about the effects so far of rising fuel costs, these builders say the trend has resulted in increased expenses and reduced profits. Some believe that customers have delayed signing on the dotted line because of the issue. More than half expect to pass prices on to their customers, some in the form of fuel surcharges. A fair portion have or expect to find ways to reduce fuel usage by better strategizing travel or moving some meetings to video.
This year’s Top 50 Builders have been proactive in leveraging artificial intelligence, with a significant portion not only adapting to its use in CRMs and other applications in which it’s built in, but also actively finding ways to incorporate it.