To choose our Top 50 builders, companies are judged on five categories: Residential Construction Revenue, Staff Management, Industry Involvement, Web Presence and Community Service.
These categories were chosen to help us land on a group that shows strengths in the multiple disciplines required to sustain a thriving business.
Below are the companies that stood out in each category.
TOP 10 RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION REVENUE
Residential Construction Revenue is calculated by combining earnings from new residential construction and renovations. Of the five judging criteria, this factors in the most. Once again, Cody Pools, headquartered near Austin, topped the list of highest earners. It generated nearly $50 million in residential construction, representing almost a 13% jump from last year's $44.2 million. Cody is joined by five Lone Star State compatriots in this Top 10 list. Three of the remaining companies hail from Arizona, with the last from California. In residential construction, this year’s group earned $816.8 million, a 5% increase over the 2017 Top 50, whose reported residential construction earnings combined for $777.9M.
TOP 10 TOTAL REVENUE
While total revenue is not considered as part of the judging criteria, bottom-liners always want to know that number. For the Top 50, residential construction clearly anchors overall revenue, which explains why this list closely overlaps the Top 10 residential construction earners. However, these companies do not just build residential pools and spas. All but five reported service revenue, which added up to $104 million for the group. Twenty-seven performed work in the commercial sector, for a total of $74.5 million. The same number reported retail income amounting to a combined $46.3 million. In part because of this diversity, the Top 50’s overall earnings topped $1 billion in 2017.
TOP 10 IN STAFF MANAGEMENT
In assessing this category, judges look at the average tenure among a company’s staff, along with its level of training and education, as seen in its in-house training regimens, continuing education, degrees and certifications. Those below received the highest scores on this criterion. They are listed in alphabetical order, as multiple companies often received the same score.
TOP 10 IN INDUSTRY INVOLVEMENT
For this category, builders listed the business associations to which they belong, both inside and outside the industry. On the pool/spa-industry side, the Top 50 has always shown a strong presence in the main associations and buying groups. Outside the industry, the vast majority belong to their local Chambers of Commerce, Better Business Bureaus and home building organizations. Now, it appears more of these companies are joining related associations, such as the American Concrete Institute, American Shotcrete Association and various local and national landscape organizations.
TOP 10 IN WEB PRESENCE
The web is the future — and the future is now. For this reason, we look at entrants’ web presence, including websites and social media accounts. These builders clearly are progressing through social media options. All but one is on Facebook and all but three on Houzz. Now, they are moving on to the video sharing site YouTube and the photo sharing site Instagram, each of which plays host to 36 of the Top 50.
TOP 10 IN COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Visibility in the community not only fosters good citizenship but good business. These firms topped the list for charitable giving of money, product and time. Firms are listed in alphabetical order, as multiples received the same scores. But the highest marks went to Claffey Pools; Platinum Pools; and Presidential Pools, Spas and Patio.
