River Pools franchise
2022 filing · April 30, 2022Growing
River Pools at a glance
A swimming pool business that sells and installs fiberglass pools made by the franchisor's affiliate. At the end of 2021 there were 17 River Pools locations in the US, all franchised.
The business
- Industry
- Home service
- Franchisor
- River Pools Franchising, LLC
- The company that sells the franchises
- Franchisor based in
- Fortville, Indiana
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $114K–$288K
- Fee, build-out and opening working capital
- Franchise fee
- $50,000
- Paid once, when you sign
- Royalty
- 12% per pool
- 12% of the listed price of each pool shell ordered, charged per shell
- Brand fund
- Yes
- 2% of the list price of each pool shell bought
- Renewal fee
- $5,000
- When the agreement ends and you sign again
- Agreement length
- 10 years
- Territory
- None
- No exclusive territory
- Franchisor financing
- Some financing offered
Where it is
- US locations, 2021
- 17
- Franchised and company-owned
- Franchised
- 17
- Company-owned
- 0
- Change in 2 years
- +17
- Franchised locations, 2019–2021
- States
- 12
- Most in Missouri, North Carolina and Tennessee
From River Pools Franchising, LLC’s 2022 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Where it ranks
River Pools among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | River Pools | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $200,950 | Costs less than 70% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $50,000 | Higher than 70% of franchises |
| US locationsFranchised and company-owned | 17 | Fewer than 53% of franchises |
How much a River Pools franchise costs
Opening one River Pools costs an estimated $113,700 to $288,200. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
The biggest costs are working capital (additional funds over next 3 months) ($25,000 to $75,000) and inventory ($5,000 to $60,000). Here is every line of the estimate as filed:
| What it pays for | Range | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $50,000 | ||
| Leasehold Improvements and Signs | $0 | $9,000 | |
| Equipment and Supplies | $5,000 | $15,000 | |
| Inventory | $5,000 | $60,000 | |
| Vehicle | $4,500 | $30,000 | |
| Technology and Office Equipment | $3,000 | $7,000 | |
| Start-Up Marketing | $7,500 | $10,000 | |
| Insurance | $10,000 | $15,000 | |
| Professional Fees | $2,000 | $3,000 | |
| Licenses/Bonds | $500 | $1,000 | |
| Lease Deposits | $0 | $10,000 | |
| Your Out-of-Pocket Expenses While Attending Training | $1,200 | $3,200 | |
| Working Capital (Additional Funds over next 3 months) | $25,000 | $75,000 | |
| Total | $113,700 | $288,200 | |
Source: River Pools Franchising, LLC, 2022 filing, page 14
River Pools franchise fee
The franchise fee is $50,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: River Pools Franchising, LLC, 2022 filing, page 11
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 12% of the listed price of each pool shell ordered, charged per shell. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | 2% of the list price of each pool shell bought. |
| Renewal Franchise Fee | $5,000 |
| Additional Required Training Fees | Varies, but base amount is $500 per day per person trained |
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: River Pools Franchising, LLC, 2022 filing, page 12
Other fees as filed, from pages 12–13. The filing lists every fee, including late fees and audit costs.
Sales and earnings
No figures River Pools does not share sales or profit figures for its locations. Talking to current and former franchise owners is the usual way to learn what a location earns.
Source: River Pools Franchising, LLC, 2022 filing, page 33
SBA loans to River Pools franchisees
Lenders approved one SBA 7(a) loan for a River Pools franchisee in 2022, for $25K. It hasn’t been paid off or charged off yet.
A charged-off loan is one written off as uncollectible. See SBA franchise loans for how 7(a) and 504 loans work.
Source: SBA 7(a) and 504 loan data, as of September 30, 2026
How River Pools compares
Of the 475 home service franchises on this site, River Pools is the 234th cheapest to open and the 291st largest by number of locations.
| Figure | River Pools | Typical home service brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $114K | $115K | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $288K | $202K | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $50K | $50K | $40K |
| US locations | 17 | 40 | 21 |
| Closed or left per year | 18.2% | 6.5% | – |
| Shares earnings figures | No | 367 of 475 | 2,147 of 3,352 |
Typical is the median across the 475 brands in home service franchises; typical franchise, across every brand here.
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 5 (+5) | 1 | +5 | 0 |
| 2020 | 11 (+6) | 0 | – | – |
| 2021 | 17 (+6) | 0 | +8 | −2 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
See which brands grew most in the fastest-growing franchises rankings.
More in the guides: franchise failure rates.
Source: River Pools Franchising, LLC, 2022 filing, page 34
Where River Pools locations are
At the end of 2021, River Pools had franchised locations in 12 states. The most are in Missouri, North Carolina and Tennessee.
- Missouri2
- North Carolina2
- Tennessee2
- Utah2
- Virginia2
- Colorado1
Source: River Pools Franchising, LLC, 2022 filing, page 34
Who owns River Pools?
River Pools franchises are sold by River Pools Franchising, LLC.
From River Pools Franchising, LLC’s 2022 filing.
Lawsuits and bankruptcy
| Lawsuits and regulatory actions | None. The filing says no litigation has to be disclosed. |
|---|---|
| Bankruptcy | None. The filing says no bankruptcy has to be disclosed. |
Franchisors must disclose lawsuits and bankruptcies involving the company, its parents and affiliates, and its executives. Many cases are routine disputes with franchisees over fees or contracts; read the descriptions in the filing and ask current owners about anything that worries you.
Source: River Pools Franchising, LLC, 2022 filing, litigation on page 11, bankruptcy on page 11
River Pools filings
The figures on this page come from River Pools Franchising, LLC’s 2022 filing, issued April 30, 2022, on record with the NASAA Electronic Filing Depository.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 filing | April 30, 2022 | NASAA depository | Costs, fees and locations, 2019–2021 |
Each link opens the filing as a PDF. See the newest filings across all brands.
