Built for pool builders
Pool construction breaks generic contractor software in three specific places. First, the job runs through ten phases that are not the same as residential remodeling phases. Excavation, steel, plumbing rough-in, gunite, tile, coping, decking, plaster, startup, and walkthrough each have their own crew, their own subs, their own weather sensitivity, and their own paperwork. Second, customer selections matter enormously and they get argued over months later. Was the coping travertine or limestone? What plaster color actually got picked? Generic field-ops software treats this as a single notes box, which is how the argument starts. Third, when the new pool turns on, you need a chemical log on day one and every visit after, in case warranty calls come up.
Workhand was built from the pool builder side first. The job template ships with the ten-phase set out of the box. Customer selections live in a structured sheet with photos, SKUs, vendor info, and signoff dates. Chemical logs capture chlorine, pH, alkalinity, calcium, cyanuric acid, salt level, and water temp per visit. The customer-facing portal shows the homeowner where the job is in the phase list and the photos from this week. And estimates and invoices generate in English, Spanish, or Portuguese, picked per document, because most of the trade in the Sun Belt is Spanish-speaking and a good chunk of South Florida is Brazilian Portuguese.
Workflows we cover
The day-to-day motions of running a pool build, in the order they happen on a real job.
Estimate with line items + e-signature
Build the estimate from your template with shell sizes, equipment options, water features, and decking square footage. Send by email. Customer signs in their living room. The job is created automatically and the estimate becomes the original contract for the file.
Customer selections sheet
Tile, plaster, coping, decking, water features, equipment (pump, filter, heater, salt cell, automation), lights. Each selection holds a photo reference, vendor, SKU, and customer signoff date. Full writeup here.
Gunite-through-plaster phase tracking
Job template runs the ten standard phases. Each phase has its own checklist, milestone, and crew assignment. Customer sees the progression in the portal so they always know what's next without calling you.
Weather-aware scheduling
Schedule a gunite shoot. The schedule shows the 7-day weather forecast next to the calendar so you don't pour into a rain day. Reschedule with one tap and everyone on the job thread gets the update.
Photo daily logs every visit
Snap, drop a note, save. Builds a timeline on the customer portal so the homeowner can scroll their pool through every day instead of asking you. Cuts customer calls and gives you a paper trail when subs dispute their pay app.
Chemical logs per visit
Free chlorine, total chlorine, pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness, cyanuric acid, salt level, water temp, chemicals added. Each entry stamps date, time, and tech. Customers see the log through their portal. Full chemical logging writeup.
Multi-language estimates and invoices
English, Spanish, or Portuguese. Pick the language per document. Critical for crews in Florida, Texas, California, Arizona, and the Brazilian-Portuguese pockets of South Florida. One of the few contractor tools that ships multilingual customer docs.
Sub bidding for tile, plaster, equipment
Send the same scope to multiple tile setters or plasterers, see all quotes side by side, pick a winner. The sub gets pulled onto the job with their bid as the starting cost. No more rebuilding from a text screenshot.
What Workhand has that helps pool builders
- Pool chemical logs. Per-visit capture of every reading customers ask about, plus signoff and trend view per customer.
- Customer selections sheet. Tile, plaster, coping, decking, equipment, lights, water features. Photo references and signoff dates.
- Ten-phase pool job template. Excavation through walkthrough, ready to assign on day one.
- Multi-language customer documents. Estimates and invoices in English, Spanish, or Portuguese per document.
- Photo daily logs + customer portal. Customer sees this week's progress on a shareable link, no app install.
- Subcontractor insurance tracking. Plasterers, tile setters, electricians, gunite crews. Cert expiration alerts before they lapse.
- Stripe Connect for payment. Deposits, draws, and final payments through a Pay invoice online button. Two-day funding to your bank.
- Recurring invoices for service callbacks. Monthly maintenance after handover, or quarterly equipment checks, set the schedule once and Workhand auto-generates.
- AI Suggest line items on estimates. Type the build in plain English ("16x32 gunite pool, raised spa with spillway, travertine deck, Pebble Tec interior, salt cell, automation") and AI builds the line items from your catalog. Edit before sending.
- Customizable job tabs per project. A new build shows Chemicals, Selections, Materials, Bids, Punch List. A simple resurface shows just Chat, Daily Log, and Selections. Pick which tabs appear per job.
See the pool builder app deep dive for the longer version, the full feature list, or the FAQ for specific questions.
What we are not
Workhand is not pool route service software. If you run pure weekly route maintenance with 15 to 20 stops a day per tech, optimized routes, automated chemical dosing recommendations, and integration to the chemical supply chain, Skimmer and Pool360 are the right tools. They're built tight around the route service motion. Workhand will feel awkward there.
We also do not do retail pool store inventory. If you sell parts and chemicals over the counter as well as build pools, you'll keep using whatever POS you're on for that and Workhand for the construction side.
Workhand is for the pool builder. Custom shells, plaster crews, equipment installs, tile and coping, decking, the actual build. Service after handover works fine in Workhand for warranty calls and occasional maintenance, but pure route service is a different shape.
Pricing for pool builders
Three plans. No per-user fees. No per-estimate fees. Most working pool builder crews end up on Pro or Team depending on size.
Free
Pro
Team
Most working pool builder crews choose Pro or Team. The Free plan is good for testing on a single pool. Builders with a designer-on-commission or an office bookkeeper need Team for commission tracking and QBO sync. See the FAQ for trial and refund details, and the vs Jobber comparison if you're shopping.
Questions pool builders ask
Is Workhand built for pool service or pool construction?
Pool construction first, with service workflows that work for new-build warranty calls and occasional weekly maintenance. If you run pure route-based weekly pool service with 15 stops a day per tech, Skimmer or Pool360 is what you want. If you build pools and do some service on the side, Workhand fits. See the best pool contractor app writeup for the longer answer.
Do you log chemicals?
Yes. Per-visit chemical logs capture free chlorine, total chlorine, pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness, cyanuric acid, salt level if applicable, water temperature, and chemicals added. Each entry stamps date, time, and tech. Customers can see the log history through their portal link. Part of Pro and Team plans. Full writeup.
Can I track customer selections (tile, plaster, coping, equipment)?
Yes. Each job has a selections sheet. Tile, plaster, coping, decking, water features, equipment (pump, filter, heater, salt cell, automation), lights, and any custom category you add. Each selection holds a photo reference, vendor info, SKU, and customer signoff date so there's no argument about which finish was actually picked. See the selections sheet deep dive.
Does Workhand handle gunite-through-plaster phases?
Yes. The job phase template for pool builders runs through excavation, steel, plumbing, gunite, tile, coping, decking, plaster, startup, and final walkthrough. Each phase has its own checklist, milestone, and crew assignment. Customer sees the phase progression in the portal so they always know what's next.
Can I send estimates in Spanish or Portuguese?
Yes. Each estimate and invoice can be generated in English, Spanish, or Portuguese, picked per document. Critical for Florida, Texas, California, and Arizona builders, and for South Florida builders with Brazilian-Portuguese-speaking customers. One of the few contractor tools that ships multilingual customer docs out of the box.
More reading: sending invoices from your phone, accepting credit cards with Stripe Connect, or the Workhand vs Jobber comparison if you're cross-shopping.