What's next for the pool and spa industry in 2026

OCS Influencer Taylor Dahlquist says the pool and spa industry will see steady growth as well as some struggles in 2026.

I think the industry, from a sales and installation standpoint, will stay pretty even. From a supply and labor standpoint, I think the industry will see some struggles. I believe the residential clients with the financial ability to build a backyard pool will continue to do so, in the same manner as any other year. On the commercial side, there are hotels and apartment complexes being built every day across the country with swimming pools. 

With current tariffs and inflation, materials are higher than they have ever been. Concrete alone has almost doubled in price over the last seven years across the country. That has a huge effect on the pool industry. In-ground pool shells, pool house foundations and backyard kitchens all use materials that have concrete. 

From my experience, a majority of the skilled pool labor force is immigrants. Pool installation can be very labor-intensive. With the current government really cracking down on immigration, I think a lot of contractors might struggle to find skilled labor, especially with today's youth leaning more toward careers in the technology industry. I see companies struggling to grow due to struggles in hiring. 

Service providers are evolving immensely to support the industry. Most companies now have apps and automation, from GPS locating on machines when installing to automation in pool maintenance, essentially building self-running backyards. You can now click an app and start your backyard fire pit, change lighting design/color, start spas and water features — just about anything you can dream up. There are now great self-monitoring pool systems, but chlorine/bromine, salt and other chemicals still need to be filled. That may impact the pool maintenance side of the business a little from a cleaning standpoint.

However, as with everything, technology can fail. Companies who are trained to repair or replace shouldn't feel too much effect. Plus, pipes, pumps and control panels fail all the time, and, as we all know, things leak sometimes.