A Perth pool quote runs to tens of thousands of dollars, so nobody signs it on the night. The customer takes it away, gets at least one other quote, talks to the bank, and runs into a list of WA steps they have never dealt with: a building permit, a deposit, an insurance certificate, a fence. Every one of those is a reason to go quiet. It is also the most useful thing you can send them. This guide sets out a follow-up schedule built around those steps, five templates you can copy, a sequence for expo leads, and how to reach past customers when their barrier inspection comes round. It is general guidance, not legal advice.
The short version
- Follow up at day 2, 7 and 21, then on the date they gave you. Stop the moment they reply.
- Send the quote fast. In Buildxact’s global user data, estimates sent within 2 days won 32% of the time, and the rate fell after that. It is not Australian-only or pool-specific, but the direction is clear.[9]
- The WA steps are your follow-up content: a permit for any pool over 300mm, a decision in 10 or 25 business days, a deposit capped at 6.5%, home indemnity insurance over $20,000, and most fences needing no permit since 21 June 2024.[2][3][4][5]
- Past customers are due an inspection every four years. WA has 181,486 private pools and councils inspected 52,093 of them in 2024-25. A pre-inspection check on a pool you built is a relevant reason to text.[7][8]
- Every commercial text names your business and carries Reply STOP, actioned within five business days.[11]
Why pool quotes stall
The price. In Perth an inground fibreglass pool costs about $45,000 to $72,000 and a concrete pool about $65,000 to $105,000, with the city’s sandy soil making excavation cheaper than in most capitals.[1] At that money the customer compares, and the quote that gets followed up with straight answers is the one still in the running three weeks later. Then come the WA steps.
- The building permit. A permit has to be in effect before anyone builds a private pool or spa that will hold more than 300mm of water.[4] The permit authority then has 10 business days to decide a certified application and 25 business days for an uncertified one, and the owner has 21 days to supply anything it asks for.[2] Customers hear "permit" and imagine months. Tell them which application you will lodge and what it means for a start date.
- The deposit and the contract. The Home Building Contracts Act covers home building contracts from $7,500 to $500,000, and installing a swimming pool is named in that work. The most a builder can ask before starting is 6.5% of the contract price, the contract must be in writing and signed by both sides, and the customer gets the Notice for the homeowner before signing.[3] On a $45,000 pool that is a deposit of no more than $2,925; on $105,000 it is $6,825. Saying that plainly answers a question many people never ask out loud.
- Home indemnity insurance. It is required for building work that needs a permit and is worth more than $20,000, which covers almost any inground pool at Perth prices. It protects the customer if the builder dies, disappears or goes insolvent, and covers a lost deposit up to $40,000.[3] Mentioning it reassures; leaving it out lets them wonder.
- The fence. Since 21 June 2024 most pool fences no longer need their own building permit. Some still do, such as a fence that also has to act as a balustrade.[5] The barrier still has to comply.[4] That is one less step to worry the customer about, as long as your quote is clear on what the fence costs.
- Finance and the other quote. No regulation here, just the two most common reasons for silence. You will not know which one it is unless you ask, so the day 2 text asks.
A follow-up schedule tied to each step
Count from the day the quote goes out. Any reply stops the sequence, and a "no thanks" closes the file.
| When | Channel | What it says | The step it answers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 0 | Email with the quote, plus a one-line text that it has gone | What is included, what is not, and the next three steps | Sets the expectation |
| Day 2 | SMS | Did it come through, and is anything worth a quick call? | Finds out if they are comparing or waiting on finance |
| Day 7 | Email, quote reattached | Permit timing, the 6.5% deposit cap, insurance, the fence, and a like-for-like comparison list | Permit, deposit, insurance, the other quote[2][3][5] |
| Day 21 | SMS | Last one from me: the price or the start slot holds until a date | Closes or reopens the file |
| The date they gave you | SMS or a call | "You said finance would be sorted by now. Still keen?" | Finance |
| After they sign | SMS | Permit lodged; decision due within 10 or 25 business days; any information request answered inside 21 days | The permit window[2] |
Speed matters before any of this starts. Buildxact, the estimating software, reported in March 2026 that estimates sent within 2 days of the request had a 32% win rate and that it kept falling after that.[9] That figure comes from its users worldwide, not Australia alone, and it covers builders in general rather than pools, so read it as a direction. The practical version: get the quote out within two days of the site visit, and the schedule above starts while the customer is still keen.
The same day 2, 7 and 21 rhythm is what we build for other trades; the quote follow-up page shows how it runs from your job software.
Five templates you can copy
Words in brackets are yours to fill. Two rules hold across all of them, and they match the SMS compliance guide: name the business by its legal name (or name and ABN), and put "Reply STOP to opt out" on anything that promotes, including a price hold, an expo follow-up or a past-customer offer. Opt-outs have to be actioned within five business days, in every tool that holds the number.[11] A plain check-in on a quote the customer asked for is closer to a factual message, so template 1 leaves STOP off. Add a sales line to it and it needs STOP too. If in doubt, add it.
1. Day 2, SMS:
Hi [first name], [your name] from [business name]. Your pool quote went out [day]. Did it
come through OK, and is anything in it worth a quick call? Happy to explain the permit side too.
2. Day 7, email. Subject: Your pool quote, and what happens after a yes
Hi [first name], the quote is attached again in case it got buried. A few things people ask
at this point:
Permit: we lodge it. The decision takes up to 10 business days for a certified application or
25 for uncertified. We will lodge [certified / uncertified].
Deposit: in WA the most we can ask before starting is 6.5% of the contract. On this quote that
is $[amount].
Insurance: home indemnity insurance is required on permit work over $20,000, and it is in our price.
Fence: most pool fences no longer need their own permit, but the barrier still has to comply.
Ours is priced on page [x].
If you are comparing quotes, check these line by line: interior finish, equipment, excavation
and rock allowance, fencing, paving, and who handles the permit.
Reply with any question, or pick a time for a call: [link]. If you would rather not hear from us
about this, just reply and say so.
[Your name], [business name], [phone]
3. Day 21, SMS:
Hi [first name], [your name] from [business name], last one from me on your pool quote. The
price holds until [date] and we have a [month] start free. If the timing is not right, reply and
I will close it off. Reply STOP to opt out.
4. Expo lead, next morning, SMS:
Hi [first name], [your name] from [business name]. We met at the Pool Spa Life Expo and you
asked about a [fibreglass / concrete] pool in [suburb]. Want a site visit this week or next?
Reply with a day. Reply STOP to opt out.
5. Past customer, pre-inspection, SMS:
Hi [first name], [business name] here. We built your pool in [year]. Councils check pool
barriers at least every four years. Want us to check the gate, latch and fence before they do?
$[price], reply YES for a time. Reply STOP to opt out.
Customise template 2 per quote: the permit type and the deposit amount are the two lines that make it read as written for them. Never send it with the brackets left in.
Expo leads: the week after the show
SPASA’s Pool Spa Life Expo ran in Perth in February 2026, at the Claremont Showgrounds over the Valentine’s Day weekend, and SPASA described the visitors as homeowners actively planning new pool and spa projects.[6] Every one of them met several builders that weekend. The names on your stand sheet go cold quickly, and the first builder to send something useful sets the bar for the rest.
Consent first. Put a tick box on the stand form ("Happy to hear from [business name] by text and email about my pool") and keep the sheet, dated. ACMA prefers express consent to inferred, and a stand conversation is a thin relationship to infer from.[10] A business card dropped in a bowl is not a record of anything.
- Within 24 hours: template 4. One question, one action.
- Day 2: a phone call to anyone who has not replied. Expo leads remember a voice better than a text.
- Day 7: an email with a link to book the site visit and the WA steps from template 2, shortened, since there is no quote yet.
- Day 21: a last text: "Still thinking about a pool for this summer or next? Reply with a month and I will check back then."
- The month they gave you: one text, then the normal quote schedule once you have quoted.
February is the end of summer, so many expo visitors are planning for the next one. Ask when they want to be swimming and work back from it, allowing for the permit decision window, rather than pushing for a site visit they are not ready for.
Past customers and the four-year barrier inspection
WA local governments must inspect every private pool’s safety barrier at intervals of no more than four years. There were 181,486 private pools on their books in 2024-25, and councils inspected 52,093 of them that year.[8] At 30 June 2025, 2,170 pools, or 1.2%, were overdue, and four metropolitan councils, Wanneroo, East Fremantle, Rockingham and South Perth, accounted for half of those.[7] The main reasons inspections ran late were difficulty getting access and council staffing.[8]
For a pool builder that cycle is a reason to stay in touch that is not a sales pitch. You know the handover date of every pool you built. At years four, eight and twelve, a text offering to check the gate, latch and fence before the council inspector visits is useful, specific and about work you did. Three rules:
- Keep it about the pool you built. Inferred consent needs the promotion to relate directly to the existing relationship.[10] A barrier check, a resurface or heating for that pool fits. An outdoor kitchen you never quoted on is a stretch.
- Never sound like the council. Your business name goes first, and the message offers a check, not a notice.
- Ask for consent at handover from now on. One tick box on the handover form turns inferred consent into express consent, which is what ACMA prefers.[10]
Resurfacing and heating work the same way. Heating texts land best in autumn, when the water first turns cold and the customer notices what they lost. Resurfacing texts suit winter, when the pool is out of use and the work can be booked before summer. One message per reason, not a monthly newsletter. The customer reactivation guide covers building the list from your job software and the full consent rule.
What to track
Four numbers, counted monthly, tell you whether the follow-up is working. You do not need software for it; a spreadsheet with one row per quote is enough.
| Number | How to count it | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Quotes sent | Quotes out the door this month, and days from site visit to quote | Whether quoting speed is the bottleneck |
| Days to first follow-up | Days from quote sent to the first message after it | Whether the schedule actually runs; it should be 2 |
| Reply rate | Quotes with any reply, divided by quotes sent | Whether the messages read as written by a person |
| Win rate | Contracts signed, divided by quotes sent | The only number that pays; track the reason for every loss next to it |
Compare your own numbers month to month, not against someone else’s benchmark. If replies come in and wins do not, the problem is the quote or the price. If replies do not come in, it is the follow-up.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a pool builder wait to follow up a quote?
Two days, unless you agreed a different time with the customer. By day two they have read it and usually have a question they have not asked: the permit, the deposit, or how your price compares with the other quote. A short text asking whether it came through and whether anything needs explaining gets that question answered while you are still the builder they are thinking about.
How many times should you follow up a pool quote?
Three times in the first three weeks, at day 2, day 7 and day 21, then once more on any date the customer gave you, such as when their finance comes through. Stop the moment they reply, and close the file if they say no. Pool customers often take weeks to decide, so the date they gave you matters more than adding a fourth or fifth chase.
Can I text past pool customers about their barrier inspection?
Usually yes, if the text is about the pool you built. Consent can be inferred from an existing business relationship when the message relates directly to it, and a pre-inspection check of the barrier on a pool you built does. Name your business, include Reply STOP, action opt-outs within five business days, and never word it so it looks like it comes from the council. Asking for express consent at handover is safer still.
Do pool fences need a building permit in WA?
Most do not since 21 June 2024. A permit is still needed in some cases, for example where the fence also acts as a balustrade required by the building code. The pool itself still needs a building permit if it holds more than 300mm of water, and the barrier still has to comply. Check with the local government for the specific site.
How much deposit can a WA pool builder ask for?
On a home building contract between $7,500 and $500,000, which covers installing a swimming pool, the most a builder can ask before starting work is 6.5% of the contract price. On a $45,000 pool that is $2,925; on $105,000 it is $6,825. Home indemnity insurance is also required for building work that needs a permit and is worth more than $20,000.
Can you run this follow-up for me?
Yes. We set up the day 2, 7 and 21 sequence from your job software or quoting tool, write the messages in your voice with your business name and a working STOP, stop it the moment a customer replies, and run the expo and past-customer sequences as well. Setup is $999 for the first three clients and $1,500 after that, then $197 a month, and the first 8 booked estimates are free.
If you would rather not run it yourself
Everything above works with a phone, an email account and a spreadsheet. If you would rather it happened without you, we build and run it: the day 2, 7 and 21 sequence triggered from your quoting tool, the expo sequence, the four-year barrier reminders, all in your voice with your business name and a working STOP. We do not sell leads; we follow up the ones you already have. Setup is $999 for the first three clients and $1,500 after that, then $197 a month, and the first 8 booked estimates are free. We do not have a pool builder client to show you yet, so there is no case study here. The details are on the pool builders page, or book a half-hour call.
Sources
Every figure above traces to one of these. All checked 21 October 2026; prices as on the linked pages.
- Yakka Labour — Swimming pool cost Australia 2026. Perth row: concrete $65,000 to $105,000, fibreglass $45,000 to $72,000; sandy soil makes excavation quicker and cheaper. A labour-hire company’s cost guide, treated as indicative.
- ABLIS (Australian Government) — Building permit, WA. The permit authority has 10 business days to decide a certified application and 25 for an uncertified one; 21 days to supply information it asks for.
- Building and Energy, WA Government — Building or renovating your home. Home Building Contracts Act covers contracts of $7,500 to $500,000, including installing a swimming pool; maximum deposit 6.5%; written contract and Notice for the homeowner; home indemnity insurance required for permit work over $20,000, covering a lost deposit up to $40,000.
- City of Cockburn — Swimming pools and spas. A building permit must be in effect before building any private pool or spa holding more than 300mm of water; pools over 300mm need a compliant safety barrier.
- SPASA — WA building permits for private swimming pools and pool fences (5 June 2024). From 21 June 2024 most pool fences do not need a building permit; exceptions include a fence that is also a required balustrade.
- SPASA — Pool Spa Life Expo, Perth 2026 (23 February 2026). Held at the Claremont Showgrounds over the Valentine’s Day weekend, with homeowners actively planning new pool and spa projects.
- WA Government media release — Local governments pulling ahead on pool inspections (25 September 2025). 2,170 private pools, or 1.2%, overdue for barrier inspection at 30 June 2025; a pool is overdue when four years pass between checks; Wanneroo, East Fremantle, Rockingham and South Perth account for half.
- Building and Energy — Local governments’ inspections of private swimming pool safety barriers 2024-25 (PDF). 181,486 private pools recorded and 52,093 inspected in 2024-25; access difficulties and staff resourcing were the main reasons inspections ran late.
- Buildxact — State of the Customer report release (25 March 2026). Estimates sent within 2 days have a 32% win rate, and the rate keeps falling after that. Drawn from Buildxact’s global user base: vendor data, not an Australia-only or pool-specific figure.
- Addisons — The ACMA’s expectations for using consent. Consent can be express or inferred from an existing relationship; inferred consent needs the promotion to relate directly to that relationship; ACMA considers express consent best.
- Prosper Law — Unsubscribe requests and the five-day rule. Opt-outs must be actioned within five business days; the unsubscribe must keep working for at least 30 days after sending.
Day 2, 7 and 21, in your voice, stopped the moment they reply.
GuideCustomer reactivationThe timed text to past customers, with the consent rule and templates.
GuideSMS compliance for tradiesConsent, identification, unsubscribes and the penalties, in plain English.
More for Perth trade businesses: every article and free tool.