Yes -- a written report is not an extra. It is the professional standard. Without it you have no documented finding to bring to a repair contractor and no record of the pool's condition at the time of the visit.
A pool leak detection visit that ends with a technician saying "looks like the skimmer -- you should get that fixed" and walking out the door has not served the homeowner professionally. Without a written record of what was found, the homeowner has nothing verifiable to work with.
A record of what was tested. The report documents which plumbing lines were pressure tested, which fittings were dye-tested, and whether acoustic listening was performed along the pipe path. This tells you the scope of the visit -- not just the result.
A specific finding location. "Skimmer is leaking" is not a professional finding. "Active dye movement confirmed at the joint between the skimmer body and the pool wall, left side, approximately 6 inches below the waterline" is a professional finding. The written report captures this specificity so the repair contractor knows exactly what they are addressing.
Documentation of the pool's condition. The report creates a dated record of what the pool looked like at the time of the visit -- what was found, what was not found, and what could not be confirmed. This is valuable for insurance, for disputes with repair contractors, and for tracking whether a repaired leak holds over time.
Protection for both parties. A written report protects the homeowner by documenting what the visit found. It also protects the detection company by creating an accurate record of what was tested and what was confirmed. Verbal-only results invite misunderstanding; written reports do not.
Ask directly: "Do you provide a written report of your findings?" If the answer is no or vague, ask why. A professional company provides written documentation as a standard part of every visit. If a company does not offer this, it is a signal that their process does not include the documentation discipline that professional results require.
Free Homeowner Resources from Leak Business Academy
Licensed CPC1457277. Full tool stack. Written documentation. Call Sandra to schedule.
At Leak and Subsurface Locators, written documentation is a standard part of every visit -- not an add-on. Any company that charges extra for documentation or does not include it by default is not operating at a professional standard.
Documentation format varies by company. At minimum it should be a written summary of findings -- what was tested, what each test showed, and what was confirmed -- provided on paper or electronically. Photographs taken during the dive inspection are reviewed on a large screen monitor to reveal defects not easily seen underwater, and findings photos are part of the record.
Yes -- this is exactly what the report is for. Share it with your pool service company for context and with your repair contractor before they begin work. A repair contractor who knows specifically what they are fixing and where can work faster and more accurately than one who starts without information.