Frequently Asked Questions

The following are some frequently asked questions regarding Lutra's consulting services.

What does Lutra have that other aquatics consulting firms don't?
Other consulting firms specialize in the design and construction of aquatics facilities. Many of them build great facilities, and we applaud their work. We encourage you to use their services, for they certainly bring substantial expertise to the table.
Lutra specializes in the economic considerations associated with the operation of aquatics facilities. Other consulting firms may profess to offer this expertise, in order to seem like a "one-stop shop". But we have yet to find any other consulting firm that makes its living by actually operating aquatics facilities.
We're not architects, we're not designers, we're not builders. We're operators, and we're the only ones with the knowledge to ensure that operational considerations are reflected in your completed facility.

Does Lutra offer consulting services to anyone?
Lutra's primary business is the actual operation of aquatics facilities. We offer consulting services for the main purpose of ensuring that facilities that will ultimately be under our management are properly designed and constructed. Thus, priority is given to consulting engagements where management services contracts are in place. We will accept other projects on a time-available basis.

Is it really that big a deal? Isn't a pool a pool?
All pools are not created equal. Even the most beautiful pools aren't necessarily capable of becoming self-supporting. If your pool doesn't meet the needs of your community, it will become a financial albatross—you need users to support your large fixed costs, and you won't get them unless you build a pool that can meet their needs. Many communities build too much—they spend far too many millions on construction to build a facility that’s much bigger than their community can support. Alternatively, many communities build the right overall size but the wrong design—one large competitive pool, for example, where the community needs would dictate a small competitive pool and a small recreation pool.
Further, architectural aesthetics can be the death-knell for operations. For example, high ceilings look great, but they substantially increase utility expenses. Natural light is great, but it also can impact utility expense as well as safety (glare can interfere with lifeguard visibility). You certainly need an attractive facility to draw users—but drawing users won’t help if your operating expenses are absurdly high.

But we've hired a firm that has built hundreds of aquatics facilities. Shouldn't they know these things? Congratulations—you definitely want your pool built by someone with experience in this area, so you've made a wise choice.
But once again, these firms build pools—they don't operate them. There are lots of operational considerations that they have simply never considered, because they aren't there to deal with the consequences.

How does the process work?
Lutra can generally provide, by appointment, an initial consultation at no charge. During this consultation, we will ask for information about your situation, and will describe how our expertise may be of assistance. During this process you will likely gain a number of valuable insights into the design and management of aquatics facilities that we simply take for granted. However, absent a consulting engagement, we will not divulge what we consider to be proprietary information regarding our operations.
After this initial consultation, at your request, we will prepare a proposal for consulting services, with an associated budget. If the terms are acceptable, we will begin preparation of detailed analyses and reports specific to your situation.

When should we call Lutra?
It doesn't make sense to call us until you have in place a commitment to the project and the majority of your construction financing. We can assist you with many of the hurdles associated with getting final approvals and financing, but we are simply not available for projects that don't have a realistic chance of becoming reality. We also encourage you to include as many members of your team as possible in the initial consultation.