Instructor Costs & "Tips"?

[MaverickNH]

Mt PADI OW instructor is letting me slip in on the next session to use the pool to do weight checks and buoyancy practice. Would it be a decent gesture to offer him a tip - or more like compensating him for his time, as he is a professional? I don't want to appear ungracious or offend him either way. He has said not to worry about the tanks as he will have extras for the course anyway.

And when I look to hire an instructor or DM for either some 1-on-1 instruction or to accompany me on a dive where I have no buddy (I'm thinking traveling, when I don't want to risk an "insta-buddy" stranger), what are the range of rates I might expect?

Thanks from a newbie.

 

[supergaijin]

As a working instructor I never feel offended when getting tipped! Actually I lie- I do get offended a little when receiving $1 tips on a resort where the cheapest room goes for over $1000/night.

$10 is beer money and that's the best money!

 

[Kourtjestr]

$10 is beer money and that's the best money!

 

[black_sea]

Tipping is always a good idea. The max is up to you, 10 to 15 percent is a great start, but every little bit helps. If you feel like the sum you can spare is inadequate, simply say "This is all can spare right now but thank you for your time and attention". And for those that dont have anything extra to sway, sending new customers to the instructor or simply leaving great feedback online are all valuable tips as well.
The thought counts the most, but in todays economy, the tip keeps a lot of dive pros afloat...

 

[oly5050user]

Mt PADI OW instructor is letting me slip in on the next session to use the pool to do weight checks and buoyancy practice. Would it be a decent gesture to offer him a tip - or more like compensating him for his time, as he is a professional? I don't want to appear ungracious or offend him either way. He has said not to worry about the tanks as he will have extras for the course anyway.

$20.-$25. would be nice...

And when I look to hire an instructor or DM for either some 1-on-1 instruction or to accompany me on a dive where I have no buddy (I'm thinking traveling, when I don't want to risk an "insta-buddy" stranger), what are the range of rates I might expect?

1 to 1 instruction can cost $75.-$125. per dive..no buddy and want to hire a pro,$35.-$50..is going rate..

 

[USFpsychDiver]

I took my OW & AOW from the same guy. I couldn't do the second OW checkout dives the same day the rest of the class did so he took half a day on a Saturday to go do my last checkout dives with me. I tipped him $40 and actually felt that was a little light for him taking that much extra time for me, so when we did our AOW I tipped him another $50. On the other hand, I recently took Cavern privately (no shop involved), with a guy who was a better instructor, but since he set his own rates and wasn't getting paid by a shop it didn't seem like tipping was called for there (could be wrong, but that's the way it felt).

 

[eponym]

Maverick, Good questions, welcome to SB.

My PADI OW instructor is letting me slip in on the next session to use the pool to do weight checks and buoyancy practice. Would it be a decent gesture to offer him a tip - or more like compensating him for his time, as he is a professional? I don't want to appear ungracious or offend him either way. He has said not to worry about the tanks as he will have extras for the course anyway.

A decent gesture indeed. As an instructor I never refuse tips, but for a free pool session with no coaching I would be very surprised to get one. If I were coaching and fine-tuning you a small tip or perhaps a bottle of wine would be splendid. The funniest tip I ever got was a big box of hundreds of zipties of all colors and sizes.

-Bryan

PS. Don't forget to vote!

 

[LowDrag]

Maverick, Good questions, welcome to SB.

A decent gesture indeed. As an instructor I never refuse tips, but for a free pool session with no coaching I would be very surprised to get one. If I were coaching and fine-tuning you a small tip or perhaps a bottle of wine would be splendid. The funniest tip I ever got was a big box of hundreds of zipties of all colors and sizes.

-Bryan

PS. Don't forget to vote!

How do you think a bottle of wine and some good home smoked cheese would go over? I have a smoker and have turned out some yummy smoke cheese on it.

LowDrag

 

[Thalassamania]

A bottle of wine, a smoked cheese, that sort of thing works great, a cash gratuity would be off-putting and I would prefer to decline it, though I might not if the situation would be embarrassing to my student..

 

[aquaregia]

Mt PADI OW instructor is letting me slip in on the next session to use the pool to do weight checks and buoyancy practice. Would it be a decent gesture to offer him a tip - or more like compensating him for his time, as he is a professional? I don't want to appear ungracious or offend him either way. He has said not to worry about the tanks as he will have extras for the course anyway.

I'd get him a six-pack. I think it better describes appreciation rather than payment. Also, I don't think I'd want to accidentally start a trend where weight-checks cost $20