charging for your services

[ebbtide]

just kinda courious if soem of you hire out your services and what to charge ? do you charge by the hour or dive ? or by the tank ?

 

[Rick Murchison]

On a Friday night once a doctor and a lawyer were at a party, having a casual conversation. Folks kept walking up to them and interrupting, asking the doctor questions about their various ailments real and imagined, to which the doctor would graciously respond. After some time, the doctor asked the lawyer "I've been noticing that of all the interruptions we've had, no one is asking you for legal advice, but everyone's asking me for medical advice. Why is that, do you suppose?" The lawyer smiled and said "They used to ask me, too, and I found it very annoying. Now, if anyone asks me for legal advice at a party, I stop and give them my very best advice. And then in the morning I send 'em a bill for my services at my 'after hours' rate, double my normal rate! The word's out, and now I can have social evenings without annoying interruptions."
The doctor mulled this over, and in a few days decided the lawyer's solution to the problem was a good one, and so sat down and made out bills to all those folks who'd interrupted them at the party. He then walked out to his mailbox to send the bills off, where he found a bill from the lawyer.
Rick

 

[Natasha]

Great one, Rick. I'm emailing it to my friends that aren't on the board.

:gorgeous:

 

[Butch103]

that is great advice...I do the same now when people ask me about invesments and tax advice...I just pull out one of my day planners ( I have two, a bout and a desK) and ask them when their schedule will allow us time to get together and discuss this.............it works

 

[Ed Jewell]

Back in my home town in NE PA, a LDS was occasionally asked to do search and salvage and dock inspections. Their going rate for such a service was $100.00/hr. They charged for prep. time, travel time (to and from site) and in water time.

 

[Inspector#2]

I used to do charity jobs for people while out goofing off. That became more trouble than it was worth so now I do charge. I will always do searches for bodies free to the family but try to get a couple bucks from the county to reimburse fuel and air costs.
Lost items at a known location, my rate is $125 first hour but that is only in water time and $100 every hour after that. If the dive is within 45 minutes of home I don't charge for travel but outside the local area gets a travel fee. More extensive services are by contract for a fixed fee.
I still have some moral character so if the item has sentimental value and the owner is of limited means I can severly cut my price. No need to be an a**hole like some around my location.
By the way whats your address.....

Dave

 

[Butch103]

supplimental question.......If you do charge are you now considered a commercial diver and subject to the local, state/provincial commercial diver guidlines and rules...or are you considered a good samaritan who eill accept some funds to help defer your costs ?????

 

[Choke]

Great post by Rick Murchison!

 

[Inspector#2]

Technically according to OSHA 1910.401 (a) 2. I don't follow the law. Without 3 divers in your business its impossible to follow the letter of the law. I'm legal in the volunteer arena but the recovery for dollars side I follow the "easier to ask forgiveness than permission" theory.

Dave

 

[ebbtide]

i live in Nova Scotia and the reason i ask is allot of Fishing Boat capting hire out a diver to take rope out of there wheel in the winter months
and wonder what to charge for my services ?