Question for anyone who got certified in FLORIDA

[ams511]

From what I remember back in 1991, my course was packaged something like this.

$99 discover scuba / scuba refresher - This included all class room time and pool sessions. Course materials and mask fin snorkle were extra. This was the hook.

$80 for the the checkout dives. 2 dives in Lake Isis (Avon Park), 2 Dives in Alexander Springs.

If you did not buy your equipment from the shop then you needed to rent their gear which added $50 to the above total.

Also they tried to hard sell me on the gear.

 

[ams511]

No offense intended, but this is a terrible way to determine what to charge.

You need to figure out your costs - pool, insurance, renewal fees, equipment, etc.. Add in everything. After that figure out how many hours you'll be putting into the class. That includes time preparing preparing you lesson plans as well as time actually with students. Now, you have to honestly evaluate your worth. If you teach a quality class and not the prepackaged junk most offer, you are more valuable as a teacher than average.

I always charged more than other folks in the area, we had different target markets. What's your target market?

Walter, you make a good point. However, the OP does need to consider current market prices. Also do you have any suggestions on how he can differentiate his product?

 

[fldiver1]

Dayo Scuba of Orlando is charging $269 for OW right now. He taught my daughter at DeLeon Springs, and that is not far from Daytona. The owner and instructor, Tom, provides all gear..... right down to the booties, so the student does not need to purchase anything. Classwork is on the PADI CD ROM, so you would not have to go to Orlando. He is very patient and real pro. There's none of the traditional sales pressure, as he's not associated with a dive shop. Check his website.

Happy diving!

Dayo is the one I was referring to also. Tom is a great guy, I have known him for four years now since I moved to Orlando. He has certified ALL my friends and thier kids.(including my 10yr old son)

 

[fisherdvm]

Locally, it is anywhere from $195 for group lessons to $450 for private lessons. Some add 80 to 100 bucks for gears. My son is taking a private lesson for $250, but you have to buy basic gear from them (mask, snorkel, fins). When I was in the service 14 years ago, it was $60 for OW, and $60 for AOW. We had to buy the book, but it wasn't much - not the complete video/crew pack they now sell. The local dive shop let us use the gear for free and free air, but they were providing a service for military members.

A local LDS charged only $25 for a refresher course, this included like 1 hour of class, and about 1 hour of pool work. Another charged like $100 buck for the same content. I took the $25 buck course, and was very satisfied with it, and would recommend it for any other folks.