New to hull cleaning

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Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Location
Oregon/Washington
# of dives
100 - 199
Hello all.. this is my first post on SB. Ive been working as a diver for the past year on the Columbia river, primarily doing flotation installation with some salvage, dock maintenence and zinc jobs along the way. im interested in picking up some hull cleaning jobs this spring but am curious how you estimate jobs? Also, looking at suction devices Is there anything better than the one they sell at west marine? Also.. whats the best AC detector to buy to test the water? Im licensed and bonded and work with a well established flotation company as a sub contracted diver about 25 hours a week.
 
Hello all.. this is my first post on SB. Ive been working as a diver for the past year on the Columbia river, primarily doing flotation installation with some salvage, dock maintenence and zinc jobs along the way. im interested in picking up some hull cleaning jobs this spring but am curious how you estimate jobs? Also, looking at suction devices Is there anything better than the one they sell at west marine? Also.. whats the best AC detector to buy to test the water? Im licensed and bonded and work with a well established flotation company as a sub contracted diver about 25 hours a week.

Search the earliest pages in the Commercial Divers forum (this one), most of your questions have been answered multiple times.

Here's my suction cup:

suctioncup.jpg
 
For estimates, I charge $50 to go video the bottom of the boat and show it to the client right then and there, take a scraper and a brush with you to demonstrate how attached the growth is or isn't so the client gets a more accurate idea of what you're charging them for, if you show them how bad the boat is and TRUTHFULLY estimate the amount of time the job will take, most aren't too argumentative when it comes to a reasonable price. I typically charge 2.50/foot measured by length on deck for regularly maintained vessels, meaning they were cleaned within 3 months, exceptional fouling (80% coverage with hard growth) starts at $4/ft depending on growth type. Video of your estimate is the key to getting a better price from the client for your work, transparency is seldom seen in this business (at least in northern Florida) so the clients love feeling like you're on their side and not trying to cheat them.
 
Sounds like boat owners in your locale expect to be overcharged by hull cleaners. Here in the Bay Area, I don't charge anything to have a look-see and provide a quote (which typically doesn't even involve getting into the water.) I certainly don't feel it's necessary to provide photographic or physical evidence to back up my price (although I certainly would if requested and would charge the same as you for this.) However, the customer is usually not present during this process. In 99.9% percent of the quotes I give, I'll have a look from the dock (if needed), give my price based on what I saw and if the customer doesn't like it, he's free to look elsewhere.

I find that by asking the right questions during the intial phone or e-mail conversation (which is how most of my customers contact me), I can get a pretty good idea of what to expect before even seeing the boat and give an accurate quote right then. That said, if it seems as if the boat may possibly be very foul, I leave the price open. I may tell them that it could be anything from $3-$6/foot, depending on what I find when I dive the boat. Sometimes they want a firmer price and in that case, I would physically go and look at the boat.
 
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First off, I just wanted to say that your youtube videos were my manual when I got started in this business, you helped me avoid a lot of issues and do an excellent job with editing.

Yes, in north florida we have an issue with idiots going around and cleaning two feet deep and charging for the whole boat because the water is so murky that visibility is 18" on average. Secondly, people are weary of the diver because no one ever stays in the business for long and the boat owners are on the defensive. I include inspections in the job if they use me, but if they don't like my quote, then it's $50 for the video and they can take it to the next guy they look at. I have had a huge issue with boat owners lying and claiming the boat had been done three months ago and it had actually been over a year since the hull was cleaned. Most of the time, quotes aren't necessary, I can tell if the person is defensive via phone or email and proceed accordingly. Regarding exceptional fouling, I've charged as much as $450 for a 32ft boat because of the amount of growth was equal to cleaning off a pier.
 
Sounds like you are going the extra mile to be professional in an industry where that is not often the case. Thanks for the kind words about my videos too. Glad they were helpful. :thumb:


 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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