what is a fair price for a diver to charge

[landonnin1]

I got asked to do some work in about 20 feet of water, running some wiring and clearing some weeds total job is about 4 hrs. What is a fair price per hour or should this be by the job

Thank you to everyone
MATT

 

[Superlyte27]

I charge $50/hour with 4 hour minimum for routine easy stuff. If I'm working for River/Water Management, or some municipality, it's 1k per day per person.


*edit
That's rock bottom minimum. Add in cold water, depth, need for expensive tools, boat, etc, the price climbs drastically.

 

[muddiver]

Union rate for a diver out here is $56.00/hr wage. For the employer that is colser to $100.00/hr burdened wage when you add in insurance, office costs, licensing, workers comp., etc.

Non-Union, like ship husbandry around the harbors, is probably around $25.00/hr which would be about $50.00/hr for the employer.

So $50/hr is probably a good number.

Other rules in the commercial diving industry are 4 hour call-out and 8 hour minimum for non-union, 8 hour minimum for union.

If you are talking your neighbors fish pond, you will probably be lucky to do the job for $100.00 total.

 

[Superlyte27]

Union rate for a diver out here is $56.00/hr wage. For the employer that is colser to $100.00/hr burdened wage when you add in insurance, office costs, licensing, workers comp., etc.

Non-Union, like ship husbandry around the harbors, is probably around $25.00/hr which would be about $50.00/hr for the employer.

So $50/hr is probably a good number.

Other rules in the commercial diving industry are 4 hour call-out and 8 hour minimum for non-union, 8 hour minimum for union.

If you are talking your neighbors fish pond, you will probably be lucky to do the job for $100.00 total.

I think your numbers are a bit off. Worker's Comp rate on a commercial diver is 100%. So, if your boss pays you 100 bucks, your boss also pays workers comp 100 bucks.

I once did a job in North Florida that took longer to unload our tools than it took to fix the problem. Less than 20 minutes of actual labor. Our bill to the customer was 12k.

Hell, I charge more than $100 bucks per man hour to remodel your kitchen. That's non-union, non-technical.

 

[fstbttms]

I got asked to do some work in about 20 feet of water, running some wiring and clearing some weeds total job is about 4 hrs. What is a fair price per hour or should this be by the job

Inland divers around here get $1K/day and a 4 hour committment equals a full day, but my guess is that would probably price you out of the job. As a hull cleaner, I expect (and make) about $100/hour. If I were in your shoes I'd try to figure what the market will bear and go from there. Certainly no less than $400 and more, if you think you can get it.

 

[Darol]

The $100 pr hr rate sounds great, and might fool some people into thinking WOW, what an awesome gig. So let's get real about diving jobs.
If it's a scuba thing, and a quick fix, Ive seen jobs done for next to nothing. On the other hand, if your employing other divers, say for example
removing 100 plus old style docks from a marina with a guarantee nothing is left on the bottom when complete, start off with insurance bonding.
Most places of business nowadays demand at least a half mill plus insurance bonding just in case something goes south. Over twenty years ago I worked a job removing docks, our day rate was $200 per day per diver wet or dry, and $50 per cut, each cut made $50. You won't get insurance bonding with a scuba card, most, if not all insurance companys know the game, and won't touch scuba for industrial type jobs.
Rules and Regs vary from state to state, there's always the guy with the scuba card looking for a quick buck, some pay one hell of a price for
that adventure. Now a days the $100 pr hr sounds fair at minimum.

Matt, with less than 200 dives, I assume your using scuba, please be very careful, and plan for the worst. Good Luck.

 

[DivingOtter]

I charge around 100 dollars an hour for ship husbandry using all hard hat and surface supplied, depending on the vessel and size it will vary. Yesterday I had an emergency call where I discovered a damaged wheel then dove a video feed the second dive while measuring logistics for a possible in water change. We couldnt swap underwater ( sadly ) but for all my time, video feed, and logistics which was about 4 hours i invoiced for 500 dollars. I hold a 2 million dollar liability which here in NJ, NO ONE will allow you to work inside a marina without at least 1 million liability. Also, insurance companies are starting to shy away from scuba divers doing commercial work, in my area at least. They want to see you are certified commercially and using surface supplied, not scuba. Rule number 1, be insured. Rule number 2, do not undercut. There is nothing saying you cant, but dont be the fly by night guy doing jobs for 50 bucks which I encounter on a regular basis, OR am called to fix ones screw up like losing a 1500 dollar wheel on the bottom.

 

[fstbttms]

We couldnt swap underwater...

Why not?

 

[Bombay High]

You won't get insurance bonding with a scuba card, most, if not all insurance companys know the game, and won't touch scuba for industrial type jobs.
Rules and Regs vary from state to state, there's always the guy with the scuba card looking for a quick buck, some pay one hell of a price for
that adventure. .............

Matt, with less than 200 dives, I assume your using scuba, please be very careful, and plan for the worst. Good Luck.

These are really, really wise words. SCUBA and industrial work do NOT go together. A freakishly large number of deaths in commercial diving happen while the victim is working on SCUBA. It is a mistake. If you choose to go ahead, make sure you have a dressed standby diver, and you have comms. Its not worth the handful of bucks you will make.

 

[muddiver]

I think your numbers are a bit off. Worker's Comp rate on a commercial diver is 100%. So, if your boss pays you 100 bucks, your boss also pays workers comp 100 bucks.

I once did a job in North Florida that took longer to unload our tools than it took to fix the problem. Less than 20 minutes of actual labor. Our bill to the customer was 12k.

Hell, I charge more than $100 bucks per man hour to remodel your kitchen. That's non-union, non-technical.

Ok I had to go check; Union rate is currently $82.96 + burden of $12.12 for a labor cost of $95.08. Then you add workers comp and you other business costs.

100% is only if the company has had claims. i.e. people are getting hurt where you work. The reallity is insurance can be from 85% and up. Offshore it does get more expensive, but you are also dealing with the Jones Act and that Sailor's and Longshoreman's laws. That jacks the cost up.

$100/hr for a carpenter? Good luck ever getting work out here. The Mexicans will eat you for luch with a rate like that.