While doing research for this blog post, I was browsing through maintenance technician jobs on a website that covers the entire nation. I was about as inspired as I would’ve been while browsing on Amazon for a coffin to be buried in. So before we dive into this, I want to share with you some screenshots of actual job ads. Names and places have been erased to protect the Scrooges.
That was just 3 job ads out of about 30 that I browsed that day. I can safely say that the average pay was between $10.00 and $14.00 an hour for someone who is expected to be good at multiple trades. Folks, what is the freaking deal?! TEN dollars for an “experienced” HVAC technician!? That is not a joke, people. That is an actual screenshot picture I took with my phone. If you think you’re actually getting an experienced HVAC tech who finds and repairs refrigerant leaks and charges units correctly by target superheat and sub-cool calculations for under $18.00 an hour, YOU. ARE. DELUSIONAL.
This is becoming a national embarrassment for the apartment and the hotel maintenance tech field. Property owners and managers post these insulting ads online and then turn right around and whine on Facebook about how they can’t find good people. I see you doing it! I’m in these Facebook groups every day watching you gripe and wonder why no awesome people are responding to your ad that pretty much says, “Hey guys, we’re wanting steak for hamburger prices. We’ll give you 30% off rent and we have pizza party Fridays!”
These hourly wages say that the job does not require any kind of specialized knowledge and anyone can do the job. Well if anyone can do it, then where are they? Because in my neck of the woods, no one is applying and there’s a shortage of knowledgeable maintenance techs. Someone can stock shelves at Wal-Mart or stand behind a counter and push cash register buttons for around the same pay you are offering. And you’re expecting rock stars to come apply?
Rock star technicians know their worth. They know that their knowledge is valuable and that their skills are becoming rare. Yes, there are fantastic techs out there who love the job and want to get better every day. The problem is that they’re not only paid well but they’re loyal and stay put once they find a place that takes care of them. So, while a handful of properties thrive with an awesome maintenance team, the rest are suffering through a hell made of Gorilla Glue and duct tape.
It’s Time To Chum The Water
It’s time to chum the water by throwing $20.00 an hour out there to attract talent into the apartment and hotel maintenance tech industry. $20.00 an hour for someone good at multiple trades is not outrageous. There is no other industry where one is expected to know and perform the task of multiple industries. When you go get your teeth cleaned, you’re meeting a dental hygienist who only deals with teeth. Not a dental hygienist who also knows a little bit about foot and back surgery so he’s expected to do those jobs too without complaint or extra income for the extra knowledge.
If you think $20.00 an hour is too much, then as an experiment I want you to hire contractors for a week to fix every problem that comes up. Through research I’ve gathered that the average fee contractors charge is between $80.00 and $100 an hour. So, for our discussion we’ll split it and say contractors charge $90.00 an hour.
For one week I want you to call an HVAC contractor for broken air conditioners, plumbers for broken toilets, and electricians for broken outlets. You know for a fact there will be at least 3 issues a day where a contractor will need to be called. And, lets just say it only took the contractor 20 minutes to fix each of the 3 issues. Now remember, it doesn’t matter whether a contractor is there for 5 minutes or for one hour. Either way you’re getting charged $90.00.
So, that’s $90.00 x 3 issues = $270.
That’s $270 to fix only 3 simple issues! And, that’s not even counting the part you had to pay for to fix the issue. That’s just for their time. Now, lets say you’re paying a maintenance tech $20.00 an hour for an 8 hour day.
$20.00 x 8 hours = $160 a day.
As you can see, you’re still saving boat loads of money by paying a tech $20.00 an hour instead of needing to hire contractors to make repairs.
Let’s look at the money savings for one week.
$270 x 5 days = $1,350 for the contractors for only 3 repairs per day.
$20 x 40 hours = $800 for a $20.00 an hour maintenance tech.
Savings = $550
I hear some cheapskates saying “Well, our maintenance guys only do light AC and plumbing work.” Pfff, okay. And?! Do you think an HVAC contractor is going to say, “Well mam, since it was just a simple capacitor we’re only going to charge you $20.00.” Nope! You will be charged $90.00 for the 10 minutes they were there and $20.00 for the $6.00 capacitor they replaced. That’ll be $110 please.
The Budget
Ugh, I get so sick and tired of the budget argument. I know businesses run on budgets and I know that it’s good business practice to save money where you can. But, it’s always funny to me that for most companies (not all) it’s never in the budget to help your maintenance techs get better with seminars and classes but properties always have the budget for $6,000 worth of t-shirts, water bottles and other marketing swag crap that the residents throw in the garbage. Or, sending property managers to a Las Vegas seminar to hear motivational speakers. Oh yea, there’s plenty in the budget for that. But $20.00 an hour for a maintenance tech? Are you out of your mind!?
Do you want to know the best marketing strategy? The best marketing strategy in the 21st century is good service and word of mouth. Now days when someone has a bad or good experience they become a walking and talking billboard for your business and can tell thousands of people with the push of a social media button. So, the best marketing strategy is good service from an awesome tech who fixes problems right the first time. Not a t-shirt and a water bottle. That’s so 20th century. Back when someone who had a bad experience could only tell 8 to 10 people.
Again, I know companies run on budgets. But when a mass move out happens at your properties due to things not getting fixed correctly, you won’t need a budget because you’ll no longer have a business.
Conclusion
If anything I’ve said here offends you and you totally disagree then you’ll have to excuse me for trying to save a dying trade. I get hundreds of e-mails and messages per week from maintenance techs around the world and there is rumbling of discontent that is slowly building. I’m doing my best to keep their spirits high and telling them to not jump ship and go into the other trades. If things continue going the way they are then I see trouble on the horizon. In the next 5 to 10 years, I see maintenance tech unions forming and striking until demands are met. Good luck with those broken AC’s and that dumpster garbage mound. We’re on strike and not coming back until we get $25.00 an hour with healthcare and a 401K.
If it’s not striking maintenance tech unions, then it’s going to be an extreme shortage of talented maintenance technicians. So, properties will be forced to pay contractors $90.00 an hour for the simplest repairs.
And one last thing. If the industry decides to start paying well, it will also have to become more cutthroat. That means no more keeping sorry ass techs around just because, “He’s so nice and he keeps doggy treats in his pocket for when he sees a dog.” Nope! $20.00 an hour will be only for those techs who care and enjoy the job.
I hope I came off crystal clear because this will be my last post on this issue. I’m tired of whipping a dead horse. I’ve posted multiple vlogs and blogs warning of the dangers coming. Only time will tell if my warnings were ignored or heeded.
Check Out My Vlog Post Below
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