Building Maintenance

Term from Office Administration industry explained for recruiters

Building Maintenance refers to the activities needed to keep a building functioning properly and safely. This includes regular upkeep, repairs, and preventive maintenance of facilities like offices, apartments, or commercial spaces. It covers taking care of everything from basic repairs to managing building systems like heating, air conditioning, plumbing, and electrical systems. Some companies have in-house maintenance staff, while others hire external maintenance services. In job descriptions, this term often appears when employers are looking for someone to either perform maintenance tasks or coordinate with maintenance providers.

Examples in Resumes

Supervised Building Maintenance team of 5 staff members for a 20-story office complex

Coordinated Building Maintenance schedules and vendor relationships for multiple properties

Reduced Building Maintenance costs by 25% through implementing preventive maintenance programs

Managed Facilities Maintenance projects including HVAC upgrades and office renovations

Typical job title: "Building Maintenance Workers"

Also try searching for:

Maintenance Technician Facilities Coordinator Building Engineer Property Maintenance Manager Facilities Manager Building Superintendent Maintenance Supervisor

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How would you develop and manage a preventive maintenance program for a large office building?

Expected Answer: A senior candidate should discuss creating maintenance schedules, budgeting, managing staff, using maintenance software, prioritizing tasks, and tracking results. They should mention experience with vendor management and emergency response planning.

Q: How do you handle budget planning and cost control for building maintenance?

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate experience with creating annual budgets, tracking expenses, finding cost-saving opportunities, and managing contractor relationships while maintaining building quality and safety standards.

Mid Level Questions

Q: How do you prioritize multiple maintenance requests?

Expected Answer: Should explain their system for evaluating urgency, considering factors like safety, business impact, and resource availability. Should mention experience with maintenance request systems and communication with stakeholders.

Q: What's your experience with managing building systems like HVAC and electrical?

Expected Answer: Should describe hands-on experience with common building systems, understanding of maintenance requirements, and ability to work with specialized contractors when needed.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What basic tools and equipment are you familiar with?

Expected Answer: Should be able to list common maintenance tools and demonstrate knowledge of their safe use. Should show understanding of basic repair and maintenance procedures.

Q: How do you handle a maintenance request from start to finish?

Expected Answer: Should explain the process of receiving requests, assessing the problem, gathering necessary materials, completing the work, and following up with the requester.

Experience Level Indicators

Junior (0-2 years)

  • Basic repairs and maintenance
  • Use of common tools and equipment
  • Following safety procedures
  • Basic understanding of building systems

Mid (2-5 years)

  • Managing maintenance schedules
  • Coordinating with contractors
  • Troubleshooting complex issues
  • Understanding building codes

Senior (5+ years)

  • Budget management
  • Team supervision
  • Preventive maintenance planning
  • Vendor relationship management

Red Flags to Watch For

  • No knowledge of basic safety procedures
  • Lack of experience with common maintenance tools
  • Poor communication skills
  • No understanding of preventive maintenance
  • Unable to prioritize urgent vs routine tasks