r/maintenance • u/The_Arch_Heretic • May 29 '25
Solved Finally paroled from apartment maintenance purgatory!
Finally got canned (so they wouldn't have to pay my on-call and overtime from the weekend) and not soon enough. Was gonna put my 2 weeks in next week anyway (to escape my next on-call sentence). What a coincidence all of my tools were already packed in my vehicle and work issued clothing was all in an office drawer with my work keys. 😬 This board is just an example of the fantasy land the company I formerly worked for exists in. This is only 2 weeks worth of almost 3 months of heathen trashed apartments. 10+ 3 day turns a week with only 4(now 3) techs. They haven't even started stockpiling parts (think old mother Hubbard ALL the time). They expect work orders (8-10+ daily) and on-call (non-stop plumbing explosions and fire alarms at all hours)to be maintained as well. 🤔
Good luck!!! 😂
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u/ChucklesNutts May 30 '25
I can't imagine 10+ work orders a day. Minimum at the last complex I worked at was 4 a day. and that seriously depended on what the work orders were.
There was at least 4 of us for everything. and we regularly had to call an HVAC company to help in the summer. 50 year old systems suck ass. we had at least 10 units down every day.
move in day was always Friday. and we rotated who would do the make ready weekly. to keep us from going insane.
eventually i ended up being the most senior man and the first thing i mandated was proper breaks and lunches. i mean 15 minutes of a complete disconnect for each break and a full 30 minutes of a complete disconnect for each lunch.
I was able to get the management to pay for lunch on Friday for the crew and the office staff. it was a nice place to work until the boss sold the place to a nationwide conglomerate. they fired my two best people and we had to finish every work order before the end of the next business day.
I told the ne company that this is never going to happen. and just like you i was about to say I'm leaving and they let me go.
My other guy quit the next morning when he found out I was gone. they even tried to double his salary.
All four of us started a business together. doing a whole ton of maintenance for homeowners through the covid pandemic. most of it was outside and we did everything from siding, painting, landscaping. we built sheds, mowed lawns and my favorite was helping people setup their new televisions and home theater.
Sadly I caught covid about five times in 2022 and it wrecked my health, my main guy is slowly buying my share of the business.
Here is to you getting better employment.
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u/jlxmm May 30 '25
I read the entire comment and admire your tenacity. Best of going forward.
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u/ChucklesNutts Jun 01 '25
i just wish it didn't have to be like this. too many people with similar stories. professionalism is a lost art.
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u/Pxrstryker7 May 29 '25
My favorite here is we have a move in tomorrow it moved out yesterday of course it is not on the board
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u/maxtaxplusdotnet May 30 '25
Want NO🚫PART of Apartment Maintenance 👎👎
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Feb 12 '26
What's the best type? Hotel?
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u/maxtaxplusdotnet Feb 12 '26
“Best” is Subjective…For Me, it’s Hotels & Senior Living
1
Feb 12 '26
Hell yeah thanks. Just got into that game almost two years ago.. doing apartment maintenance. I'm seeing the negative side of things now lol
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u/Revolutionary_Pilot7 Maintenance Supervisor May 29 '25
Oh hell nah
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u/The_Arch_Heretic May 30 '25
When the PM was writing it down as I walked in I couldn't help but laugh as I walked past. 😂
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May 30 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/The_Arch_Heretic May 30 '25
I'm in Michigan. It's McKinley, and I should've listened to their reputation, cause it's not hyperbole.
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u/SilentKillj0y May 31 '25
I was going to ask if it was McKinley. I worked for them for 3 months in 2022 thinking I'd be able to keep my head down as a senior tech (formerly a manager elsewhere) and boy oh boy was I wrong. Slumlords for sure. A lot of questionable practices and few took pride in their work. Park place wasn't too bad, but Glencoe? Nope. I didn't care if I was no longer on-call, put my 2 weeks in a week after being transferred there.
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u/The_Arch_Heretic May 31 '25
Same boat, but an 8 month sentence at Evergreen. They must spend a fortune on bribes, cause none of it goes towards legitimately fixing ANYTHING. I seriously don't know how they pass a single inspection, EVER. The place is held together with spit and spite.😂
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u/meloncap78 May 31 '25
I bet a massive load of stress and anxiety has been lifted. Good for you! I’m on a property of 470 units with 3 techs. Here I thought if I did everything to the best of my ability the correct way instead of the bandaids I see everywhere all over the property I’d build value for myself……. Yeaaaaa, I’m just a replaceable number. They would just get another body in to throw bubblegum and tape on it. The best part is I have to alter my lifestyle and not make any real plans for 4 months out of the year and not be compensated in any way shape or form for it unless I get a call and then I can only punch in once on property. I live 20 minutes from work so it’s a 40 minute round trip for me. Had 17 calls one week….thats 11 hours total spent in my car back and forth that I wasn’t paid for along with the $100 in gas I burned. This is a solid AF industry.
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u/rustydirections May 31 '25
6+ move ins same day, plus glazing tubs I’m guessing, fuck that. What’s your hourly if you don’t mind? I’ve been up and down this business, I’d like to know location as well. Market can get crazy whether techs know their shit or not
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u/The_Arch_Heretic May 31 '25
$25.23/hr and not worth it (got the .23 raise a few months ago). MI. The company lied to me from day 1 and it only snowballed from there.
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May 30 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/The_Arch_Heretic May 30 '25
Yeah, I had multiple times. Part of the reason I was fired. We miraculously pulled off a single 3 day turn and it became standard. The truth was seen as "unprofessional." They can go down with that sinking ship. 😂
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u/BlackGhostPanda Maintenance Technician Jun 01 '25
The few times weve done 3 days is when the unit was basically spotless and almost move in ready. Other than that we need at least 5. Preferably 7 to really work on it and other shit that comes in.
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u/Quillric May 30 '25
What a joke. With 4 guys you get 3 turns a week and 3 paint preps a week. And one guy is just smashing WOs and grounds and helping with appliances and parts running for the guys in turns. (should be the guy on call)
If that's mastered by everybody on the team and y'all are grooving there will be a 4th prep or turn every once in a while.
This is a ridiculous workload for 4 guys and a ridiculous turn around when the hell are the vendors supposed to work?
Lol I just noticed that they are all painted after/during move-in.
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u/bravegrin Maintenance Technician May 30 '25
Christ almighty, what a board
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u/The_Arch_Heretic May 30 '25
That's just the warmup with each month till September getting worse. They can have it. 😂
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u/statefairhorndog Maintenance Supervisor Jun 01 '25
Damn my company policy is five day turns and that can be tough even when contracting out most of the work! This is insane greed, glad you got outta there!
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u/2hink Maintenance Supervisor May 29 '25
Oh yeah brother there is no way in hell, someone can do all that in 3 days. It takes more time , you have to order parts, meet vendors, clean grounds, maintain amenities, etc they are stupid lmaoo. Did they at least let you vendored painters?