Multifamily Maintenance Truth: $20/hr Won’t Keep Them!

What does it really take to retain talent in multifamily maintenance? Ed Ware, Director of Facilities Management, joins Masters of Maintenance to share why $20/hour isn’t enough—and what truly drives retention, performance, and team loyalty in today’s multifamily operations. Hosted by Adrian Danila, this episode dives deep into the realities of site-level staffing, vendor accountability, maintenance tech burnout, workforce shortages, and the systems Ed uses to lead a 3,200-unit portfolio. You’ll learn how Ed manages vendor relationships, handles quality control, sets performance standards, and keeps communication flowing between corporate, onsite teams, and suppliers. He also breaks down how he uses work order technology, smart thermostats, real-time Make Ready boards, and inspections to drive operational efficiency. This is more than a leadership story—it’s a playbook for building high-performing maintenance teams in multifamily housing. Special thanks to our sponsors: AppWork: https://hubs.la/Q03BK_020 AppWork offers user-friendly maintenance management software designed for property managers, technicians, and residents to streamline maintenance processes and enhance operational efficiency. iRestify: https://irestify.com/ iRestify is a digital platform that connects property managers with vetted cleaning and maintenance teams. It enables real-time oversight of building operations through checklists, photos, GPS, and live updates, delivering consistent, high-quality service at scale. 🌟 If you want to support this podcast, visit our website: https://multifamilyxconsulting.com Multifamily X Consulting offers expert guidance for multifamily operations, maintenance management, branding, and media partnerships to help property owners maximize efficiency and success. #propertymanagement #maintenanceleadership #multifamilycollective