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What does a building technician do?

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read

A building technician plays a vital role in the success of construction projects. They provide support to construction managers, architects, and other workers in conducting regular site inspections, determining construction requirements, estimating costs, reaching out and negotiating with suppliers, evaluating materials, and purchasing supplies. In some companies, a building technician performs regular maintenance checks on facilities and equipment, conducting repairs and replacements when necessary. There are also times when they manage a team of workers, supervising their performance to ensure an efficient workflow.

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Building technician responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real building technician resumes:

  • Maintain an accident free workplace under OSHA's standards.
  • Build, troubleshoot, and repair cellular analyzing equipment for medical and educational research.
  • Perform general plumbing and electrical repairs.
  • Execute basic electrical and plumbing functions.
  • Coordinate and collaborate with dealerships to troubleshoot and repair any vehicle issues.
  • Develop acute attention to detail and high level of dexterity require for repair of intricate mechanisms common in photographic equipment.
  • Help customers perform hardware and software maintenance on windows operating system.

Building technician skills and personality traits

We calculated that 10% of Building Technicians are proficient in Plumbing, HVAC, and Building Maintenance. They’re also known for soft skills such as Dexterity, Troubleshooting skills, and Mechanical skills.

We break down the percentage of Building Technicians that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Plumbing, 10%

    Performed all required monthly maintenance on multiple types and styles of equipment (Plumbing, Electrical, HVAC, Lighting).

  • HVAC, 10%

    Worked on 3 different Building Management Systems to monitor and make changes to HVAC and monitor electrical systems.

  • Building Maintenance, 6%

    Handled general building maintenance and operated heavy-duty cleaning machinery.

  • Preventative Maintenance, 5%

    Perform preventative maintenance, document all maintenance/repairs, and communicate work performed to customers.

  • Customer Service, 5%

    Trained to fix desks, move tables, set up rooms for meetings or events, and have excellent customer service.

  • Ladders, 5%

    Climbed poles and ladders; constructed pole, roof mounted, and reinforcements; and mixed concrete to enable equipment installation.

Common skills that a building technician uses to do their job include "plumbing," "hvac," and "building maintenance." You can find details on the most important building technician responsibilities below.

Dexterity. The most essential soft skill for a building technician to carry out their responsibilities is dexterity. This skill is important for the role because "many repair and maintenance tasks, such as repairing small devices, connecting or attaching components, and using hand tools, require a steady hand and good hand–eye coordination." Additionally, a building technician resume shows how their duties depend on dexterity: "repair and maintain conveyor systems, electric forklifts, electrical work, plumbing, painting and some welding"

Troubleshooting skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling building technician duties is troubleshooting skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "workers find, diagnose, and repair problems." According to a building technician resume, here's how building technicians can utilize troubleshooting skills in their job responsibilities: "performed corrective maintenance and troubleshooting on malfunctioning desktop computer systems, laptops and peripherals. "

Customer-service skills. Lastly, "customer-service skills" is an important element of what a building technician does. Building technician responsibilities require this skill because "these workers interact with customers on a regular basis." This resume example highlights how building technician duties rely on this skill: "provide customer service interface in resolving customer inquiries and problem reports. "

All building technician skills

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Compare different building technicians

Building technician vs. Operations and maintenance technician

Operations and maintenance technicians are skilled professionals who are responsible for conducting preventive maintenance of all equipment used in the operation of an organization. These technicians are required to ensure that their facilities are always operational by performing inspections and documenting the operating conditions of their equipment. They must utilize numerous power and hand tools so that they can perform all preventive maintenance and diagnose mechanical problems. Operations and maintenance technicians must also monitor the operation of plan equipment to ensure that employees are following the proper maintenance and safety procedures.

The annual salary of operations and maintenance technicians is $7,430 higher than the average salary of building technicians.Even though building technicians and operations and maintenance technicians are distinct careers, a few of the skills required for both jobs are similar. For example, both careers require plumbing, hvac, and building maintenance in the day-to-day roles and responsibilities.

While similarities exist, there are also some differences between building technicians and operations and maintenance technician. For instance, building technician responsibilities require skills such as "customer service," "troubleshoot," "ventilation," and "roofing." Whereas a operations and maintenance technician is skilled in "safety procedures," "plant operations," "maintenance tasks," and "plant equipment." This is part of what separates the two careers.

Operations and maintenance technicians really shine in the energy industry with an average salary of $60,926. Comparatively, building technicians tend to make the most money in the retail industry with an average salary of $48,764.operations and maintenance technicians tend to reach similar levels of education than building technicians. In fact, operations and maintenance technicians are 1.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

Building technician vs. Preventive maintenance technician

A preventive maintenance technician performs routine facility maintenance to prevent possible mechanical failure. The technicians change worn out machine parts before they can cause mechanical damage. They keep the facility operating. It is their job to conduct quality assessments, maintain inventory, and schedule repairs. Also, they see to it that machines are up and running at all times. They are expected to be equipped with skills in customer service, problem-solving, reading comprehension, business operation, and mechanical aptitude.

A career as a preventive maintenance technician brings a lower average salary when compared to the average annual salary of a building technician. In fact, preventive maintenance technicians salary is $5,315 lower than the salary of building technicians per year.Only some things about these jobs are the same. Take their skills, for example. Building technicians and preventive maintenance technicians both require similar skills like "plumbing," "hvac," and "building maintenance" to carry out their responsibilities.

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, building technician responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "troubleshoot," "roofing," "safety systems," and "snow removal." Meanwhile, a preventive maintenance technician has duties that require skills in areas such as "dishwashers," "water filters," "cnc," and "safety regulations." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

Preventive maintenance technicians may earn a lower salary than building technicians, but preventive maintenance technicians earn the most pay in the automotive industry with an average salary of $47,655. On the other hand, building technicians receive higher pay in the retail industry, where they earn an average salary of $48,764.In general, preventive maintenance technicians achieve similar levels of education than building technicians. They're 1.5% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Building technician vs. Building engineer

The job of building engineers is to provide advice on design, installation, and maintenance of energy-efficient and cost-effective systems for all building services, including lighting, water, and air conditioning. These professionals are responsible for the distribution of water supply and electricity and resolving tenants' maintenance problems such as plumbing and electrical systems. Additional duties of the building engineers include conducting tests on systems, ensuring compliance with health and safety requirements, and liaising with construction professionals like surveyors and electricians.

On average, building engineers earn higher salaries than building technicians, with a $30,196 difference per year.building technicians and building engineers both have job responsibilities that require similar skill sets. These similarities include skills such as "plumbing," "hvac," and "building maintenance," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from building technician resumes include skills like "preventative maintenance," "hand tools," "safety systems," and "bas," whereas a building engineer is more likely to list skills in "preventive maintenance," "emergency situations," "building operations," and "life safety. "

Building engineers earn the best pay in the technology industry, where they command an average salary of $98,279. Building technicians earn the highest pay from the retail industry, with an average salary of $48,764.Most building engineers achieve a similar degree level compared to building technicians. For example, they're 1.8% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Building technician vs. Maintenance lead technician

A maintenance lead technician oversees the daily maintenance operations of a department or establishment. Their duties revolve around conducting inspections and regular maintenance checks on facilities and equipment, performing repairs as necessary. They are also responsible for troubleshooting issues, fixing and replacing components, cleaning different areas, installing fixtures, and providing technical support to employees. Additionally, a maintenance lead technician guides and trains junior technicians while implementing the company's policies and safety standards for a smooth and efficient workflow.

Maintenance lead technicians average a higher salary than the annual salary of building technicians. The difference is about $4,412 per year.While both building technicians and maintenance lead technicians complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like plumbing, hvac, and building maintenance, the two careers vary in some skills.

Even though a few skill sets overlap between building technicians and maintenance lead technicians, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a building technician might have more use for skills like "troubleshoot," "general maintenance," "ventilation," and "roofing." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of maintenance lead technicians require skills like "safety procedures," "cmms," "dexterity," and "conveyor systems. "

Maintenance lead technicians enjoy the best pay in the manufacturing industry, with an average salary of $54,994. For comparison, building technicians earn the highest salary in the retail industry.maintenance lead technicians reach similar levels of education compared to building technicians, in general. The difference is that they're 1.1% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.0% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of building technician

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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