How to hire a maintenance inspector

How to hire a maintenance inspector, step by step

Here's a step-by-step maintenance inspector hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a maintenance inspector job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new maintenance inspector
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a maintenance inspector, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a maintenance inspector to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a maintenance inspector that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of maintenance inspectors and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Maintenance Inspector	Description	Hourly rate
   Maintenance Inspector	General maintenance and repair workers fix and maintain machines, mechanical equipment, and buildings. They paint, repair flooring, and work on plumbing, electrical, and air-conditioning and heating systems.	$12-41
   Groundskeeping Maintenance	A Groundskeeping Maintenance Worker performs several skilled and semi-skilled tasks in grounds keeping and building trade areas. They maintain turf places, including weed control and Integrated Pest Management... Show more	$11-18
   Electrical Maintenance Technician	An electrical maintenance technician is primarily in charge of installing and repairing electrical systems. Their responsibilities often revolve around liaising with clients to identify their needs, examining electrical damages or defects on houses or establishments, troubleshooting, and performing fixes and replacements as needed... Show more	$22-36

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • OSHA
   • Asphalt
   • Safety Regulations
   • Logistics
   • FAA
   • Engineering Drawings
   • Inspection Reports
   • Property Maintenance
   • Plant Equipment
   • Code Compliance
   • Destructive Testing
   • Aviation Maintenance
   • Aircraft Maintenance
   • HVAC

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and coordinate extensive activities in support of intercontinental ballistic missile launch facility readiness and space flight operations.
   • Ensure compliance with OSHA safety standards.
   • Install, calibrate, and maintain computer-base HVAC, fire and security systems.
   • Understand basic carpentry, masonry, electricity, HVAC, sanitation, security operations and preventative maintenance.
   • Assist in minor repairs when necessary and troubleshoot malfunctions using the proper publication and diagnostic test equipment.
   • Diagnose and troubleshoot electrical problems.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your maintenance inspector job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A maintenance inspector salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, maintenance inspectors' average salary in south dakota is 51% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level maintenance inspectors earn 69% less than senior-level maintenance inspectors.
   • Certifications. A maintenance inspector with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a maintenance inspector's salary.

   Average maintenance inspector salary

   $49,065yearly

   $23.59 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level maintenance inspector salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 29, 2025

4. Writing a maintenance inspector job description

   A job description for a maintenance inspector role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a maintenance inspector job description:

   Maintenance inspector job description example

   The City of Richmond, Department of Planning & Development Review is seeking a qualified candidate for the position of Property Maintenance Code Enforcement Inspector. The successful candidate will be responsible for regulating maintenance standards of both residential and commercial properties.
   Duties include but are not limited to
   
   * Investigating property maintenance complaints from the public and communicates the findings of the investigation to the public;
   * Inspecting structural members, electrical systems, mechanical facilities and plumbing installations to ensure proper maintenance and compliance with all appropriate codes;
   * Performing building inspections after fires, vehicle impact damage and natural disasters and emergencies;
   * Educating the public on property maintenance code requirements;
   * Reporting of inspections and issuing notices of code violations;
   * Advising property owners, contractors and builders of corrective action needed;
   * Initiating legal action as necessary and serving as a witness in the prosecution of property maintenance violations;
   * Utilizing computer and necessary software programs to perform duties.
   
   Qualifications, Special Certifications and Licenses
   
   KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
   
   Knowledge of construction materials, methods, and techniques; maintenance codes and applications; inspection techniques, including judgments regarding seriousness of violations; and, risks to the public and state statutes and local ordinances related to building maintenance. Skill in research methods; critical thinking and reviewing; time management, organization, and prioritization; and, creative problem-solving. Ability to interpret construction codes, Virginia Property Maintenance Codes, and City of Richmond Municipal Codes; conduct on-site inspections of residential/commercial properties in a variety of conditions and environments; and, work professionally with diverse populations in potentially difficult or hostile situations.
   
   INIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:
   
   * High School Diploma or G.E.D.
   * Three years of experience in building construction or maintenance, fire, or housing inspections
   * An equivalent combination of training and experience (as approved by the department) may be used to meet the minimum qualifications of the classification
   
   LICENSING, CERTIFICATIONS, and/or OTHER SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
   
   * Valid Driver's License with satisfactory driving record and a valid Commonwealth of Virginia Driver's License within 30 days of hire
   * Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development Property Maintenance Inspector certification within 18 months of hire
   * Virginia Special Police Officer certification within 18 months of hire

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right maintenance inspector for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with maintenance inspectors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit maintenance inspectors who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your maintenance inspector job on Zippia to find and recruit maintenance inspector candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting maintenance inspectors requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new maintenance inspector

   Once you've decided on a perfect maintenance inspector candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new maintenance inspector. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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