UBC Facilities receives annual funding from the University administration to pay for core building repairs and maintenance. This covers items such as plugged toilets, burnt out lights, and too hot/too cold problems. For non-core services (e.g., renovation work and capital renewal work) and services to UBC ancillaries and tenants, UBC Facilities recovers costs through a charge-out rate.
Overtime, rates apply to any services provided outside a regular Facilities defined shift or on an emergency basis after regular shift hours. Efforts are made to notify the client in advance of emergency overtime requirements.
Charge-out rates for 2023/2024
The following 2023/24 hourly and overtime rates have been established for trades, custodial and municipal services:
Services |
2023/24 Regular Rate/Hour* | 2023/24 Overtime Rate/Hour* |
| Custodial | $41 | $62 |
| Trades | $78 | $120 |
| Municipal Labourer | $59 | $86 |
| Custodial Storekeeper | $59 | $86 |
| Utility Worker | $59 | $86 |
| Project Coordinators (Construction Office) | N/A | $131 |
| Project Supervisors (Construction Office) | N/A | $121 |
*These hourly rates represent wages, benefits and overheads associated with each service group and are adjusted as required to reflect changes in the internal costs for the delivery of services.
Core services vs Cost recovery services
Core services are repair and maintenance work within university owned buildings.
Cost recovery services are services that are not part of the core services for university owned buildings (non-ancillary units).
If the repair or maintenance work requires a Trades person to complete the work and less than 15 hours in total, this is part of our Facilities zone team and your faculty/department will only be responsible for paying for the materials used on the job. Some ancillary units (Such as UBC Athletics & Recreation, UBC Bookstore, etc.) have service contracts which set specific rate for their needs, and are required to pay for both labour and materials.
Core services |
Cost recovery services |
| Painting: Hallways, building lobbies and vestibules, building exterior, public washrooms, classrooms, graffiti clean-up, repaint after flood damage. | Painting: Bookcases, offices, private meeting rooms, business unit lobbies, change of colour for aesthetic reasons. |
| Carpentry: Stained or damaged ceiling tile replacement, repairs after a flood (water damage), vandalism repairs, baseboard repair/replacement, hallways, public washrooms and building lobbies | Carpentry: Building or assembling bookcases and/or cabinetry, hanging whiteboards, corkboards, pictures and shelves, modifying desks and assembly or disassembly and keyboards tray installs |
| Electrical: Resetting of tripped breakers, replacing ballasts, repair of base building electrical systems and equipment | Electrical: Installing or modifying electric circuits for building tenants, installing or modifying building lighting for client requirements, installing or hardwiring equipment for clients |
| Plumbing: Repair/replacement of leaking or broken faucets, sinks and toilets, drain repair and clearing, base building hot water tank repair or replacement, if applicable lighting or repair to base building gas appliances such as furnaces and hot water tanks | Plumbing: Install or connection of client supplied equipment, upgrading existing or installing new sinks or new faucets |