Contractors Accommodation › How to compare the real cost of accommodation when working away
How to compare the real cost of accommodation when working away
The cheapest nightly price is not always the cheapest stay. A simple sum, done before you book, shows which option really costs less for your crew and your job.
Why headline prices mislead
A hotel advertises a price per room per night. A contractor house is often priced per property per week. A serviced apartment might add a cleaning fee and a deposit. Comparing those numbers directly does not tell you much. What matters is the total cost per person per night, once everything the stay will really cost is added in.
We do not publish price lists. Prices vary by town, season and how far ahead you book, and any figure we printed would be out of date quickly. Instead, here is a method you can use with real quotes in front of you.
Step 1: The accommodation itself
Write down the total price for the whole stay, including:
- the nightly, weekly or monthly rate
- cleaning or changeover fees
- booking or service fees
- any charge for extra guests or early check-in
- VAT, if it is shown separately and you cannot reclaim it
Note the deposit separately. It should come back, but it ties up cash during the job.
Step 2: Parking
Add daily car park charges, permit costs, or the cost of a nearby car park if the property has none. For vans, check whether the car park accepts them at all. A cheap town-centre flat can become expensive once three vans have paid for five nights each.
Step 3: Food
This is where self-catering pulls ahead on longer stays. Estimate what each person will spend on evening meals and breakfasts eating out, compared with buying food to cook. Even a basic kitchen with a fridge, hob and microwave changes the sum on a job lasting more than a few nights.
Step 4: Laundry
Workwear gets dirty. A washing machine and somewhere to dry clothes saves launderette trips and evenings lost. If there is no machine, add a weekly laundry cost per person.
Step 5: Travel to site
Multiply the extra miles each day by the number of vehicles and the number of working days, then by your cost per mile. Add the time too: twenty extra minutes each way for a crew of four is a lot of paid hours over a month. A slightly dearer place five minutes from site can be the cheaper choice.
Step 6: Divide it out
Add steps 1 to 5 and divide by the number of people, then by the number of nights. That figure is the one to compare.
| Cost line | Option A | Option B |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation, all fees | ||
| Parking | ||
| Food | ||
| Laundry | ||
| Extra travel to site | ||
| Total | ||
| Per person per night |
Things that push prices up
- Local events. Big concerts, sporting fixtures, conferences and holiday peaks fill hotels and raise nightly rates. Seaside towns are busiest in school holidays and at weekends in summer.
- Short notice. Last-minute bookings for large groups have fewer options.
- Uncertain dates. Flexible, refundable rates cost more than fixed ones. Sometimes that premium is worth it; on a job that often overruns, it usually is.
Things that can bring the price down
- Booking weekly or monthly rather than nightly.
- Booking in the quieter season for that area.
- Housing a whole crew in one property instead of several hotel rooms.
- Agreeing a longer stay up front, with a clear early-exit clause.
Who pays, and what can be claimed
Whether the cost is paid by the business, reimbursed to the worker or claimed against tax affects what it really costs you. The rules are on our tax relief page. Keep receipts that show the date and the name of the place you stayed, because GOV.UK says claims for hotel and meal costs need them.
Once you know which option is cheapest, use the crew booking checklist to make sure it is also suitable, and read about the different types of accommodation if you are unsure which to shortlist.