Workforce housing in the Permian Basin: what superintendents and project managers book for crews
Workforce housing in the Permian Basin means furnished places for oil and gas, pipeline and construction crews working multi-month assignments in Midland and Odessa. Superintendents and project managers look at headcount, assignment dates, and one point of contact to handle the whole crew. This article compares man camps, extended-stay hotels and private furnished apartments, then lists what questions to ask before you book.
Three types of workforce housing in Midland and Odessa
Man camps are modular units on a fenced lot. Sleeping quarters are separate, restrooms and showers are shared. Some camps include meals. The appeal is volume: a camp operator can house a large crew on short notice. The downside is privacy. Shared facilities mean crews are never off the clock.
Extended-stay hotels are individual rooms with a bed, bathroom and small kitchenette. More privacy than a man camp, less space than an apartment. Parking for work trucks is often tight.
Corporate apartments are private units with separate bedrooms, a full kitchen, and a washer and dryer inside the apartment. Rent is billed monthly. Each person or team gets their own door, their own kitchen, their own laundry. The apartment feels like home, not a stopover.
Most oil and gas, pipeline and construction assignments in the Permian Basin last 3 to 12 months, with some running longer. Operations managers look for one point of contact to handle the whole crew, not separate bookings for each person. When headcount changes mid-assignment, you want to call one number and add or release units without renegotiating a contract.
Man camps, extended-stay hotels and private apartments compared
For rest and retention, a private apartment with a full kitchen and laundry lets a field worker cook, do laundry on their own schedule, and come home to their own door after a shift. That privacy matters on a 6-month or 12-month assignment. Workers who sleep well and eat decent food stay healthier and safer in the field.
For superintendents, corporate apartments consolidate the crew into one property and one monthly bill. You avoid surprise utility charges and the accounting work of tracking receipts.
What to ask any workforce housing provider before you book
Minimum stay and billing cycle come first. Some providers require a 30-day or 90-day minimum. Match the stay requirement to your assignment length.
What is included in the rate? Utilities, internet, cable, furniture, dishes, linens, laundry access. One monthly bill simplifies accounting. If utilities are billed separately, ask for an average monthly cost in summer and winter. A low base rate with high utility bills is not a bargain.
Truck and equipment parking matters to every crew. Field teams bring work trucks, trailers and tools. Confirm lot size and vehicle limits before you sign. Some properties cap parking at one vehicle per unit, which does not work when every crew member drives a company truck.
How you make changes mid-assignment can save or cost you thousands. If headcount grows or shrinks, can you add or release units without penalties or new contracts? A flexible provider lets you scale up and down as the project demands.
Who you call when something breaks tells you how responsive the provider will be. A 24-hour emergency number is standard, but find out if you reach a property manager or an answering service. The difference shows up at 11 p.m. when the air conditioner quits in July.
Why operations managers choose private apartments for longer assignments
A furnished apartment with a full kitchen and washer and dryer costs less per month than hotels or camps, especially for stays beyond 90 days.
Field workers on a 6-month or 12-month assignment want space to spread out, a real kitchen, privacy, and their own laundry. A hotel kitchenette with a microwave and mini-fridge is not the same as a full kitchen with a stove, oven and full-size refrigerator. Workers who can cook save money and eat better than crews eating out every night.
One monthly invoice per unit is easier for accounting than a stack of receipts. The project manager submits one invoice per property per month.
Crews stay together in one community instead of scattered across motels, which simplifies transportation and communication. If the crew is housed on the same property, you can hold a morning safety meeting in the parking lot. Scattered housing means extra drive time every morning.
Retention improves when workers have decent housing. A crew that stays together for the full assignment finishes faster and safer than a crew that loses people every month. Good housing is a retention tool, not just an expense.
How ACHS handles workforce housing for Permian Basin crews
ACHS rents fully furnished corporate apartments by the month in Midland and Odessa, with a 3-month minimum stay. Stays run 3 to 24 months, which matches the length of most oil and gas, pipeline and construction assignments in the Permian Basin.
ACHS owns and operates two apartment communities: Mesquite Terraces in Midland and Faudree Ranch in Odessa. Together the two communities have 588 apartment homes. Each apartment is a private unit, not a shared room or modular trailer. Every person or team gets their own door, kitchen and bathroom.
Each apartment includes furniture, sheets, towels, dishes, housewares, and a washer and dryer in the unit. All utilities, cable and internet are included in one monthly bill.
ACHS is owner-operated. Bookers deal directly with the owner’s team, with no broker or third-party housing vendor markup. One point of contact from the first call to move-in.
ACHS houses oil and gas crews, pipeline teams, construction workers, travel nurses and relocating professionals. The company handles individual renters and entire crews under one contract.
ACHS is not a man camp. Each person or team gets a private apartment with its own door, kitchen and washer and dryer. The apartments are pet friendly, with pet fees that apply, and every property has a 24-hour gym on site.
Booking workforce housing: headcount, dates, one contact
Start with headcount and assignment dates. How many people, when they arrive, how long they stay. A provider needs those three numbers to check availability and quote a rate. Be specific: 12 workers arriving March 1 for a 6-month assignment is a different ask than 12 workers staggered over three months.
Confirm whether each person gets a private unit or shares a space. For multi-month assignments, most crews prefer private apartments. Ask if the units have separate bedrooms, a full kitchen and an in-unit washer and dryer.
Lock in the monthly rate and the inclusions in writing. No surprise utility bills, no hidden fees for internet or parking. Get the rate, the inclusions, the minimum stay and the cancellation terms in an email before you commit.
Ask about pets if any crew members travel with a dog. Many corporate housing providers are pet friendly, though pet fees apply. Confirm the pet policy before the crew arrives. A worker who has to rehome a dog two weeks into a 6-month assignment is a retention problem.
Have one contact who can add units, answer maintenance calls, and handle billing questions without passing you to a call center. The contact should have authority to make decisions, not just take messages. When you need to add three units on Tuesday or report a broken water heater on Saturday night, you want to reach someone who can act.
Workforce housing in the Permian Basin comes down to headcount, dates, and one point of contact. The right provider houses your crew in private apartments with full kitchens, in-unit laundry, and one monthly bill. Call for availability and rates.
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