In the world of large-scale infrastructure, efficiency goes far beyond the worksite. Whether it’s rail upgrades, motorway expansions, or renewable energy installations, one of the biggest logistical challenges is housing large groups of contractors and workers — often in remote or high-demand locations.
In 2025, as infrastructure projects across the UK continue to scale in speed and size, the demand for group accommodation solutions for 100+ workers is higher than ever. From ensuring comfort and proximity to managing costs and local regulations, the behind-the-scenes coordination is complex — and crucial to a project’s success.
This article explores how major infrastructure companies successfully house their mobile workforce and what makes an efficient worker accommodation strategy.
Why Worker Accommodation Matters More Than Ever
Housing is no longer an afterthought for project managers. Efficient worker accommodation directly impacts:
- On-site productivity
- Employee satisfaction and retention
- Cost control and budget accuracy
- Compliance with health and safety regulations
- Environmental and social governance (ESG) standards
Whether it’s for 30 engineers on a road expansion or 200 offshore wind technicians, getting the housing right is mission-critical.
Key Challenges in Housing 100+ Workers
When accommodating large groups, especially for extended stays, several logistical hurdles arise:
- Location availability: Remote projects often lack existing hotel or apartment inventory.
- Short-term vs long-term cost efficiency: Hotels get expensive fast; purpose-let homes or serviced houses offer better value.
- Group clustering: Teams must often stay close together to enable coordinated transport to site.
- Flexibility for changing timelines: Delays or early completions mean contracts must allow extensions, early exits, or room for scaling.
- Health and safety compliance: Properties need to meet UK safety standards — especially for high-risk industries like rail and utilities.
How Projects Are Solving the Housing Puzzle
1. Partnering With Specialist Accommodation Providers
Traditional booking models (hotels, Airbnb, holiday lets) are often not designed for business-critical, multi-month projects. Instead, many companies are turning to platforms like Nezt, which specialise in contractor and group workforce housing across 1,300+ UK locations.
Providers like Nezt work directly with landlords to source multiple properties within minutes of the site, often clustering 4–10 workers per house. These homes are furnished, safety-checked, and ready for team living — from kitchens and laundry to Wi-Fi and private driveways for vans.
2. Location-Based Housing Strategies
Projects in rural areas (like wind farms or utility grid upgrades) require extra planning. With hotels miles away and limited transport, housing workers in town-centre homes near shops and essentials can reduce stress and improve morale.
In urban zones (such as HS2 sites or city bypass upgrades), space is limited and rents are high. In these cases, mixed-model housing — including serviced apartments, HMOs, and short-term lets — are blended to accommodate larger headcounts.
The key is having a localised strategy that weighs:
- Travel time to site
- Cost per bed per week
- Proximity to food, shops, and healthcare
- Vehicle access and parking
- Group clustering preferences
3. Dedicated Booking Teams for Flexibility and Scale
Unlike leisure bookings, infrastructure projects often shift timelines — which means housing must be as agile as the schedule.
Dedicated booking teams coordinate between site managers, HR teams, and property partners. This allows them to:
- Add or remove properties as crew size fluctuates
- Extend stays based on project delays
- Ensure quick response to last-minute changes
- Manage property turnover between teams
Having a single point of contact for all booking updates eliminates confusion and keeps accommodation aligned with evolving project needs.
4. Cost Control Through Consolidated Billing
Booking 30+ rooms across multiple platforms creates invoicing chaos. Today’s leading infrastructure firms want:
- Consolidated monthly invoicing
- Transparent per-person, per-night breakdowns
- VAT reclaimable invoices
- Cost reporting for different site teams
This financial clarity helps QS teams budget more accurately and identify cost efficiencies. Group accommodation specialists like Nezt provide centralised reporting and account management.
5. Improved Staff Welfare and Morale
Gone are the days of 3 staff crammed in one room or bunk beds in dusty lodges. Modern group accommodation emphasises comfort:
- Private bedrooms where possible
- Shared kitchens for self-catering
- Fast, reliable Wi-Fi
- Cleaning and laundry services
- Outdoor space or garden access
A well-rested, comfortable worker is a more productive one. Many firms now see accommodation as part of their duty of care, helping attract and retain skilled contractors.
Real Example: Housing 120 Workers for a National Rail Upgrade
In early 2025, a Tier 1 infrastructure firm approached Nezt to house 120 railway contractors near a multi-phase site in South Yorkshire. The challenge:
- Short notice (4 weeks to go-live)
- No hotels available within 20 miles
- Split teams on rolling 10-day shifts
Nezt coordinated:
- 28 houses within a 15-minute drive of site
- Grouped by shift pattern for noise and rest efficiency
- Weekly cleaning and linen changes
- Flexible booking terms in case of timeline shifts
The result: all teams housed safely, legally, and comfortably with zero no-shows or overspend.
Looking Ahead: Housing as Infrastructure Strategy
As infrastructure projects become more complex, so too must their support systems. Worker accommodation is no longer admin — it’s strategy.
With the UK government investing billions in rail, roads, renewables, and utilities through 2030, the need for smart, scalable housing solutions will only grow.
For project managers, procurement teams, and site leads, working with dedicated workforce housing specialists can mean the difference between costly delays and smooth delivery.
Need Help Housing Your Workforce?
Nezt provides flexible, vetted, and scalable group accommodation for infrastructure projects across the UK. Whether you’re housing 10 workers or 200, our team will find, manage, and coordinate properties tailored to your timelines and needs.
📍 1300+ UK locations
🛏️ Private homes, HMOs, serviced flats
📞 Dedicated booking support
📄 Consolidated invoicing & reporting
Visit Nezt.co.uk to get started.
