Long-term accommodation for tradespeople: workers' room or workers' apartment?
· 6 min read · Gnann Verwaltung GmbH
In short: For 1 to 3 people and shorter jobs, a workers' room is usually the cheapest and most flexible option. From 4 people, a complete workers' apartment often costs the same as beds in a shared room – but comes with its own kitchen, its own bathroom and peace and quiet for the team. From 7 people with several vehicles, a workers' house pays off. The worked examples below are based on the starting prices of Monteurzimmer Augsburg.
Whether you are an electrician, a plumbing and heating fitter, a drywaller or a service technician: if you are on an installation job in Augsburg for several weeks or months, you spend more time in your accommodation than in some homes. The choice between a workers' room and a workers' apartment therefore affects not only the cost, but also how rested the team is when they turn up on site in the morning.
The terms: what is what?
- Workers' room (Monteurzimmer): A furnished single, double or multi-bed room in accommodation with a shared kitchen and shared bathroom facilities. Charged per person per night.
- Workers' apartment (Monteurwohnung): A complete, furnished apartment let exclusively to one team. Charged per apartment per day – regardless of whether every bed is occupied.
- Studio apartment (Monteurapartment): A small, self-contained unit for 1 to 4 people.
- Workers' house (Monteurhaus): A whole house for larger teams, often with a garden and more parking spaces.
The comparison at a glance
| Criterion | Workers' room | Workers' apartment |
|---|---|---|
| Ideal team size | 1–3 people | 4 people or more |
| Billing | per person per night | per apartment per day |
| Price at Monteurzimmer Augsburg | from €12–25 per person/night | from €60 (4 people) to €200 (20 people) per day |
| Privacy | own room, kitchen and bathroom may be shared | whole apartment for the team only |
| Flexibility if team size changes | high – beds can be booked individually | lower – price applies to the apartment |
| Kitchen | yes | yes, for the team only |
| Quiet for shift work | depends on other guests | easy to plan |
| Ideal for | individual assignments, short projects, rotating teams | fixed teams, long projects |
Worked examples with real prices
The following examples use the starting prices of Monteurzimmer Augsburg. Daily prices for apartments and studio apartments are calculated like nightly rates. Actual prices vary with the season and occupancy; special rates are available for long-term stays.
Example 1: Two fitters, 14 nights
| Option | Calculation | Cost from |
|---|---|---|
| Double room | 2 × 14 × €18 | €504 |
| Two single rooms | 2 × 14 × €25 | €700 |
| 2-person studio apartment | 14 × €50 | €700 |
Bottom line: For two people, the double room is cheapest. If you want your own self-contained accommodation, the studio apartment costs the same as two single rooms.
Example 2: Four fitters, 30 nights
| Option | Calculation | Cost from |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-bed room | 4 × 30 × €15 | €1,800 |
| Two double rooms | 4 × 30 × €18 | €2,160 |
| 4-person apartment | 30 × €60 | €1,800 |
| 4-person studio apartment | 30 × €80 | €2,400 |
Bottom line: The complete apartment costs exactly the same as four beds in a multi-bed room – except that the team has the kitchen and bathroom to itself. From four people, the workers' apartment is therefore usually the better choice.
Example 3: Six fitters, 60 nights
| Option | Calculation | Cost from |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-bed room | 6 × 60 × €15 | €5,400 |
| 6-person apartment | 60 × €90 | €5,400 |
| Six single rooms | 6 × 60 × €25 | €9,000 |
Bottom line: Once again, the apartment and the multi-bed room are level. Single rooms for everyone cost almost twice as much – only worthwhile if every worker really needs a room of their own.
Example 4: 16 fitters, 90 nights
| Option | Calculation | Cost from |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-bed room | 16 × 90 × €15 | €21,600 |
| 16-person house | 90 × €200 | €18,000 |
Bottom line: For large teams, the workers' house is the clear winner: €12.50 per person per night on paper, plus a garden, a barbecue area and parking for the company vehicles.
What counts besides price
Sleep and recovery
Installation work is physical, often with an early start. Anyone who sleeps badly works with less concentration – and in the end that costs more than a few euros' difference in accommodation. For shift work or very different working hours within the team, separate rooms or a separate apartment are a must.
Team dynamics
Having your own apartment brings a team together: cooking together, going over the next day in the evening. At the same time, everyone needs a place to retreat to. The right mix is key – for example an apartment with single and double rooms.
Flexibility when the crew changes
If workers rotate weekly or specialists only come for individual days, workers' rooms that can be booked individually are more flexible. With an apartment, you pay even if a bed stays empty.
Food costs
All Monteurzimmer Augsburg accommodation has a fully equipped kitchen with hob, oven, microwave, fridge and crockery. Cooking for yourselves instead of eating at restaurants and snack bars quickly saves several hundred euros per person on long stays.
Parking
If the team arrives with several vans or trailers, parking should be sorted in advance. At Monteurzimmer Augsburg, parking at the house is free; the workers' houses have plenty of parking spaces.
Quick decision guide
- 1 person, up to a few weeks: single room (from €25) or 1-person studio apartment (from €30)
- 2–3 people: double or triple room (from €15–18 per person)
- 4–6 people, fixed crew: 4- or 6-person apartment (from €60 or €90 per day)
- 7–16 people: workers' house (from €120 to €200 per day)
- up to 20 people: 20-person accommodation (from €200 per day) or a combination of several units
- changing crew: individual workers' rooms
How to prepare the booking step by step is shown in our checklist for installation teams. For the tax side, read Deducting workers' accommodation from tax.
Frequently asked questions: workers' room or workers' apartment?
From how many people is a workers' apartment worth it?
Which is cheaper, a workers' room or a workers' apartment?
Do I have to pay for every bed in a workers' apartment?
Do workers' rooms have a kitchen too?
Is there a discount for long stays?
Request accommodation for your team in Augsburg
Workers' rooms from €12 per person per night, apartments and houses for up to 20 people – booked directly with Gnann Verwaltung GmbH.
More guides
- Deducting workers' accommodation from tax – what companies need to know
Accommodation costs for fitters are business expenses (Betriebsausgaben). Which VAT rate applies, what the invoice must show and when the 48-month limit kicks in.
- Checklist: booking accommodation for installation teams in Augsburg
From planning to departure: 23 points that dispatchers and site managers should keep in mind when booking workers' accommodation in Augsburg.
- Parking in Augsburg – tips for tradespeople and fitters with a company vehicle
Which parking rules apply to vans and trailers, how to get a no-stopping zone (Halteverbot) in front of the site and what to look for in your accommodation.
- DIY Stores, Tool Hire and Workwear in Augsburg – A Shopping Guide for Workers
DIY store, trade wholesaler or plant hire? Which source suits which need, what applies on Sundays and how to plan your materials shopping during the working week.
- Laundry, Shopping, After Work: An Everyday Guide for Workers in Augsburg
Washing machine, kitchen, shop opening hours and time off: how workers organise everyday life in Augsburg – with an example calculation for self-catering.
- Gyms, Swimming Pools and Sport for Workers in Augsburg
What helps against back and shoulder pain from working on site, and where workers in Augsburg can train, swim and run.