Working away from home

[DaveP]

With lack of contracts in a commutable are to my home in the north west, I am considering looking further afield. I just wondered if many other contractors work away from home & how do you get on ?

Ie find a cheap b&B for 4 or 5 nights a week ??

Cheers

[wendigo100]

I used to, and if I was paying I used cheap B&Bs. You can find them on the internet. You get used to it, and if you find one in a nice spot with a decent pub nearby it is quite pleasant.

Not much IT work in Cockermouth then?

[daviejones]

With lack of contracts in a commutable are to my home in the north west, I am considering looking further afield. I just wondered if many other contractors work away from home & how do you get on ?

Ie find a cheap b&B for 4 or 5 nights a week ??

Cheers

I have been working away since April...it gets a bit tiresome and I miss home..but I guess you just get on with it. I have found a nice 4* guest house for £38 \ night so that is not too bad.

[BA to the Stars]

If you book in advance you can get a Travelodge for £15 per night.

Don't forget Westherspoons for evening meal on Tuesday (Steak - £5.99) & Thursday (Curry - £4.99).

[darmstadt]

I've basically been working away from home for the last 6 years. If I'm paying then, as stated previously, a decent B & B is okay (here in Germany they tend to be pub/restaurant type places anyway) and if on expenses, well whatever is nearest and of quality. At the moment I'm in an apartment hotel where the room has a kitchen but there is no restaurant (apart from a Biergarten next door) which is fine.

[lukemg]

I am renting a new-build flat, it was a pain to organise (until I just paid all the rent in advance) but it's much nicer than being in a B+B, can keep all my stuff there and make it feel a bit more like home. Plus it's 2 mins from work which makes things pleasant. It's not home though and the novelty is wearing off (I come back Sunday night which eats into weekend). I will do the 6 months and maybe another 3 but that might be my lot unless I can negotiate 2 days from home.

[TheFaQQer]

I rent a serviced apartment where possible - I want more flexibility than a hotel or B&B (like cooking for myself, a washing machine, leaving my stuff over the weekends etc).

Some are more expensive than a hotel, though, it has to be said. I got a great deal in Edinburgh when I was up there - worked out at £35 a night in a two bed flat.

[NotAllThere]

My favoured option is hotel/guest house/b&b. Don't mind which, so long as I have an ensuite. I avoid the corporate hotels - soulless and depressing. Family run businesses are the best. I think what is most important, is for your digs to be somewhere you can relax, and where you'd want to relax. Within the limits of affordability, you should try for a little luxury - something special that takes the edge off not being at home. I'm currently fortunate enough to be working just 20 minutes from home, but my last working away I stayed in a family run hotel, overlooking Lake Geneva. It cost a bit more than the hotel in town, or renting an apartment. The extra expense was worth it in terms of having somewhere away from the office where I was quite happy to be.

The biggest problem with working away is the ever expanding waist-line!

NotAllThere

[FiveTimes]

I agree with the family owned/run guest house. I stayed in one and it a lot nicer that the usual travel lodge etc..

Cooked breakfast every morning start to take it toll on the waist line until I discovered the free gym on the clients site. That passed the time for a while.

Would have stayed longer but mid contract everyone permie & contractor were gathered together and binned off.... but that's another story

[scooterscot]

With lack of contracts in a commutable are to my home in the north west, I am considering looking further afield. I just wondered if many other contractors work away from home & how do you get on ?

Ie find a cheap b&B for 4 or 5 nights a week ??

Cheers

I've been working away since 2003