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Post by Expatman on Mar 6, 2013 18:14:51 GMT
Regarding housing assignments and the lack of availability in DH for housing, are there any open houses in DH Camp? Can ASC help in an assignment of a house (with a proper number or address?). If not, where are the new hires arriving for the first time?
Thanks
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Post by GroveWanderer on Mar 7, 2013 12:53:30 GMT
There are always some empty houses in every camp. You cannot have a situation where there is 100% occupancy. However it is probably true to say that there are fewer empty houses than there have been for quite a long time.
ASC cannot help directly with housing. Assuming you do not qualify for automatic family camp housing in Dhahran, the Dept hiring you can try to lobby on your behalf but if you do not meet the criteria for automatic assignment of a house in Dhahran, they will find it difficult.
Otherwise, new hires working in Dhahran who do not get housing there are usually assigned housing in Abqaiq or Ras Tanura - I believe Abqaiq is the more common assignment these days.
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Post by vpainter on Mar 7, 2013 20:59:33 GMT
Your actual house assignment is not usually made until the week of your arrival. It depends on availability at the time you come. ASC would not know what houses are going to be available when you arrive. Only the housing office knows that information as time passes.
As GroveWanderer stated empty houses in each compound are used for emergency relocation, like when a townhouse fire occurred near our house and they had to move 4 families to new homes immediately. Only one townhouse burned, but they moved them all because of the smoke and any water damage that occurred to the other 3. Housing personnel arrived and had each family a new housing assignment while the fire fighters were still there at the house. They were very efficient taking care of the residents and helping them with the belongings they needed immediately.
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Post by bogman on Mar 8, 2013 17:25:46 GMT
So is it usual to not even know which camp you will be on before arriving?
I'm also not sure I understand why a house cannot be arranged before you arrive - they know several weeks in advance before you arrive and know several weeks in advance when people are leaving.
Not sure I'd be happy turning up for work thinking I'd be in Dharhan then find I'm in Abqaiq with a 1.5hr commute each way every day! Fair enough though if you are told in advance and factor it in to the offer etc.
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Post by GroveWanderer on Mar 8, 2013 19:37:33 GMT
I don't think anyone has said it is usual not to know which camp you will be in before arriving.
In fact, as far as I am aware, that would be rather unusual. However, as vpainter said, they might not decide on the actual housing unit you will be assigned to, until very close to your arrival.
And they don't always know "several weeks in advance" when someone is arriving. In several departments I have worked in, new hires' arrival dates were constantly being updated, right up till the last minute.
It is not particularly unusual for someone who was supposed to arrive on a particular date, not to make it on that date but to arrive a week or even more, later than the original schedule. All kinds of last minute glitches can occur, at either end.
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Post by Hadia on Mar 8, 2013 19:38:42 GMT
The job offer packet will likely indicate your job site location and residence location. You would know beforehand which camp you'd be assigned to live in, however, you would not learn your actual address or specific type of house and floor plan until you arrive. We live in Dhahran Hills, and in our neighborhood alone, there are at least five houses being renovated. There were a lot of January retirements, an influx of new arrivals, and people are always coming and going, and moving from within and outside the camp.
When we received our packet indicating that the job and home would both be in Dhahran, we breathed a sigh of relief. For our family situation, having a split work/home location would have been a deal breaker, but every family is different.
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Post by azraeil on Mar 9, 2013 10:52:43 GMT
The Job Offer will have a line that says which Security Compound you are assigned to (i.e. Dhahran Security Compound, Ras Tanura Security Compound). The housing unit however will not be known until maybe a week or so before you arrive.
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Post by sparkle3 on Mar 10, 2013 20:28:04 GMT
Hi Hadia, I've been reading your posts for a while now because we are in the process of moving to Dhahran and your posts are really helpful  just wanna know if there are any bungalows in Dhahran or Dhahran hills as I have a back problem and will be hard for me to go up and down a lot as I have kids . Would really appreciate it. |
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Post by vpainter on Mar 11, 2013 17:37:04 GMT
There are one story homes in Dhahran Main Camp and the Hills. Let your Aramco contact know you need a one story home. Should you arrive and find you have been assigned to a 2 story, go to your GP (family doctor), you will choose one after you arrive. He/she can write you up for a single story home for medical reasons. Aramco housing will honor that request. Hopefully it would not take long and one would be readily available.
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Post by sparkle3 on Mar 11, 2013 23:19:30 GMT
Thank you for your quick response I really appreciate your feedback
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Post by bogman on Mar 12, 2013 10:11:38 GMT
Well it may be unusual but it does happen. I have known of a few medical secretaries who thought they were in Dharhan but ended up in UDH/ABQ etc.
I know it's common for people to arrive LATER than expected but surely that wouldn't be a problem re housing as it would have been assigned.
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Post by vpainter on Mar 12, 2013 22:14:22 GMT
Housing is assigned usually during the week of arrival.
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Post by sparkle3 on Mar 15, 2013 14:42:06 GMT
At which time of the process should I request for a single story home?
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Post by GroveWanderer on Mar 16, 2013 13:53:22 GMT
Yes, but once someone doesn't arrive on the specified date, the previously assigned house may be given to someone else. They won't keep a house empty indefinitely, waiting for someone to arrive who may not do so for several weeks.
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Post by vpainter on Mar 17, 2013 21:20:30 GMT
Sparkle3, I would be talking to your Aramco contact now about the need for a one story home. You may want to gather any medical recommendations you have from your present doctor in case it is needed regarding avoiding stairs.
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just wanna know if there are any bungalows in Dhahran or Dhahran hills as I have a back problem and will be hard for me to go up and down a lot as I have kids .