|
|
Post by pearland on Nov 23, 2014 4:27:15 GMT
o Guys,
Can anyone post or send me the floor plans for the 3 bedroom houses in Dhahran within the compound? I will greatly appreciate it.
Thanks
|
|
|
|
Post by GroveWanderer on Nov 27, 2014 12:44:29 GMT
There are at least 24 different styles of 3 bedroom house in Dhahran - probably more because there have been several times when a particular style was on the bid list but the floor plan for it was not among those available on the Housing website. All styles have a different floor plan. What kind of info are you looking for exactly?
|
|
|
|
Post by vpainter on Dec 5, 2014 4:38:13 GMT
Pearland, sent you an email.
|
|
|
|
Post by memon on Dec 7, 2014 20:01:04 GMT
Hi,
I received my visa blog slip and my degree attestation process is in process. Hopefully I will arrive in jan 2015. I have been enled family housing in Rakah Compund. I have heard from my freind that there is no more space in rakah compund.
I just want to confirm whether I will get housing in rakah or Aramco can change my housing??
Regards
Memon
|
|
|
|
Post by memon on Dec 7, 2014 20:04:28 GMT
Hi
My job location is Juaymah.
|
|
|
|
Post by lonestartexas on Dec 7, 2014 22:25:40 GMT
Is it safe to assume that most (if not all) non-usa payrolls with working location at Dhahran will be put at the new leased Radium compound? RA told me that my visa le has came but I am still working on getting the US degree attested and wonder if I need to plan to be put at Radium (with 1 kid). currently living in the US and if Radium then really does not want to ship any of my 110v appliances.
|
|
|
|
Post by crazycatlady on Dec 8, 2014 7:53:17 GMT
You know, I'd still bring the 110V appliances (I'm assuming that you meant items like a blender, video game console, etc) for two reasons:
1. The housing in Radium is temporary. I have no clue if that means that families will be living there for a couple of months or a couple of years. But the intention is for families to be moved onto the camp, where those 110V appliances will be very useful.
2. You can use them in 240V properties with a step-up voltage transformer.
|
|
|
|
Post by Wedge on Dec 8, 2014 12:41:57 GMT
Radium is not necessarily temporary for everyone who is placed there. For example, it would be classed as permanent if you're a family of three, you work in Dhahran and are placed in a 2-bed apartment. However it would be classed as temporary if you're a family of 4 and are placed in a 2-bed apartment. That being said, temporary could mean a couple of years!
If you're going to be in Radium then my advice would be to not bring your 110V appliances. Instead just buy new ones here when you arrive.
|
|
|
|
Post by detfans on Dec 8, 2014 14:12:08 GMT
Wedge is right, for couples, families with only one child and families with 2 kids the same gender, Radium is going to be their residence until become able to bid on a bigger house in one of the compounds if they wish. This means at least two years (you're able to bid in 2 years but not neccesarilly will get a house right away)
I wanted to bring everything you can imagine, but my husband convince me otherwise, and I feel that, at least for us it was the best decision
|
|
|
|
Post by crazycatlady on Dec 8, 2014 15:17:24 GMT
Is there any official word on Radium being permanent instead of temporary? Our relo person hasn't framed it that way at all, and I don't like the feeling that information is being withheld.
Also, Wedge, is there a good supply of 110V appliances available to purchase in KSA? It would be fantastic to leave our microwave, Vitamix, Kitchen-Aid, Miele vacuum, etc behind.
|
|
|
|
Post by Wedge on Dec 8, 2014 18:44:15 GMT
As far as I know, Radium is permanent except in the cases mentioned above. I disagree slightly with detfans though - my understanding is that families with 2 same gender kids in a 2-bed apartment are also classed as temporary.
You can't buy 110v appliances in KSA, so no, there isn't a good supply!
|
|
|
|
Post by cbman on Dec 8, 2014 21:00:59 GMT
I'm with crazycatlady on this one ... I'm about to arrive on Dec 28, eagerly awaiting my housing assignment, and this is the first I've heard about the leased compounds being anything other than staging areas for an eventual move to Dhahran. Granted this could take a couple years, although a recent post on this forum had somebody saying housing just told them to expect less than a year to move from Rakah to Dhahran.
Wedge and detfans, your posts are pretty detailed and consistent with each other so I have to figure you know what you're talking about, but could you share where you got this information?
I know that rolling with the punches is the key to success in KSA, but the punches that hurt the most are the ones you don't see coming so I'd like to know the official company position on this. I have emailed my relo advisor, I'll post any information I get, and would appreciate others doing the same.
|
|
|
|
Post by lonestartexas on Dec 8, 2014 23:53:02 GMT
Thank you all for the responses. I am more feeling that Redium is not for short term, it's a leased compound to relief somewhat the housing shortage and an apartment complex is quick fix in terms of units in limited space. For Family with no kids or 1 kid it is not a bad thing. Just have to adjust single family to condo living.
It seems though for non-US payrolls this will be the places to put and that is what I really want to know. I will bring some small 110v appliances and opt to cash in lieu options if I know most likely Redium.
Thanks for sharing!
|
|
|
|
Post by detfans on Dec 9, 2014 5:20:14 GMT
o everyone. Im happy to share the information, not to worry people, is good to know what has happen to other people, sorry if something has been misunderstood.
As mentioned Rakkah, Dhahran Towers and Radium are leases, are not Aramco properties, but the lease agreements have a duration that is not super-short (is not a year), and are renewable if needed, actually you can read right here in the forum that Rakkah is 5 years renewable. The reason of this "not short term" leases is that Aramco is growing, and there is no room in the existent compounds. There are plans to expand the compounds, especially Dhahran, but that will take time (possibly more than any original plan).
All new housing contracts between Aramco and employees have a duration of 2 years, which is the time needed to be able to bid for a house in one of the Aramco owned compounds AT LEAST the condition of the family requires a larger accomodation or the employee's work location is not Dhahran (like Ras Tanura, for example), in this cases, employees are signing temporary agreements, where is said that they will be relocated in a proper accomodation, either size or location, as soon as possible, this meaning when they reach the top place of the waiting list (which believe me, is long) and one becomes available; this can mean some months, or maybe +a year, it will depends on how efficiently the housing deparment works in allocating people where they are supossed to be. There are a few larger units in Radium (very few) that are not finished, some of the families already in Radium that require a larger accomodation will be place there, and when that happen they will need to sign the minimum 2 years (is maybe going to be a little less because some time passed already) contract, when at the end they will be able to bid for a house in the compounds. I know from some families with two kids same gender, their contract is two years, maybe other families in this condition will be "temporaries" as well, but I really don't know the criteria to separate some cases from others, but I'll ask and when I know I will share, for sure.
Radium is becoming an amazing community, people is wonderful, the kids are the sweetest thing you've ever seen and there are efforts ongoing to make it an even greater place. Is not a compound, life is some how limited in comparison with the proper compounds, but at the end, life is what you make of it, people coming can have the time of their lives in Radium, or be miserable in Dhahran, is up to them. Wish you all the best.
|
|
|
|
Post by cbman on Dec 9, 2014 7:22:51 GMT
Thanks detfans, I really appreciate you taking the time to make such a thorough post. And I must admit what you're saying makes sense regarding the 2 year contract. Unfortunately up until now I was under the impression that all housing at the leased properties was temporary. I believe Rakah units are all 3-bedrooms and even those people have been talking about relocating to Dhahran after a temporary assignment at Rakah, and I have to think 3 bedrooms meets most people's minimum requirements. So thanks for correcting my misinformation, it's always better to have the right information.
Your last comment about people choosing to be happy in Radium vs choosing to be miserable in Dhahran is definitely true. I'm a returning Aramcon and I've seen first hand what a difference a positive atude makes. My wife and 12 year old daughter are ready to do this, but we have two dogs and going from living in a house where they have their own yard to potentially living in an apartment will be tough for them, and telling them to have a positive atude won't work ;-)
I arrive Dec 28 and don't have my housing assignment yet so I'm still holding out hope for something with a yard for the dogs (Dhahran or Rakah) ... and then whatever happens we will make it our new home.
Thanks.
|
|
