Understanding Prefabricated Building Prices: What You Need to Know

The Turkish Prefab Building Disaster That Cost Millions

A few years ago, a major oil & gas company launched a massive project in Africa. To house their workforce, they contracted a well-established Turkish company to design and build the camp. On paper, everything looked perfect - budget approvals, timelines, and supplier commitments.

But there was one crucial problem: the Turkish company had no idea as to the challenges and issues on how to operate in that specific country in Africa.

From the moment shipments arrived, the project spiraled into chaos. Containers landed in the wrong order - roofing materials arrived first, but the walling was still sitting in port. Customs officials flagged discrepancies in the paperwork, leading to unexpected delays and storage fees while the documentation was corrected. And the worst miscalculation? They completely misunderstood the capacity and productivity of the local workforce.

Doing most of their work in the Middle East, they were used to highly skilled Asian laborers working at a rapid pace. But in Africa, they were only getting 25% of the productivity they had budgeted for. The project fell dangerously behind schedule, with thousands of workers still waiting for accommodation. The entire operation was at risk because they had more workers arriving than beds available.

That’s when I got the call. We stepped in to supply and install a 1,500-man prefabricated camp fast. The company learned the hard way that when it comes to building workforce accommodation in Africa, experience matters.