Why Housing Choice Is a Logistics Decision, Not Just a Room Booking
Shipyard work in South Lafourche runs on schedules. Welders and pipefitters show up early, work long shifts, and need rest that works. Picking a room or an RV site is not like picking a vacation spot. It is part of the job plan. If the site is far from the water, the shift, or the shipyard gate, that adds drive time every single day. Multiply that by a crew of six or ten guys and you have lost hours that add up fast.
We see this mistake all the time. A crew boss books rooms scattered across two or three places because that is all that was open. Now half the guys show up late, tired from driving, and nobody is on the same schedule. A better move is getting the whole crew on one lot. When everybody stays together, it is easier to keep track of who is where, easier to coordinate rides, and easier to keep the crew rested and ready.
Think about what a housing decision touches on a shipyard job.
- Truck and trailer parking, since crews often roll in with work trucks, tool trailers, and sometimes a personal RV
- Hookups for RVs, meaning 30 amp or 50 amp power, water, and sewer connections that work
- Laundry access, since welders go through work clothes fast and need clean gear for the next shift
- Food and supplies close by, so nobody burns a rest day driving for groceries
- A place where the whole crew can stay together instead of splitting up across different spots
That last point matters more than people think. A crew that stays together stays sharp. Guys check in on each other. Nobody is late because their room was across town. And when work runs long or a schedule shifts last minute, it is a lot easier to manage a group in one place.
This is where an RV park set up for extended stay work earns its keep. Everything is on one lot. Utilities are included. You are not chasing down power or water hookups separately, and you are not paying extra fees you didn't see coming. That kind of setup takes one big headache off a crew boss's plate.
Some crews need RV sites with full hookups. Others need a cabin or bunkhouse already furnished so guys can walk in and start working the next morning. Either way, the choice should match how the job runs, not just what has an open spot that week.
Our staff includes Spanish speaking team members, so communication is not a barrier when you are booking a stay for a mixed crew.
Housing is not the fun part of the job. But it is the part that decides whether your crew shows up rested or worn out.
Types of Crew Housing Near Shipyards and Fabrication Yards
Not every crew needs the same setup. Some guys pull in with their own RV and just need a place to hook up. Others show up with nothing but a duffel bag and need a bed, a kitchen, and a lock on the door. So we set things up to cover both kinds of workers, and everything in between.
- Full hookup RV sites with 30 amp or 50 amp power, so your rig runs everything it needs
- Spacious pull through RV sites with extra parking for trucks and trailers, good for crews hauling equipment
- Furnished cabin rentals with a full kitchen, good for guys who want a real bed and don't own an RV
- Bunkhouse rentals for crews who need to split costs and stay close together
- Monthly, weekly, and nightly options on RVs, cabins, and bunkhouses, so short jobs and long jobs both fit
Here's the thing most workers don't think about until they're already tired and hungry after a shift. Some places rent you a spot, then charge extra fees for stuff you thought was included. That gets old fast when you're trying to save money on a long job.
We do it different. Every site and every cabin sits on one lot, and utilities are included in your stay. You don't have to hunt down a separate water hookup or worry about a surprise power bill. It's one place, one gate, and everything you need close by.
Say you're a pipefitter coming in for a six week job with three other guys. A bunkhouse might make more sense than four separate RV sites. But if you're solo and already have a camper, a full hookup RV site with 50 amp power gets you set up in an hour. And if your company is housing a whole crew for months, corporate and workforce housing options mean you don't have to piece it together yourself.
Plenty of crews aren't sure what they need until they see the options side by side. That's normal. Most guys just want a place to sleep that doesn't add stress to an already long day.
If you want to see every housing option laid out in one place, our worker housing page breaks down RV sites, cabins, and bunkhouses so you can pick what fits your crew.
Our staff can help in Spanish too, so language isn't a holdup when you're trying to book a spot fast.
Proximity to Bayou Lafourche Shipyards and Job Sites
If you work on the water in South Lafourche, you already know the drive matters. Where shipyard welders and pipefitters stay in South Lafourche usually comes down to one thing: how close can you get to the job without wasting your morning in a truck. Galliano sits right in the middle of shipyard country. That's not luck. It's why crews keep asking about it.
Bayou Lafourche runs through this whole stretch, and the shipyards and fabrication yards follow the water. LA-1 runs the west bank and LA-308 runs the east bank. From the park at 108 Peterson Ln in Galliano, Edison Chouest in Cut Off is about 5 miles, under 10 minutes. ECO North American Shipbuilding in Larose is about 12 miles, about 18 minutes. Bollinger Shipyards in Lockport is about 24 miles up LA-308, around 34 minutes. Port Fourchon is about 26 miles south down Highway 3235, about 40 minutes, with the elevated toll bridge on the way. Thoma-Sea, C&G Boats, and Abdon Callais all sit along the same two roads. You've got welders, pipefitters, and deckhands moving between yards up and down the bayou. Staying close means you're not burning gas or losing sleep before a 6 a.m. call time.
If you are still lining up work, the Bollinger Shipyards careers page lists open jobs at the Lockport yard and the company's other Louisiana yards.
We hear this from crews all the time. A pipefitter working a job in South Lafourche doesn't want a 45 minute drive each way. He wants to roll out of bed, grab coffee, and be on site fast. That's the whole point of staying close to the work.
Here's what matters most when your crew is picking a place to stay near the yards:
- Short drive time to job sites along the bayou, so shifts don't start with an hour in traffic
- Everything on one lot, so trucks, trailers, and gear all park in one spot
- Utilities included, so nobody's chasing down separate accounts for a short job
- Room for work trucks and trailers, not just a small car parking spot
- A place that understands crew schedules, not just weekend campers
A lot of extended stay workers aren't in oil and gas at all. Some are on construction crews, some are doing storm cleanup work, some are just working a long-term job away from home. What they all need is the same thing: a place close enough to the job that the commute isn't part of the workday.
And that's the piece people forget. A cheap spot 40 minutes away can end up costing more in gas, time, and tired crews than a spot that's just a few minutes from the yard. Location isn't a small detail here, it's the whole decision.
So when you're mapping out where your crew will sleep during a job in South Lafourche, start with the map, not the amenities list. Figure out where the yard is. Then look for a park that sits close by and keeps things simple, one lot, hookups ready, no runaround.
Our staff includes Spanish speaking team members too, so language isn't a barrier when your crew is checking in after a long shift.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my crew needs RV sites or a bunkhouse?
It depends on what your crew already owns and how many guys need a spot. If workers roll in with their own campers, full hookup RV sites make sense. If guys show up without a rig, a furnished cabin or bunkhouse gets them settled fast. Crews with a mix of both often split between site types on the same lot. The worker housing page walks through RV sites, cabins, and bunkhouses side by side, so you can match the setup to your crew before the job starts.
What hookups do I need for an RV during a shipyard job?
You need 30 amp or 50 amp power, water, and sewer, depending on your rig. Bigger RVs and campers with more appliances usually pull 50 amp. Smaller trailers often run fine on 30 amp. What matters most is having all three hookups working on one site, so you're not driving somewhere else for water or a dump station after a shift. That's the kind of detail that turns a long work stretch into a manageable one.
How far is the park from the shipyards?
From 108 Peterson Ln in Galliano, Edison Chouest in Cut Off is about 5 miles, ECO North American Shipbuilding in Larose is about 12 miles, Bollinger in Lockport is about 24 miles up LA-308, and Port Fourchon is about 26 miles down Highway 3235. Crews working 6 a.m. shifts can't afford a 45 minute commute each way. That extra rest adds up fast over a multi-week job, which is why so many welders and pipefitters ask about staying in this exact area.
What's a common mistake crew bosses make when booking housing?
The biggest mistake is booking rooms across two or three different places because that's what had openings. It seems fine at first, but it splits the crew up and makes mornings harder to coordinate. Guys show up late, tired from driving between spots, and nobody's on the same clock. Booking one lot with room for the whole crew avoids that problem completely and keeps everyone rested and on schedule.
Do I need to handle laundry and food separately when staying near a shipyard job?
No, and you shouldn't have to. Welders and pipefitters go through work clothes fast, so laundry access on site saves a rest day from getting eaten up by errands. The same goes for groceries and supplies. A good crew stay in Galliano puts a 24-hour laundromat, a grocery store, check cashing, and hookups close together, so nobody's burning a day off driving around town instead of resting up for the next shift.