Farm owners know how to justify a tractor, header, ute or shed.

But worker housing often gets treated differently.

It gets seen as a cost.

That’s worth challenging.

If poor worker housing makes it harder to attract workers, keep workers, or get people on site ready to work, then it’s not just a housing problem.

It’s a business problem.

And like most business problems, it’s worth putting some numbers around it.

The simple example

Let’s say a farm needs accommodation for 20 workers.

The current Pastoral Award pay guide lists the Farm and Livestock Hand Level 2 casual ordinary hourly rate at $31.19 from 1 July 2025. The actual rate depends on the role, award, classification and employment type, so this is only a working example.

So before fuel, machinery, inputs or overheads, this example farm already has nearly $650,000 tied up in labour over 26 weeks.

That labour needs somewhere decent to live.

What poor worker housing can cost

Poor or unavailable housing doesn’t always show up as one clean invoice.

It shows up as travel time, people leaving, absenteeism, stress, delays and workers choosing another farm.

AHURI research says a lack of affordable and available regional housing can place workers in poor-quality housing and make it harder for regional businesses to attract and retain workers.

Now let’s put numbers against it.

That’s not a perfect figure.

It’s a simple model.

But it shows the point clearly.

If poor housing is costing the business travel time, lost days and turnover, the leakage can become serious very quickly.

Why the turnover number matters

Replacing workers costs money.

Gallup estimates that replacing a frontline worker can cost around 40% of salary. For technical roles, it estimates around 80%.

Using the same $31.19 hourly rate at 40 hours per week:

So if better worker housing helps keep even one or two good people, it can make a real difference.

That’s why smart farm owners don’t only look at the cost of the unit.

They look at the cost of not solving the problem.

Now compare the housing investment

Let’s say the farm invests in five 4-bedroom modular worker housing units.

That gives 20 beds.

For this example, we’ll allow $200,000 per unit as a simple working number.

That’s not a quote.

It’s just easy maths.

So the annual cost, after allowing a 25% residual value, is about $50,000 per year.

Again, this is only a model.

But it’s a useful one.

The break-even is the key

Here’s the important bit.

That’s the question.

Could better worker housing save or create more than $13.74 per worker per day over a 26-week season?

For many farms, that’s not a high bar.

If it reduces travel time, helps keep workers, cuts absenteeism, improves reliability, or helps fill positions faster, the numbers can start to stack up.

Why modular changes the equation

This is where modular worker housing is different from a fixed building.

A fixed building is usually tied to one location.

A modular unit can give you more options.

Depending on the design, approvals, transport access and services, modular worker housing may be moved, added to, repurposed or on-sold later.

That means the unit might start as seasonal worker housing.

Later, it might be used for contractors, a manager, guests, family overflow, or another site.

That flexibility matters.

That’s the point of Real Living. Delivered.

It’s not about flash accommodation.

It’s about quality-built housing that works for real people, in real places, and keeps working as an asset.

The simple business case

Before buying the next piece of gear, ask these questions.

ABARES reported that monthly hours worked in agriculture fell to 9.3 million in August 2025, 9% below the three-year average and the lowest level since the series began in 1984.

That doesn’t mean every farm has the same labour problem.

But it does show why worker availability can’t be taken for granted.

Final thought

A farm doesn’t make money from equipment sitting still.

It makes money when good people turn up, work well and stay.

That’s why worker housing should be looked at like any other farm investment.

Not soft.

Not sentimental.

Commercial.

If poor housing is costing you time, people, reliability or growth, then better worker housing may be one of the clearest investments on the table.

Smart operators know good housing keeps good people.

And when it’s modular, it’s not just accommodation.

It’s a flexible asset built to support your workers, your operation and your long-term return.

Why EOFY Is a Good Time to Review Your Accommodation Needs

The end of financial year is a practical time to review your accommodation needs.

Not because tax should drive every decision. It shouldn’t.

But EOFY is when the numbers are already on the table: revenue, costs, asset spending, budgets, labour pressure and forward plans.

That makes it a useful checkpoint for farms, mining operators, community housing providers, developers, councils and regional businesses that need accommodation for workers, tenants or project teams.

The question is simple: is your current accommodation helping the next financial year, or holding it back?

Quick answer: why review accommodation needs at EOFY?

EOFY is a good time to review accommodation needs because it brings together four decisions: budget, workforce, asset planning and timing.

Smart housing managers who are planning ahead don’t wait until the shortage becomes urgent. They use the EOFY review to decide what housing they need, when they need it and what budget should be allowed.

EOFY already forces the review

Business.gov.au’s EOFY checklist covers the practical EOFY tasks: records, deductions, compliance and planning for the year ahead.

That planning step matters. Accommodation is not just a building issue. It affects workforce, project delivery, retention, cash flow and long-term asset planning.

If accommodation is part of the operating model, it should be reviewed at the same time as other major assets and costs.

Accommodation can become a constraint

Poor, unavailable or poorly located accommodation can limit growth. It can make roles harder to fill, increase travel time, reduce retention and delay projects.

AHURI research on regional worker accommodation found that a lack of affordable and available housing can make it harder for regional businesses to attract and retain workers.

That issue is broader than agriculture. It can affect mining, construction, community housing, seasonal workforces, key worker housing and regional service delivery.

The labour market still matters

ABS job vacancy data reported 337,900 job vacancies in February 2026, up 2.7% from November 2025.

That does not mean every organisation has the same labour problem. But it does show that worker availability cannot be taken for granted.

For many roles, accommodation is part of the offer. If people cannot live close to the work, the role becomes harder to accept.

The EOFY accommodation checklist

Tax matters, but it is not the whole decision

EOFY often brings tax and depreciation into the conversation. That is useful, but it should be handled properly with an accountant or tax adviser.

ATO guidance on depreciating assets and capital allowances should be considered before making assumptions about deductions, write-offs or timing.

The point is not to rush into a purchase for tax reasons. The point is to use EOFY as a disciplined review point.

Why modular accommodation suits forward planning

Modular accommodation can suit EOFY planning because it can be staged. Depending on the site, approvals and scope, organisations may start with a small number of units and add more as demand grows.

Aruva’s accommodation unit cost guide also shows why transport, installation, trade availability and site access should be considered early, not after the budget is set.

Investors who are backing housing that actually delivers a return look at the full picture: people, timing, total project cost and future use.

That is where quality-built accommodation investments delivered by experts become part of a serious plan.

Final thought

EOFY is not just a tax deadline. It is a business checkpoint.

If accommodation has been limiting recruitment, retention, project delivery or operational performance, now is the right time to review it properly.

The better question is not “Can we afford accommodation?”

The better question is: what will it cost if we leave the accommodation problem for another year?

Real Living. Delivered. means accommodation delivered fast and built to last. EOFY is a good time to decide whether your housing plan is ready for the next financial year.