Amoeba

Interesting... I just had a quote from Pickfords who also said I couldn't fit the lot in a20 footer and have quoted for a sole use 40 foot at 6 grand which busts my relocation budget if I add in flights to Perth!!! Have queried it and am hoping to get a better quote on Monday. Am getting quotes also from Anglo, PSS and Britannia shortly. I live in a small 3 bed Victorian terrace and am leaving behind my double bed, sideboard, computer desk, and some chairs, so how they got to 40' I'll never know.

BTW did anyone come across the fact that anything with feathers in it can't be shipped- pillows, cushions, duvets!!?? I find this incomprehensible. Is Britannia telling me porkies?

iamthecreaturefromuranus

Feathers are banned... see link below. Just incase you catch avian flu off your pillow. !

http://www.aqis.gov.au/icon32/asp/ex...LogSessionID=0

If they both say 40' needed ask them what you need to leave out to get back down to a twenty footer.

As for the original question... you will hear good and bad stories about all of them. Just pick who you feel happiest dealing with.

Alfresco

Yeah I'd get it re-evaluated. If three of them say 40ft then you know. Then just be prepared to leave bulky stuff behind so your stuff fits in a 20ft, then just book a 20ft container for less than £4k.

http://www.daff.gov.au/aqis/travel/e...alia/cant-take

It states feathers can't be brought in, but having said that I brought a feather pillow with me on the plane and declared it at customs on arrival at Brisbane airport along with a warthog tusk bottle opener.

They asked what I wanted to declare which I did and they said that's all fine. No problems.

p.s. Welcome to BE forums by the way.

paulry

The feather pillows, duvets, etc is the the truth. But I've read here that some people have shipped them anyway with no problems.

I had a quote from another shipping company last week and the agent reckoned that I would need more than a 20 footer. Turns out he calculated the volumes of furniture etc in their fully assembled state. He also estimated generously on the side of caution.

I've now booked a 20 footer with Coles and will dismantling just about everything. The plan is to have two streams. Stream A is the stuff that must go and stream B is for those things which can go if there's room.

Fingers crossed we don't have to leave much behind

Alfresco

Wise move.

Amoeba

Thanks for the answers on the feathers guys and for the link to AQIS. I'll play safe in this instance

I'll let you know on the outcome of the shipping. I think the agent was not taking flat packing I to account either. I've a stack of ikea shelving that is just made up of uprights pegs and shelves that take up no room at all, but looks really bulky when built!

Like the idea of two lists or must takes and nice to takes... Will do this too.

got another question, if you peeps don't mind... I've got a stack of wool that I use to make felt. It's washed and dyed and totally spotless and is the same as the stuff that is spun into yarn to make jumpers! Do I put this in a box of things to declare, or should I not ship? Will query with the two agents still to survey next week, but thought I'd ask anyway

PS. Thanks for the kind welcome Alfresco

Alfresco

No worries.

We also had huge Ikea cupboards/wardrobes which we flat packed mostly to take up less space and we're prepared to leave behind.

Can't comment on the wool though.

Good luck.

itxrd

we must have bought 20 pillows. all with feathers in them. no problems at all

charlie5

Yes, we had no problems either. There seems to be a number of myths on what you can or cannot ship. We were told that we couldn't ship our freezer but we had no problems at all. Similarly all our gardenn tools sailed through quarantine but we did spend time making sure that they were clean.

We used John Mason and couldn't fault their UK operation. They were helpful and very competitive. The onl;y down side is that they sub-contracting the Ausssie side of the shipping.

Charlie

pomerz

Thanks for the tip we are just setting the wheels in motion with Pickfords

MarkMC

Burke Brothers are crap.

badly underestimated the space needed, then charged us extra. Packing was shocking, things were broken, fridge dented, books thrown in and had the covers folded. Then, they fell out with the boat owners and never shipped the container, and left us here with no furniture. When we called to complain they just laughed.

Alfresco

Jerk Brothers you mean?

Sorry about your experience. That's truly awful.

MrJenkins

Best quote so far is John Mason at £3652.00 for a 20ft container! Good, bad ??

itxrd

Sounds good. They quoted us more than that for less (600 cu ft) so you've done well. Haggle anyway

Alfresco

That's about right. I think they quoted us slightly more by about £100 or something.

Good luck!