mashiraz

Hi,

Starting to think about getting shippers to quote.

After hearing nightmare stores and good stories, what should I be asking the shippers to ensure I am going to get a good service (not neccessarily just the cheapest price)

Thanks
Mash...

yafm

Hi Mash,

I have got 5 quotes.
Avalon was far far over the top both in price but also in estimated cubic capacity.
The other 4 were almost spot on with each other.
They varied with the amount of cartons they thought they would need for odds and bods crockery glassware and boxes.
They had different attitudes to whether the 'wasted' space in cupboard could be utilised to save 'outside' cubic feet.
They also differed with the insurance
3 of the 5 use the same insurance company BUT one charged 3% (but did include for electric malfunction, vermin, mould and damp) The other two were charging 2.8% and 2.65% without the option for the extra cover.

I have excluded one other of the 5 - poor reaction to the representative really and certain slackness in his replied to government regulation queries.

The other three are still contenders and I would say try the yourself.

Bishops move. John Mason. Doree Bonner.

You have read the other threads on this forum about Avalon I am sure - did you visit his web site and see the photographs - phew!!!!

Good luck - If you come across another company who strike you as OK perhaps you will post a thread and let us know.

Whitehorns

We had 3 quotes, Avalon, Pickfords and John Mason.

Pickfords took an age to actually send a quote to us, John Mason salesguy was good but their quote was way over in estimate of volume relative to the other 2. Plus they did not send us an inventory list as part of the quote despite my request.

Avalon were very efficient in quoting and forwarding required details. So we have chosen them.

I am sure each Company will give as good a service as each. It is always dependent on the people employed. For every horror story there will be a 'my move was no problem' comment.

jayr

Crown Relocations (www.crownrelo.com.au) were very good, they subcontracted to Sterling International in the UK. Packing excellent, only one very minor breakage.

karawara88

Anglo Pacific were good for move to Australia but no good for return, it was OK until it hit UK. Which speaks for itself really.

Also I did not bother to insure anything because the cost of insurance was far greater than individual replacements. Also total loss at sea is often not covered.

So if you want to insure. Find out,

Exactly what they cover, how much individual items are covered. What happens if total loss at sea happened, what happens if it becomes water damaged etc.

All worse case, but its better to know now.

Also worth knowing is what happens when they deliver.

For my return a nutter turned up 2 hours late in a battered van dumped my stuff off on the side of the road and left. "Cant help you in with it mate, not my job". !!!

In contrast the guys at Perth arrived bang on time, brought the stuff in, helped unpack the essentials and removed the rubbish. Ihad somewhere in region of 95 boxes and the cost was £1800 which if I remember right was just under half a container and they packed it.

FOX

Ask whether you have to disassemble furniture, computer etc or whether they do it.

Pickfords came and did our move yesterday, have to say was very happy with the 4 men they sent, seemed very efficient, and knowledgeable. Pickfords quote cam in a wapping £1500 cheaper than the most expensive, and £600 cheaper than the next nearest quote!

Sarah

Ross Davis

Hello

Make sure you are clear on customs regulations of what will/will not be allowed in to Australia. We got stung for 4 one cm mini-pine cones, which we had forgotton to destroy with other things in the UK!

Be really careful with the fine print especially with the insurance as they will try any excuse not to pay up.

Also have a video/camera handy, in the unlikely event that something should go wrong at either packing or unpacking stage. As someone else said on this thread, most moves go fine, we accept we were unlucky. What we do have a major problem with is however, Avalon's evasiveness and failure to take responsibility for their numerous and so crucial errors.

Good luck

Macquarie

Hi Ross,

Sorry to hear about your woes. I was just wondering what you meant when you said you 'got stung' for the pine cones. Were you fined? Did you have to pay loads of money to have them destroyed? I would be greatful if you could explain the procedure as one of my main worries is that something gets missed during packing by mistake and we get into big trouble when we arrive in OZ. I have a fair amount of wicker/cane type stuff - how much to they charge to decontaminate it - any ideas? Removals people have told us not to worry but I can't help it!

Thanks
Julie

yafm

All five of my removals quote companies advised that under no circumstances to take wicker or cane furniture unless you want to have a long and expensive disucssion with customs in australia They were funny about Lloyd loom furniture (and still are) although it is spun paper - unless it is painted.

You would think that all these companies would give the same advise. Pine cones have always been a no no so they always inspect a box marked Christmas decorations in case there are some (even painted silver/gold) We are going to mark ours 'fairy lights and baubles'

Loopy

I forgot about my linen basket till one remover pointed out I couldn't take it, so with the next one that came I specifically asked and they said - should be okay to take it, wouldn't worry.
I would rather go on the side of caution!

Loopy

Ross Davis

Hello

Yes we destroyed all the pine cones we could find, but honestly overlooked these 4 small pine cones which were attached to Chrsitmas 'bell' decorations. Urrrrgh!

Quarantine of course found them, as our Box was labelled 'Christmas decorations' (and they went through all the decorations ripping open bags/boxes as they went)!!

We had to pay $220 to have our pine cones gamma-irradiated or $70 to have them destroyed!

Needless to say - if we had been told by quarantine that all they were holding ransom were 4 gold bells with mini pine cones on them, we would have had them destroyed. Unfortunately, they described these items as 'a box of Christmas decorations', so we thought they were holding ALL our decorations ransom. The descriptions of quarantine items was just too vague for us to second guess.

We therefore own the only pine cones in Australia that glow in the dark without being plugged into the mains!!

By the way, make sure you 'shake' all tinsel to remove any 'REAL Christmas tree needles', we did do this thank goodness!

Shikse

The guys who came round to pack our stuff said that customs rarely investigate shared containers, only whole containers. Anyone know if this has an element of truth in it? The only reason I want to know is that they packed up a few wooden items, labelled them as 'ornaments' and said 'don't worry'. (We are sharing a container). I don't want to get in any trouble, you see!!

mashiraz

Thanks evreyone for your answers:

So I guess I will ask...

Who does the packing, disassembling.
Will it be repacked in a warehouse anywhere or straight into a container.
How long will it take and how many people do it.
Should I take cane, wicker.
Cost of insurance, what does it cover
Cubic size
How long will it take, where store here and there
What happens till I get an address to deliver it
What will customs inspect and where.

Any one think of anything else?
Mash...

yafm

Who does the unpacking at the other end.
If I need to store while waiting for my new address will the insurance continue to cover the goods
How much will the storage be? Will it be secure?

queenie

I had a shared container and it was very interesting to see what had been checked by customs.

The box labelled medicines was untouched but a box of barbie toys was given a good going over (I like to think the guys had a little play with them). We also had several picture frames opened. Half of our boxes were PBO (packed by owner) and more of these were opened than the others but no wooden items were conviscated.

Another thing to ask the Removalists is who they subcontract to in Australia so you can ask about the subcontractors reputation. Also are the packers fulltime or casual.

Cheers
Queenie