__TJ__

Thanks for your updates guys, it helps when we are weighing up.

MandyStock

Hope you don't mind me tagging onto this thread.
I just wanted to know whether anyone has had any dealings good or bad with Doree Bonner International - especially the ones based in Wiltshire?
We are thinking of arranging a quote from them. We have read reports on them on the forum, but the quality of service seems to vary depending on where they are based. So any experiences with the Corsham, Wiltshire office would be appreciated.
We met a representative at the Canada Live expo in London a few weeks ago, and they seemed very knowledgeable.
We would be using them to move to Nova Scotia, so any experience of the company they use at the other end would be useful too.
Hope someone can enlighten me.
Many thanks.

ralphster

Folks,

Here is my 2p of our experience which is now run its course.

At the start I read through this thread and got a general feel of what people's experiences were. Thank you to everyone for their feedback and comments.

We invited round PSS and GB Liners, as well as telephone quotes from about 6 other companies all mentioned here.

In terms of professionalism, the chap from GB Liners was excellent and a cut above the rest. PSS were okay, although the salesman put us off bringing any electrical appliances (unnecessary as everything we have bought over works on voltage convertors bar the TV and DV which we left in the UK due to compatibility issues).

Quotes... PSS were the cheapest (of all). GB were willing to come down a little, but still did not meet PSS. Britannia (East Anglia) were much more expensive and would not compete on price. PSS also dropped their quote a little (£50), and we got the insurance down to 2.5% which was cheaper than others.

We ended up going with PSS, despite some of the bad experiences I read about on this thread. Emily at PSS (the day-to-day contact) turned out to be a star throughout the whole process.

The other important thing was our estimated crate volume was about 80% of the whole (20ft) crate. PSS told us that if we went over (and filled it), we would only be charged an extra couple of hundred quid. GB and others would have charge per sq. ft which would have worked out loads more. The upside... we ended up having the flexibility on the day to decide to bring extra stuff if it would fit. The downside.... we ended up bringing extra tat when we found we had extra space!!

PSS were very flexible during the quote process and offered free storage in the UK for 4 weeks if we needed it, along with a further discount on our insurance. The UK packing team were absolutely fantastic and worth the money along in the laughs they gave us. They were unbelievably hard-working, drunk copious amounts of tea and were lots of fun.

Ironically, we were slightly misled by the PSS salesman as to how long our crate would take. Instead of his "8+ weeks" estimate it arrived in 4 weeks (to W Canada)! We suddenly had the reverse problem of most that our stuff arrived too EARLY and faced expensive storage costs in Canada (much higher than in the UK).

PSS were again excellent and negotiated two weeks free storage with the receiving agent (Tippett Richardson). TP managed to delay the crate at customs a little for us and we ended up getting 4 weeks free from when the crate arrived at the docks.

Penny at TP was fantastic and very flexible with our constant change of plans. Customs at the docks were a doddle - 10 mins.

Unpackers were great. They put together all our furniture / beds etc as well. Nothing broken bar a couple of cheapy plastic crates.

All-in-all we had a wonderful experience (as far as moving your house across the ocean goes!) and I guess were very lucky that we did not have any major issues.

I think everyone's experiences are unique to them and their destination. I would recommend PSS based on our experience.

Couple of useful tips we learnt:

1) If you are not completely packing up a house, make sure you label everything to go or to stay. It makes life so much easier for both you and the packers. The only thing we forgot to label was our removable loft hatch (which was down on the landing temporarily). It got packed but we spotted it was missing before it went into the crate!

2) Get your crate's "container number" from your shipper. We asked PSS for ours (it is not someting they typically give out unless asked for). I then went online and was able to track our crate on the Maersk web site, like a DHL courier package!

http://www.maerskline.com/appmanager...g3_trackSimple

3) Declutter like mad! There is nothing worse than unpacking tat at the other end and thinking "Why on earth did we ship this?!". It is also very cathartic to dejunk (and maybe a once in a lifetime "opportunity" to save your kids doing it when you have immigrated to the sky). You can pick up quality tat at thrift (charity) stores over here to replace it! Also... Start early! My rule of thumb is two week for each 3 years that you have lived in the house! No matter when you start declutter, it will still feel like a car crash waiting to happen as the move date appraoches. The more you can sort early on the less stressful the moving part is. Ebay, car boots fairs, classified sites (craigslist, gumtree etc), freecycle and charity shops are your friends! Also, stick a list of stuff you are selling on a Google Doc and "share" it with your local friends/neighbours. I was amazing how much we sold locally at decent prices - i.e. not car boot prices!). Get a buyer for your car (if selling) as early as possible and negotiate to hang on to it until just before you leave. We gave them an extra £200 discount which saved us about £800 in hiring a car.

4) Bring your electronics and buy voltage convertors from http://www.voltageconverters.com. It is cheaper than buying all new appliances over here.

5) We digitised all our CDs and left them in the UK. Perfectly happy living in the digital realm here.

6) If you can afford it, don't DIY pack. It is just not worth it. The process is stressful enough as it is. We considered a DIY pack and yes, it would have "saved" us about £800, but the time and stress would have taken it's toll at a very crucial part of the move (it will also take you five time as long as the packers do it in). Also, the likelihood of breakages is alot higher unless know what you are doing (even if you are an expert suitcase packer - this is a different skill entirely).

Good luck everyone and may your seas be calm!

marknh

Hi We found out today that our stuff is still in the uk, having been picked up from our house in the uk 7 weeks ago...... The good news..we will have it for christmas... grrrrrrrrrrrrrr

__TJ__

no way? they hadnt shipped it? compensation mate!

marknh

mmmm i have just spoken with them and the hope is for christmas but they dont give timescales.... MAYBE they shouldnt have given me them in the first place..

They have just told me that they are within their timescales...mmmmm

nikkif99uk

I was just wondering the cheapest option if your only shipping over a few boxes or books/dvds to vancouver?

Optimistic Pessimist

Hi Nikkif99uk

Have a look at excessbaggage.com. I shipped over 6 boxes to Toronto with them (hopefully arriving this afternoon). Their prices seemed reasonable to me. You can get an online quote to give you an idea.

Dollseyes

Hi Guys,just joined.
My partner and I are to immigrate to St.John's NL Canada to stat a new job.
I am a 3d Artist by trade and got a good gig with a games studio in St.John's NL.Visas's all sorted,looking at properties right now.
I am to start 23rd Jan 2012 and aim to be there the week beginning 16th Jan or there abouts.
I have had several quotes all around the £4-5K mark,way too much for us.
I trawled the web and came across this site.Imparticular I saw a thread titled "International Removals" http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=729737
One member said through John Mason they got 36 Large boxes in a shared Container for £645.Another used PSS and was quoted £1400 for 228 Cubic Metres.
This is more within my budget £1000-1500.
My contents are mostly personnal Items-Record collection,Video Games consoles and Games,TV,Turntables,(got Step Downs for voltage diff)Clothes,Picture Frames,books and other odds and sods).If possible would like to include my sofabed and 1 chair.Oh, I also have a Running Machine Treadmill,which folds up.It's my girlfriends love as she is a runner.Measures about 4 and a half feet in height folded up and about 2-3 feet wide.Probably weights about 40-50 kg.
I am happy to pack myself,worked in a warehouse as a younger man.

Would really appreciate your thoughts guys,my partner likes to worry and to be honest I am a little worried too,the 23rd is not far away.
We are cool with perhaps having to wait for the items to arrive it's just getting the right price,service so we can begin.
Going to post this on the original section I read but noted it has not been updated since Aug 2011 and people on there said seek this one out.
Thanks again everyone and Merry Christmas!
Thanks Everyone.

sammynogills

Pickfords, they were ok but I suppose for us but it depends on where you're coming from. Different people different areas different attitudes.

Mhut

Hi Dollseyes

If its just boxes then try access baggage and air transat cargo, they are both competitive, and like you the removal companies where too highly priced for us on a tight budget. Access baggage even provide you with packing materials for you to pack yourself

Good luck with your travels

Dollseyes

Thanks Mhut.Getting visits/quotes this week from John Mason,GB Liners,Pickfords, and Excess International.Going to get one from PSS Removals too.
Had online quotes from Anglo Pacific and 1 St Move Int.Both quoted £3k-5K.
However when john Mason and GB Liners came and asked if we had got quotes from others they scoffed at the prices being charged.Saying they are most probably charging for a full container where as having seen our goods said it would be less than half a container.I will let you know what their quotes are.
Going to lookin into your suggestions.Also got advised to look into Trans Global Express and Ewepack.

growly

After my experience with Anglo pacific I wouldn't ever consider them again.

They are great at sales, but once you've agreed to use them (and they have collected your personal effects) communication dries up. Charlotte Porter didn't answer my emails for nearly 2 weeks, finally replying saying she'd been on a training course (and I think she needed it). They didn't seem to know where my items were and I had to call the company that collected my items for shipping to kick AP into action.

I had been promised a departure date from the UK, but when I asked for confirmation they told me a date two months later than agreed! When I told them to return everything to me as this wasn't acceptable they discovered they could ship on the agreed date.

I should not have allowed them to ship my possessions. There were a number of problems with Anglo Pacific and once I received delivery in California there were a number of breakages and damage. Many items were poorly packed, my turntable was shipped on its side, smashed pictures, crockery, and my expensive speakers were damaged. Anglo Pacific refused to cover many items thanks to a clause in the insurance - a document that they never sent me (you will find the insurance conditions on their website if you look carefully).

I would love to hear from those that claim they've had a good experience with Anglo Pacific, as i find it difficult to believe that my experience, and those of others here can be so bad if theirs is so good.

baby

Doree Bonner worked for us!

stevie_m

Hi there,

I've been offered a job in Canada (Edmonton to be exact)

Which company has the best reputation and delivery assurance ?

I see most people are going for the 20ft containers and some who have went for the bigger 40ft units.

The other questions are what would you recommend what is taken and what is left behind ?

I understand that most electrical appliances should be left in the UK as you need to buy adapters to change a 240v to 110v.