Moving to Hamilton
 

Hello everyone,

My husband has got a job offer in Hamilton and he believes it will boost his career further.

Me and my kids are very satisfied in our present situation and honestly speaking, I don't want to move but it seems, we will have to. I am so confused and nervous that I don't know where to start. I have googled a bit but my mental state is not able to analyse any thing. I have 2 kids aged 8 and 7 and uprooting them is making me anxious.

Please guide me about how will be the living conditions over there, area to live in, weather and school system. Neither of us know how to drive, so do I have to buy a car over there and obtain driving licence? We are not so rich anyways.

Sorry, I have nowhere else to go to and google is not helping my nerves either.

Thanks in advance

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

:welcome:

Hamilton is a nice city. Like any it has its good and bad pockets, but there are tons of nice spots, particularly in the areas just outside of Hamilton - Waterdown and such.

A car will for sure be required, though... Licensing in Ontario is in three stages:

G1 - learners' permit. You have this for 12 months before you can go to the next level. You can only drive with someone who has had their full G license for 4 years or more. When I was getting mine, you could get your next level after 8 months if you completed driving school, but not sure if that's still the case.

G2 - almost your full license. Blood alcohol tolerance is zero, otherwise no restrictions if you are over 21. (Again going on memory - so double check this!) You have to have your G2 for one year before moving to your G.

G - full license, no restrictions, BAC limit 0.05.


Other pertinent questions, though, does your husband have a work visa sorted out? Is the company willing to apply for one? Will the permit then extend to you and your kids for work (you) and study (your kiddies)?

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

Thanks a lot for so quick n helpful reply. I dont know details but company persons seem to be very helpful n want us there as a family. I am sure my husband will have no problems in getting visa. Thx again

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

Welcome! You've come to the right place for support and answers, so a good first step...

Where are you moving from? What sort of line of work is your husband in? What sort of work permit will he be on when you move? Do you know when the move is likely to take place?

There are reasons for asking: the type of work and immigration status of your OH (temp work permit vs permanent residence etc, skilled vs semi-skilled, etc) will make a difference to whether you are permitted to work, and whether you plan to make this a permanent or temporary move.

Hamilton is a nice enough place to live - it is a former hub of heavy industries (coal, steel, shipbuilding) but has had a lot of inward investment in recent years to reposition itself in a sort of post-industrial mould. There are still some run-down areas, like any big industrial city, but there are also some lovely neighbourhoods. It is also one of not very many North American cities where it is perfectly sensible to live without a car, if as it seems it'll take you a while to get a drivers' license. I don't know the individual neighbourhoods well, but we have a few Hamiltonians on the forum who will be along to advise in due course...

Your kids will likely be absolutely fine: 8 and 7 is a great age to treat the whole thing as a bit of an adventure, and to fit right in without a significant impact on education etc. But, being kids, they will take their cues from you - if you can manage to project excited enthusiasm about the move, they'll echo that, while if you're super-anxious about everything they will follow that too.

You ask about weather... Hamilton is in southern Ontario, where our winters are colder and snowier than anything in the UK, and the summers hotter and more humid; spring and autumn are both relatively short seasons in between. But teh infrastructure is built with those conditions in mind: society still functions perfectly normally when it's -20 outside with a couple of feet of snow on the ground; most public buildings and many private homes have air conditioning systems running in the summer.

Good luck! Don't forget there are (almost) no stupid questions on here, but do be prepared for a bit of off-topic banter in the answers (I've just been re-reading the infamous "parrot thread" from a couple of years ago, linked from a post in here about transporting small pets - have a look if you need a laugh)

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

I wouldn't take it as a given. What does your husband do? THe process for getting a work visa has been tightened up quite a lot this year and will take a few months to come through. Just helping to manage expectations!

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

My sister in law and family live technically in Hamilton (Binbrook) and they seem to me, like many in their area, to have turned their back on the downtown area itself. They rarely go there preferring the Limeridge Mall and all of the lovely retail offerings of Stoney Creek etc.

The suburbs of Hamilton seem to stretch for a long way and the downtown area seems to have lost its relevance as a place in which to live.

The view coming into Hamilton from the west at night from this location can be quite spectacular....

http://goo.gl/maps/EMzno

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

Try to relax and just collect as much information as possible. I am sure it feels like you have been run over by a bus right now, but I doubt things will happen as quickly as you fear. Check on the visa process, assuming the company are confident they can get this for you. The time span for the visa will determine everything.

The kids will be fine. They will love Canada, especially around Toronto and Niagara. They will love the reliably warm summers and reliable snowfall in winter. Perfect age to bring kids over to Canada. ( I have perfect little fluffy snow flakes floating around as we speak!)

If you google Hamilton you might not always find nice things about it. I live near Sarnia and believe me you will find lots of nasty comments about that town. They are both industrial and have suffered with economic declines in manufacturing. However I generally pick up good vibes about Hamilton. It is trying to revive its downtown and may still succeed. In many North American towns people live, work and shop in the suburb communities so Hamilton itself is not a good thing to google. I would love to have been forced to go to Hamilton as it is so close to Toronto; the airport; Niagara; US border etc.

You have such an adventure ahead. Embrace it and enjoy it.

Welcome to the Forum!

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

Thanks all. :thumbup: Yup, feeling like run over by a bus;)

My husband is in research line and he will be getting a skilled visa. I think, right now his work contract will be of 2 years and then hopefully will be extended later on. We are expecting to move in August.

Thanks for asking questions because there are some points which I even didn't gave a thought.

So, I am still getting mixed reviews about Hamilton here. I think will have to check it out personally :lol:

May I ask about average income for a family with 2 kids. I know it depends on each family and their circumstances. But still will give us a food for thought whether move is feasible for us or not.

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

To say this is out of date is an understatement.

With kids that age, if you can find somewhere in Kirkendall, JFDI. It's one of the most family-friendly neighbourhoods in the city. Locke St is lovely, basically Kirkendall's very own equivalent of a high street. House prices are going up due to clued-up Torontonians moving in, but still highly affordable by UK standards (and other, more plastic parts of the GTA).

James North continues to gentrify at an incredible pace, once the GO station opens later this year it will just cement things for that part of town. The property bargains just off James N have all pretty much dried up once the GO station got confirmed - but as a place to walk down, hang out etc it's going from strength to strength. The monthly art crawl is totally kid-friendly.

McMaster University is hugely increasing their presence in the downtown core - they've taken over all the office space in Jackson Square, and the brand new building next to the Art Gallery of Hamilton (punches well above its weight if you're in to that kind of thing, btw) is slated to open later this year as well.

Plenty of other posts about Hamilton on here if you take a look, but if you know which neighbourhoods to focus on, you'll be golden.

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

Heading to McMaster, by any chance?

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

Hmmmm....not sure I agree with the posts so far. I wouldn't say Hamilton is a "nice" or "lovely" city. It's a post-industrial city still in recovery with a way to go yet. The downtown area needs some development work.

I also don't agree that the parents of 2 young children can easily get away without at least 1 car there. It's possible in a city where it's viable to live/work downtown and there is good public transportation (including a subway) but I wouldn't say that applies to Hamilton. Depending on the husband's commute, they might even need 2 cars.

It's not a horrible place but it's not exactly a place that attracts migrants. I'm in and around Hamilton quite often. Have been to concerts downtown at FirstOntario Centre (formerly Copps Coliseum) and Hamilton Place. There's a good Irish pub downtown that I go to. But downtown isn't exactly somewhere I would choose to spend much time. Lots of undesirables roaming around.

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

We have travelled all over Canada in the past 8 years and Hamilton has to be the most industrial ugly place I have ever visited. If you are having doubts about moving as it is then I would think very hard about this. Canada has some beautiful parts but Hamilton isn't one of them.

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

If its a really good career opportunity for him and your children are settled why doesn't he go out there for a couple of years on his own? I can't imagine he could get up to too much in Hamilton. Plus, you might enjoy the space and explore your own options. :thumbup:

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

Firstly, I have never been to Hamilton. However, I have immigrated to Canada. I really don't think it is something you should consider lightly. If you have a nice life in the UK with security, nice house, family etc, moving over here might not be in your best interest. For us, the move took well over 2 years to get over - probably more like 3. The cost (financially), unless being picked up by work, is horrendous (or at least it was for us). The culture shock is far greater than I had anticipated - and we'd spent a fair bit of time in Canada over the years before we moved here permanently.

I'm not saying don't do it. I would just add caution to the thoughts that are already going through your thought process. Not being able to drive in Canada, unless you're in a really big city, I would have thought would be a major inconvenience. Granted we are fairly rural (ish), but 2 cars for us is essential for survival.

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

I'd say the perfect age to move kids is before they have started school. The younger the better.

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

I agree. But the pace of gentrification is increasing - but it's hyper-localised. James North is the epicentre of this, but there are ripples taking place.

West side of the lower city (specifically, towards the escarpment), isn't far from downtown - and where I suggested the OP focus their attention.

I missed an earlier post that spoke to living here without a car. We've managed perfectly well with one, but not having one at all wouldn't work for us (I certainly wouldn't recommend it with two kids).

The bus service is perfectly functional. The non-stop GO service to Toronto is every 20 minutes, which can work really well if you're close to one of the GO stops. There's a general north American negative feeling about "transit" in most cities in general, which I've noticed some expats aren't immune to ;-)

Very fair point. Like any city, there's several parts I never go to, nor have any inclination to bother with. I guess it very much depends on where you focus on, and what you're after.

There are certain parts of downtown that have halfway houses, and they are well known to locals. Steer clear of those, and you're fine. I've walked home from downtown in the small hours (admittedly, not very often compared to when I lived in Manchester in the early 90s!) but have felt perfectly safe - indeed, probably safer than I did when doing a similar walk home back then...
Also, some of said halfway houses are slated to be relocated very soon - it's been noted that this seems to coincide well with some of the other upcoming developments.

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

This is the wonderful thing about forums, the information you'll read is completely subjective and based solely on posters' own experiences.

Just for balance - we had a nice life in the UK, 4 bed-semi, one car was enough for us, some family nearby, other family further away, as active a social life as a couple with two young children can have, couple of holidays a year, steady jobs.
We moved because we wanted to try somewhere new, Canada fitted the bill, particularly the Calgary area, and we were lucky enough to be able to bring our jobs with us. We felt like we settled into Canadian life immediately, we'd only been here on one two-week holiday before we moved over, and that trip was to activate our PR.
We've not missed the UK yet, and we have no plans to go back for a visit any time soon.
We financed the move using the equity we had in our house in the UK, yes it cost in the region of £12,000 to move, but we accepted that as a necessary evil.
Our kids are a bit younger than the OP, they were 5 and 1 when we moved, but we've had no problems with the elder one settling into a new school, or life in general here.
I would agree about the driving. I don't know anything about Hamilton, but I could only imagine that getting by in the suburbs of any city here is made more difficult without at least one car. It can be done, but it might make a difficult time even more awkward.

RivingtonPike had their experience, we've had ours, they are at different ends of the spectrum, quite where you'll fit in on that spectrum? Well, you'll probably only know when you're in the thick of it.

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

:goodpost:
It's actually only on reflection that we realised it had taken us so long to "belong". Don't get me wrong, overall we're very happy here and have a fun lifestyle. But it's only looking back on the "settling in" period that we realised how different, for us, our society and the people, psyches, and I suppose customs and habits really were.

I admit that many people think the Island is particularly weird and west coasty (I don't have a hippy bone in my body) - even the born and breds concede it is a place unto itself. We have great neighbours, great friends and the kids are thriving at school. I suppose I just expected it to be like this from day one!

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

Regarding Hamilton, this article in the Globe and Mail today might be of interest.

http://m.theglobeandmail.com/life/home-and-garden/real-estate/hamiltons-great-leap-forward-new-condos-transit-boost-real-estate/article23629210/?service=mobile&click=sf_globe

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

Just to put my 2d in, I have lived in Hamilton for the past almost 15 years - of course there are areas where it isn't the nicest but doesn't every largish city have those? I wouldn't personally want to live in the North End but each to their own.

You don't necessarily need a car in Hamilton unless you need to travel off the bus routes or out of town as there is an excellent public transport system (and even travelling out of town there are coaches and trains available).

http://www.busweb.hamilton.ca:8008/

It always makes me laugh when I see the usual negative comments about 'Steel City' - but it has some beautiful buildings, good restaurants, pubs, many parks, waterfalls and interesting places to visit. You can read more here: Hamilton : British Expat Wiki

Depending on whether you are looking to rent or buy - and what kind of houses you prefer - there is a huge diversity of properties available, from new builds 'up the mountain' to victorian turreted houses in the West end.

There are several of us on BE who live in Hamilton - just give us a shout if there is anything specific we can help you with.

:)

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

Thanks everyone for sharing their thoughts and helpful links.

I don't know how to quote individual posts. But yes, we intend to learn driving and buy a car. Hope it will be easier to obtain a licence there. :fingerscrossed:

We would like to stay there as a family unit. It may be a bit difficult but I think life is too short to not take such risks.

Also can someone point out average monthly income enough for a family of 4, big foodies but non-drinkers. Just a rough idea? I know it depends on how long a thread can be stretched but still....

Further, how is the medical system over there?

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

Very similar to the NHS except that dental care isn't covered (jobs with a benefit package offer varying degrees of coverage for dental work). I would get as much work done as possible before coming; especially anything in the way of braces for the children.

Note that I mean "very similar to the NHS" in a good way!

I'm in the "Hamilton's rough in parts but I could easily live there" camp, btw. There's lots to do there and easy access to lots more entertainment by taking the train to Toronto.

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

Not sure how Hamilton ranks as a foodie destination (you may be travelling to Toronto to satisfy that interest), but I think if you're going to move to Hamilton, you have to go in with appropriate and realistic expectations. Also, learn to appreciate Hamilton in its own context (ex: not by comparing it to life in the UK). This photo thread might give you a taste of what you could expect: Canada's most unloved and least known big city - SkyscraperPage Forum.

Edit: This might help to put Hamilton's food scene in perspective: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/739...969402#5969402

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

If by average monthly income and "big foodies" you mean cost of food at home ...............

we are 2 seniors living in Vancouver, we do not stint ourselves when it comes to food, although neither of us is a "big" eater ...........

if we prefer the brand name, we buy that not the cheaper store brand.

we only like wild sockeye salmon, so only buy that not the much cheaper farmed salmon

we still buy a roast for Sunday dinner, and have it cold for 1 or 2 more days.

we buy extra lean ground beef (ie mince) instead of the cheaper lean ground


On the other hand, we buy very little prepared food, hardly any soda pops, we cook from scratch, and make extra amounts of casseroles, stews etc to freeze in individual portions. We even have meal-sized portions of sliced turkey and sliced lamb frozen for future use


Having said all that, we currently spend between $110 and $150 a week at the grocery store, plus another $20+ at the individual butcher.

Today OH bought a lamb leg roast from our butcher for just over $50, the butcher cut it into 3 x 2lb pieces ....... and we have a lamb roast for tomorrow and 2 in the freezer.


We could possibly cut those costs by half if we went for the cheaper alternatives.


so we probably spend around $500-600 on groceries for a 4 week month ......

........ you need to add to that the cost of electricity, gas (for heating if applicable), rent or mortgage payments, cost of transit, car payments, insurances (car, house, belongings, medical)

where and how you live cheaper depends on you


I do not know how these costs compare with Hamilton ............... I know costs are higher in Halifax in NS.

You might want to Google "grocery stores Hamilton Ontario" ............... it is possible to see flyers on line

eg, Hamilton Flyers | Online Weekly Store Flyers in Hamilton, ON - RedFlagDeals.com

Sobeys is one of the big chain grocery stores.


That may give you an idea of food costs for your family.


Looking at the Sobeys flyer on that site ............ I think costs are a little higher in Hamilton.


I shop at Safeway, which is now owned by Sobeys, and comparing the same or very similar items in the 2 flyers ...........

lean ground pork Safeway $3.59 lb, Sobeys $4.49

Hot cross buns Safeway package of 12 $2.50, Sobeys package of 8 $2.99 (50% off)

Heinz ketchup 750ml to 1 litre size Safeway 2 for $7, Sobeys same sizes $3.49 each (save up to $1)

Tresemme hair care Safeway $3.99, Sobeys $4.99 (save up to $1)

Dole Pineapple slices 398 ml can Safeway and Sobeys on sale 99c each

Bertoli olive oil 1 litre bottle Safeway $11.99, Sobeys $6.99 (save upto $5) .... Sobeys wins on this one!



but you get the idea!!!

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

That's great if you don't have kids. But things are very different when, like the OP, you have 2 young children. What happens when the school calls because your kid is sick or injured and you have to collect the kid from school and head to the doctor? And then you have to be home in time for the 2nd kid arriving back from school. There are many other scenarios where having a car makes life much easier e.g. going grocery shopping with kids (try that with public transit and see how that works out), dropping off and picking up from play dates, etc. I know many people have no choice and have to manage somehow but, if you do have a choice, having a car makes it easier.

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

Is it not going to take time though for the OP to learn to drive a car in Canada ............... and to be able to carry passengers?

Is everyone subject to the Learner and Novice plates when they are limited to who they can take in the car with them?

Would it not be better to learn to drive a car before coming here?



BTW ................ I don't drive, never have driven, but we managed when my daughter was in school. I've begged a friend to drive me. I've taken a cab.

OH did it most of the time .............. he played a huge role in the household life, so all the burden was not on me. I went back to work 4 days a week when she was 6 weeks old.

It does mean both of you pulling together!

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

Hi, I live in Hamilton, actually Ancaster which is now part of the city of Hamilton.
There are areas to be avoided, like any large city. But I've been here 29 years, raised 2 girls in the West end in great schools near McMAster university.
It's a great location for visiting the Niagara region and the other way towards Toronto.
It's not all bad.
You will for sure need a car. It will make your life so much easier.
I can't speak to the standard of living compared to the UK as I haven't lived there for 30 years. But I would say I don't think your going to suffer.
Hope this helps.

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

With respect, the Chowhound's article is 5 years old. A lot has changed - we have a huge array of restaurants ranging from Ethiopean to Japanese and most things in between. We also have bistro's, decent Thai and Indian as well as Carribean restaurants. Best Hamilton, Ontario Restaurants: See 987 restaurants with 12,118 reviews - TripAdvisor

I wonder why those photos from skyscraper always get posted whenever Hamilton is mentioned? They are several years out of date (generally) and why not post the link from that website of pictures of some of the nicer places and streets in Hamilton as well? (yes, there's a few unsavoury ones too - but where hasn't got the odd area?) -One Hundred Pictures of HAMILTON- - SkyscraperPage Forum

http://www.tripadvisor.ca/LocationPh...n_Ontario.html


As to food costs i.e. shopping, I wouldn't buy from Sobeys/Fortino's on a regular basis as they are far too expensive. Food Basics and Freshco are the cheaper stores (owned by Fortino's / Metro groups), Walmarts isn't too bad (we have several supercenters here) and Metro is fairly reasonable for some things. We also have several Farmers Markets and independent stores. I shop once every 3 weeks for 3 adults and a dog and it costs me around $320, we eat well with 90% of our meals made from scratch but also including the odd bit of junk food like crisps (chips) and biscuits (cookies).

:)

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

Do taxis not operate in Hamilton? I'd have thought the taxi service would be an ideal way of coping with the occasional "I need to get to there from here, right now" scenarios. Or there's always Uber, which has been proposing a Hamilton service for months but I don't think is quite up and running yet...

Life in a city with half-decent transit and two school-age kids is not, I would suggest, that different in Canada and the UK. What do you suppose the OP does now if a school calls to say a kid is sick?

Of course, there are occasions where life is simpler with a car. The OP has said they will probably learn to drive once here and buy a car in due course. But I really don't think being a non-driver is as big a deal as you make out, particularly if one is used to not having a car in the UK.

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

I dunno about Hamilton but in Toronto supermarkets have cab ranks (e.g. Loblaws at the foot of Leslie Street) or, at least, pay phones with the numbers for taxis (that dodgy shop with all the dried fish in the welfare mall, Freshcos I think it is). We used to walk there and take a cab back.

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

A friend of mine lives in Westdale in Hamilton. It's actually quite a nice area. Looks a little like Niagara on the Lake (trying to be old school) and leafy. There is some student populace that keeps restaurant prices and amenities nice and affordable too.

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

All fair points and much depends the OP's situation in the UK (which we don't know). Maybe she lives within walking distance of the school and the doctor's office? Maybe she has friends or family members that help out? Maybe she lives in an area with really good public transit? Maybe she takes taxis? The OP can tell us how she currently manages without a car.

So, yes, it's possible to get by without a car (and many parents do) but the one big difference in Canada will be the weather e.g. standing at a bus stop in biting cold and wind, navigating snowy/icy sidewalks etc. My wife and I lived in Toronto for several years without children and without a car. We lived in an area with great public transit but it didn't take us long to get a car once the first child came along. I accept that other people may be more tolerant of not having a car than we were.

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

IMO, Hamilton and the surrounding area has lots to offer foodies - you just have to know where to look (it's much easier with a car, but there are certainly a number of decent places to eat that are relatively easy to get to by public transport)!

There have been many changes in Hamilton in the last 5 years, so I don't know that the chowhound article really applies any more. My take, FWIW, is that Hamilton has a bad reputation that may or may not have been justified in the past (I wasn't here then), but the vast majority of the articles I see about Hamilton don't do it justice. Which is probably for the best since if too many people decided it was such a lovely place to live, it probably wouldn't be nearly as nice!

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

Someone linked to this podcast on Facebook - sounds like it would be worth checking out.

Discover #HamOnt Podcast

Here's an article about it:
https://cfmu.wordpress.com/2015/04/1...d-its-awesome/

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

I lived in Hamilton for a year when I landed in Canada, the geography is a bit weird since there's a large escarpment dividing the city in two (it rises about 100 meters at a 45 degree angle) living up high is "on the mountain" and generally nicer than the lower areas to the north.
I lived in a "bad" area and it did have an air of desperation and was very rough around the edges, but I never felt afraid to go out and it still seems friendly by UK standards.
There are some really cool areas in Hamilton, the Bay front park is great for families with a cycle/walking path along the lakefront, the Bruce Trail is cool and there are tons of great waterfalls around the city.
Downtown is a mix of really nice areas and grotty bits (like Jackson Square mall) the Public transit is very good and the main Library is excellent, also the farmers market is well worth a visit.

I learned to drive in Hamilton and it takes a bit of getting used to, there are loads of one way streets and some quirks (you can turn left on some red lights) but the lanes are wide most cars are automatic and the city blocks make life easier than the UK.
If you do come over and want to drive here make sure you get your G1 as soon as possible (its just a theory test), it's like a provisional/learners permit and with it you can only drive with a fully licensed person in the car. To drive on your own you need the G2 license, your problem will be that to get a G2 you have to wait a year before you can do the road test, or 8 months if you do an approved driving course. If you have a UK license it can be transferred over but I think you need to show you've driven for a few years on it.

As for cost of living, electricity, gas, petrol, housing, electronics, take out food and cars are cheaper in Canada.
Food from supermarkets, mobile phone plans, bank accounts, internet and alcohol are all more expensive here. It kind of balances out in the end though.

Hope that helps.

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

thanks Daniel and all others. Sorry for no show for so many days. We have still not received offer in writing, only verbal assurances. I have still no answers for your Visa queries. I hope some of you will be able to understand our anxiety. Not able to start any process until we get the contract.

Never mind, I keep lurking through the threads. About shipping our belongings, is it worth to ship white goods too? We bought new furniture and electricals just 2 months ago. We were honestly not expecting to move so far.

Thanks again. I really appreciate all help. It must be nice over there with so nice helpful people making a living there :) :starsmile:

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

I personally would not bother with white goods. It's going to cost a lot to ship and you may have compatibility issues with installing them here - don't forget that the voltage is different here. You'll be better off getting new ones here - and if you decide to buy a house then in 99% of cases white goods are included with the house... chances are if you rent that white goods will also be there. So honestly, you're probably better off selling your white goods, annoying as it is, and then seeing how it goes when you get here and what your accommodation provides.

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

I would agree with SchnookoLoly on this. White goods invariably come with the house whether you rent or buy. All the other electrical stuff though I would bring. Despite what some may lead you to believe, lots of electricals will still work. For some you may need a step up transformer to get the correct voltage but these are cheap, readily available, and simple to use. We still use one in the kitchen for our breadmaker and I have one to power some of my music stuff. Of course, with time, you will inevitably replace stuff and no doubt buy the North American equivalent. Electrical stuff here seems to be cheaper than my recollection of UK prices, but if your UK version of whatever it is sill work either with or often without a transformer, why replace it?

Re: Moving to Hamilton
 

We brought stuff that didn't need a transformer, and decided that we'd just re-buy the handful of things that did need the transformer... most notable for needing transformers are things with heating elements and/or motors - hand blenders, toasters, kettles, etc. We didn't want to have to bother trying to install something in the kitchen to work with most of our stuff, and as rivington said, most of it is cheaper here anyway, so we decided to just keep things simple and re-buy a lot of the kitchen and bathroom stuff that required electrical input. The handful of pricier items we had in the UK, like our Nespresso machine, we were able to sell in the UK and then put the money towards the replacement here.

We just couldn't be bothered trying to sort out transformers and all the rest of it, so this was the simpler version for us. I guess part of it will just depend on how much faff you feel like going through!