Looks like we've finally sold our house in the UK. Looking into getting a 20' container to transport our goods to Toronto. Has any one had any experience with self packing? Did you save any cash in the end and how much hassle was it?

If you are self packing and you are having it insured, you may want to be sure they cover self packed.

We moved door to door for two grand(sterling). No insurance paid for(bit of a gamble) but we got lucky. Very time consuming but saved a packet.

Mr Bean, who did you use, and did you have to pick it up from the port yourself?

Hey

I did a self pack with Liners Aug 2007 and all was fine cost about GBP 4800 from memory Manchester to Southern Alberta.

No problems just a couple of old mug handles got broke.

If you are doing a self pack then you have to remember to pack the boxes correctly - GB Liners explained this to me - using paper is a really good thing as it is very strong. also use sheets and towels etc to pack corners or as added protection for very fragile pieces.

Layers of paper in between the separate layers within a box as adds strength.

I didnt take insurance out either - stupid I know and I was probably just bloody damn lucky

A company from Newport, S.Wales called Cory Bros.They have a UK map which you can find here

I nicked all the packaging from work and boxed it all up myself. I was a warehouse manager so packaging was highly nickable.

Make sure you document everything you pack i.e

Carton 1 - Personal belongings
Carton 2 - Car spares etc

Other than that it's up to you to arrange everything. Not the most pleasant of experiences but if you're organised it's a piece of piss.

We used Simpsons and let them pack it as it only cost £1000 more, and believe me, that was the best grand I ever spent as we touched nothing other than hang our clothes up after they laid them on the bed and put the crockery away as they took it out the boxes. All furniture was dismantled and put back together by them and everything you just sit back and watch.

I have to admit that it was very hard work to do the self pack and really in hindsight I would have loved someone to do that for me think I was in a mad moment when I agreed to do it on my own - OH flew out here 6 months before me Who got the raw end of the deal there

Thanks for the replies and tips. I'll give Cory Bros. a ring tomorrow and see what they say.

We self packed and it went very well. We got insurance but had to call around for a reasonable quote. Tied everything down ...absolutely nothing moved or got broken. See my earlier post about our experience.

Claire

Did you have to arrange to pick up from the port at the other end? Or was the actual container delivered to the door and then you unpacked?

When it arrived at the port we did the paperwork and then arranged with the company a conveniant delivery time - it was included - 2 hours to unpack. We had a hoard of helpers and were done in 30 minutes the driver was very happy

Claire

I'm moving from Rome, Italy to Vancouver and I've been reading some of the horror experiences with terrible movers i.e. Removal Group. Can anyone recommend a decent moving company which has reasonable prices? (No furniture involved so I'll be self packing everything.)

You were robbed. Our's cost 3500 pounds Derbyshire to Calgary, packed, unloaded, unpacked, mess taken away and insured. 20ft container containing contents of a 4 bedroom house. With Whites

Hey ho you win some you lose some