Our shipment is coming in in a few weeks. Unfortunately, we are finding rentals in Vancouver quite expensive. 1600-1800 is buying a good 1-2 bedrooms max, with sq footage of less than 800

Anyway does anyone know if or how we can get our shipment to be stored? We brought a container. Can we negotiate with the shipping company or is it cheaper to order from a local storage company?



Thanks

If you contact the agent they should arrange storage for you. At least we did when we came to LA, and are doing so now in the UK.

Thanks Sally. My shippers are being very unresponsive for some reason - I will try again after the weekend. Their partner is a Canadian company but I don't know if I can deal with them directly.

Yes try them again. When your shipment is due to arrive, the Canadian end should contact you in any case, and you will be able to arrange it directly with them if necessary.

Okie will do, hopefully the Canadian company is cool...

Is it Tippet Richardson (or TR WestCan - same company)? Used by quite a lot of UK movers.

They might store - don't know as we never asked in our case.

A storage unit might be a good alternative - probably about $200-$250/mo for a 20-25' one and some of them include a free removal van when you move out (it will be a U-Haul, staffed and driven by you...). You may find one very close to where you want to live, making it more convenient to use one of those rather than have your stuff inaccessible in a sea can.

As for rentals, do you NEED to be in Vancouver itself? $1800-$2000 will get you a lot more if you don't need to be in Vancouver.

Hey thanks, very helpful withabix. We have Brytor on the receiving end - will report on how they are.

As to location, well I am working downtown so reading the forums, apparently living in and around Van is best

Definitely best for dispensing with earnings

Fair enough

To set the record straight. The shipment will not be stored in the "sea can" For the safety and comfort of your shipment It will be in a climate controlled warehouse. Those people at the shipping lines like their cans back ASAP or they charge you lots of $$$$$ per day de-murage.

http://www.brytor.ca/storage_solutions.php

^^^^_____ Exactly. Google "Demurrage". Storage for more than a few days in the actual shipping container will cost a lot. Better to tranship to a warehouse or public storage unit.

With regard to comments about demurrage charges in the last two posts, it depends if you are using a full container, also depends on the company and also if your goods are in palletised wooden crates or not.

If you have a full sea can, it is likely that your goods are loose-packed.

High demurrage charges may apply, but everything is negotiable.

TR Westcan offered ongoing storage in the sea can at a similar cost to an un-heated self-store unit, however as this would have been 4 hours away from us and as we had a vehicle taking up half the 40' container, it was not practical.

There are about 17 million sea cans in circulation and you don't actually think that the one your stuff came in from the UK will be sent back to where it came from do you?

Where do you think BigSteelBox get theirs from?

You don't think that big shipping company will use the opportunity to charge you demurrage whether they need the can to send somewhere else or not? Because assuredly they will.

Shipping containers used for storage purposes are generally older units, no longer certified for transportation use.

Interesting - that isn't what TR Westcan say on their website. As Miss Clinique has direct connections to the shipping industry and has worked in it for many years, I think she probably knows what she is talking about, lol.

I have quotes from Brytor, will see how it all stacks up, figuratively speaking. It was noted that in Vancouver there is no need for temperature controlled units, according to the lady I spoke with, so maybe it depends on locality?

Siouxie - wasn't withabix saying that things were negotiable with TR?