Hi Everyone,

We are still trying to weigh up our options and decide if and when to head back to the UK.

Can anyone give me some idea of the costs involved in removals etc? We have a fair amount of furniture and a cat and dog to ship. I realise that's not very detailed info but I'd be interested to hear what other people spent on the move so that I can get some idea.

Thanks
Em

Hi Em,

Here is a break down of our costs:

Container (20ft) - $7,200
Insurance - $2,000
One way flights for 2 adults and a baby - $3,900
Serviced apartment for a week while shippers come / we clean our flat etc - $980
2 x passport and citizenship docs for new baby - $440
Not sure about pets but were quoted around 900 - 1,000GBP for our cat for the whole process.....subsequently she is staying here!

Hope that helps.....

Just had quote form Kent Removals

$13,250 for a 40ft container
$1,000 injections for dogs
$4,000 for dogs flights
$5,000 flights for 5 of us (I hope not more)
$11,000 for selling house approx (inc solicitors fees)

So all in all cost us about $35,000!!! to move back to good old blighty (if we can sell this blimmin house)

A friend of mine for a dog and 2 adults and 2 children,didnt have much change out of 20,000 dollars.

Sue

I will tell you what I know so far:

$6300 for one way flights (2 adults, 1 teenager, 1 child)
$4800 (flights for 3 dogs)
$1200 (dogs injections and blood tests)

I will let you know the costs for shippers when I have had a quotation, apparantly I have heard that you can keep the cost down a bit if you self pack, but I think that is only available with Wridgways.

Recommendation for everyone...

If you are moving anywhere requiring flights, don't just look at one-way flights. I have seen return flights at times going cheaper than one-way. You can choose some odd middle-of-the-week slow-period return date. This should help with rates. Just becasue you have a return flight does not mean you have to travel on it

Thanks for that!

Our move is so far <touch wood> not too bad, cost wise.

We've not got a full container, but are shipping back our entire household contents (works out at around 10 cubic metres). We've yet to make a final decision but will go with one of two options:

1) Ship with Wridgeways at a cost of $3,098.00 (door to door service) and insure with Letton Percival at a cost of 1.53% of the value of goods insured (we're working on A$30,000). Total cost: $3,557.00
2) Ship and insure with OSS at at total cost of $3,900.

I'm not sure if we can be arsed with the additional paperwork of sorting out the insurance ourselves.

Flights have been sorted, too. We fly from Sydney to Hong Kong for free (thanks to Qantas and our frequent flyer points) and from Hong Kong we fly to London with Virgin (that's costing A$1,359 for two adults).

So, all in, it could be costing us under $5,000. You can really haggle about shipping costs. I think I managed to get about $600 knocked off the first quote - not bad, given the relatively small amount.

Ours were $7200 Melbourne to Manchester door to door with Wridgways, $4000 approx for 2 dogs with Jetpets - can't remember the flights sorry.

When you see it all on screen it's scary

No wonder the bank balance looks decidedly unhealthy

Glad that we did it though as the cost of happiness is priceless

Hi GG

We are in Sydney. Is that quote from Wridgeways for a 20ft container? Sounds very good value!!

40 foot container, wrapped, unpacked, plus insurance, UK-NZ, 2 years ago, one way flights, 2 adults and 3 kids, not much change out of £11,000. Add a cat and a dog thats another £2500ish. No wonder we had no choice but to like it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Add that lot to what it cost to get here, then wait for some useful person to chirp "If it doesnt work out you just move back"

Sorry i didnt read first part of your post. I was in a hurry.
I am not sure we would need a whole 20ft container. I presume you are sharing one?