Clangtons

Moving back to the UK from the US (NJ) later this year. Looking at renting a 40 foot shipping container as a way to keep the costs down. Outfit called YouPackWeShip has quoted $3,600 for the container, shipped door to door. They provide the customs paperwork and the usual insurance rates. The deal is you pack it/unpack it or get in a local moving company.
Looks like a good way to keep costs down, but does anyone have experience of anything similar?

callé

Hi. I dont have experience yet but as I will be shipping later this year I do think this is worth investigating. The price seems pretty fair and I dont mind packing myself. In fact I think I would rather do it myself so as to keep track of things. So thanks for the tip.

SimonG

Like the sound of this. Just asked for a quote, hopefully it will beat my other quote of 8,500CAD for a shared 40' container.

Simon.

SimonG

Quick turn around on the quote, just received a quote of 5,500CAD for the 20' container and 6,200CAD for the 40' container.

ladylisa

I know honeymummy said that if you play companies off against each other they will all reduce their quotes.

SimonG

Just received two more quotes, from the same company, one was for a 40' full door to door service, $11,200 CAD, the other is for dropping off a 40' container at our home, coming back 6 hours later to pick it up, transport to the UK and for us to then pick up from the docks (need to find out the costs for this. The price for this is $3,200 CAD. Looks pretty appealing but will have to do some research on getting the stuff from the docks to home.

This was through Crown Relocations.

callé

Wow! seems like it wouldnt cost $8,000 to pick up from the docks!(?) Thats quite a price difference. I think I shall be phoning Crown myself.

SimonG

The first quote included all of the packing, loading, unloading and unpacking. But yes I agree $8,000 is quite a difference. I'm going to contact some companies in the UK to price up the second leg of the journey. Once I've done that and received a couple more of the outstanding quotes it's time to do a bit of bargaining between them

Scout

Here's a site someone here recommended a while back. I am interested in as many quotes and recommendations as I can get because it seems all these companies can vary widely.

http://www.shipping-worldwide.com/

Cheers,

Leslie

PhillyD

Hello SimonG, I am moving back to the UK from Vancouver, at the end of this month (Feb), and am in the nightmare process of finding a mover. I have had four quotes so far from relocation companies all between $7500 - $9000, however the insurance costs are huge, any advice on this subject, I am a complete novice and feel I am being taken for a ride.

SimonG

Hi PhillyD,

I'm no expert in the matter, just needs must, a bit like yourself.

The best quote I have to date, and I'm still waiting for the UK side of it, is from www.amfreight.ca. The have quoted me two prices. Both prices are from my home in Canada to the docks in London, Thamesport. They don't include customs clearance, terminal charge or local haulage in the UK. Which is the quote I am waiting for.

The first is for a 20' container at $2,100.00 and the second is for a 40' container at $2,490.00
They include 6 hours of waiting time for loading. We are going to do all the packing and loading.
Insurance wise they have quoted $2.50 per $100.00 value for all risks insurance.

What are your insurance quotes like?

I just need the final piece of the jigsaw before deciding. The house is on the market as of today so hopefully I should be away by the end of March at the latest. Although there's not a lot of choice with regard to flights through Feb and March.

Simon.

PhillyD

Hello Simon, thanks for the quick reply. Well the fact is that all the companies seem to be telling me to add up the cost of everything we own, furniture kitchen things, china, lamps, pots and pans, clothes, shoes, books etc etc. Of course this adds up to a huge amount and then it is three and a half percent of the total cost of our belongings, to insure them. However it has to be cost effective I am sure to take furniture back, it costs more in the UK, I think? I am very interested in the "pack it yourself options" I will have to move fast only 26 days to get it all under way.

I am so happy to be going back, I was there for four months last year, from Sept. to Dec. and loved it. I have missed the people so much, Vancouver is beautiful, and I am sure we will miss the lifestyle. But England is so alive!!

SimonG

We started to pack early to make the house less cluttered for when it went on the market. JUst need to get it sold and then pack everything else up. AMfreight said that they only need 5 days notice for pick up.

We where back for a couple of weeks in September, really enjoyed it. I don't hate Canada, it's just not for us.

I was wondering if it would be cheaper to organise insurance independently of the moving company. I'll have to phone around.

Simon.

scrawni

When we moved from the uk, we only insured things that would matter i.e sofa, bed, hubbies work tools, glass items etc. computer etc

We did not insure toys, clothes, etc.

This kept the cost down.

Mandy

PhillyD

I have been investigating this option too, from Vancouver to London. All of the moving companies I have spoken to have told me that they do not advise me to do it because apparently this makes the whole customs thing a nightmare, they say anything packed by yourself creates huge suspicion in the light of current world events, security etc. Also say it takes a lot longer to process ship and increases the cost. I think they are spinning me a yarn. Anyone out there actually done this recently and would like to share there success in "pack it yourself into a container, and ship it" experience.