chelsey

Can anyone help me please? I am currently getting quotes for shipping our house contents as well as a car and they are seriously over budget . Has anyone packed their house contents into a container themselves rather than let the professionals do it? If so how did it go?

Lenmil

You may find you will have problems getting insurance. We had stuff we had not even opened in NZ and shipped it back. The shippers said unless they pack it, it would not be insured. Of course what they wanted was extra money. May not be worth shipping your car due to the red tape involved and insurance for the vehical. If its quite new then maybe. Others on herer will be more knowagable. Oh and if you do ship it remeber to put stuff inside it so you have extra space and value for money.

poppets

Hi Chelsey, i have also heard that unless it's a really special car it's not worth the cost ot aggro of shipping it over. I have also read in the forum that the insurance is a nightmare to sort out if you pack youself. Sorry i know this isn't what you want to hear. Good luck

chelsey

Thanks for this but it is a special car and if push came to shove the car would come and not the belongings! My hubby knows a few other people who have shipped everything themselves including a car and we have a friend who works in customs in Auckland who will hopefully point us in the right direction and we've got the time so looks like it's up to us as long as we can get the right insurance. I have now left it all in my husband's capable hands - I am sorting cats and accomodation etc!

Paladin

Hey Chelsey, we're doing the removals thing too. Have been getting loads of quotes & info. Have to say AngloPacific are so on it! They got their info out to us by the following days post and it was really rammed with useful information. They'll pack for you for barely more money and seem hell bent on making the whole process as easy & stress reduced as possible for you. They have also had good feedback on this forum so I reckon we are just going to let them come & pack for us.

Do you need the container???

If not sending loads of furniture your cost will be much less if you can box / tea chest everything and ship that way with the shipping company. Don't quote me, but I think my wife said sending 20 boxes was abot £900 or so and even a half container is going to be something like £2k+/-.
Does that sound right anyone???

Cheers,
Dave

chelsey

Have had 2 quotes both around 5k mark plus insurance for a 20ft container inc car but have been quoted about £1800 for just the container plus insurance (which includes building a frame round the car! I know packing materials etc will be more (can get them on the cheap tho) but it's about double to get someone to come and do it for you!

Speaking to the shippers, their professionalism does make me think twice about us doing it BUT it's OUR things and atleast I can over protect my special things if need be! My husband and I will have ample time both ends to pack/unpack and our friends help and advice in customs at Auk will be invaluable - we also know someone who will steam clean the car when we get there so think we might bite the bullett and become packers and shippers ourselves! Pass the bubble wrap ....................

poppets

Very wise, i would choose to sortr cats & accom anytime,.Good on yer mate

turkeytickler

There are lots of "Excess Baggage" shipping companies around - just look on google.... we used P&O Ferry Masters www.poferrymasters.com to move all our stuff - they basically sent you a load of chemically hardened cardboard boxes, you fill them, they come and pick them up..... they also deal with the customs clearances etc etc... for you.

you need to have a strong heart because when they arrive the other end the boxes look tatty so say the least but we didnt find anything was damaged...

a very cheap way of doing it but, in hindsight it was too stressfull for us, we are going back to the UK in april and this time around we are going to have the pros do it for us.....

try this.. http://www.tntmagazine.com/uk/travel...sp?ID=shipping

If i remember rightly i think our total shipping bill for a 3 bedrooms house worth of stuff (NOT including furniture or large items) was around £700 - which included all our books, CDs, etc etc 2 racing cycles, 1 dyson and various electrical items but things such as washing machines, beds and large furniture items did not go......