Yummy_Mummy

Hey

Thanks for the advice, we are looking at a new build too.... maybe i'm just posh like you hahaha

No seriously lol with central heating in the UK it makes your home nice and cosy even if its -10 outside lol But not sure it would be the same there. Cool thats not bad for a gas heater.

Also is there no scope to get central heating in NZ. My dads a retired plumber/gas engineer.... i'll get him over to sort it out lol

Cheers

Am Loolah

A new, new build since March this year must have double glazing from what I understand, so that will help to an extent. We don't have that (clearly not posh enough!)

You can get various different forms of heating put in, they favour heatpumps here which are pretty effective and can double up as air conditioning units - which we could have done with over the summer. Will depend where you're headed? They are just starting to get into solar heating as an option.

SarahB who is in Browns Bay, Auckland, got central heating installed and they worked out it was cheaper to get it imported from Italy!

Where are you looking to settle?

Yummy_Mummy

Well we were looking into various places, mainly for work reasons. Auckland seems to have a large proportion of the jobs in IT and hubby has a contact there. I loved Tauranga, but its difficult to get work.. or so i believe.

We looked at wellingon also, but not sure. They also have some good employment opportunities.

There are some nice suburbs about 30mins to 1 hour away from the city, and we would choose somewhere further out, mainly for the kids.

Yeah i heard the heat pumps are ok, still favour the central heating option tho.

Can i ask, did u build you own? we were looking at buying land and then building on it, but not sure.

But anyway, we are gonna have to rent until we get settled, so i just hope we can get a decent rental thats cosy lol

xxx

Am Loolah

We found a fully furnished holiday let on www.bookabatch.co.nz which would also take our 2 dogs and paid an extortionate amount of money to rent that for the first 6 weeks, with an option to extend on a week by week basis. I think it was absolutely the right thing for us to do with 4 kids and 2 dogs. We then upped our initial budget to buy as we were getting desperate, and purchased a 5ish (can't remember ) year old home for way more omeny than we had intended to spend.

Having said that, after the initial "Buyer Regret" we couldn't have bought better. Location, layout, size etc.

My Hubby (Kiwi) would love to ultimately build his own home, but it doesn't stack up in the current market. (I'm in Real estate! Sorry)

Yummy_Mummy

Yeah i've had a wee look at the site, but like u say its very expensive! I think we will do the same, maybe 8 weeks or so. It will give us a good chance to look around and decide where we want to go.

I think we all do that - go over budget a wee bit. But at least its what you wanted, nothing worse than buying a nightmare. I've been there before.. it just feels like there is always another BIG job to be done, kitchen, bathroom, loft etc.

xxx

whitesand

There ain't an alternative to IKEA! That's why I'd say bring, bring, bring. You won't regret it. But, you might regret not bringing all those little things which you thought you'd pick up easily here and are just not available.

The beauty of IKEA stuff is that it fits in most places unlike much of the heavier furniture around. Also, If you've got good quality electrical goods and good tools bring these because quality is lacking here in many areas.

Also, bring lot of shoes and medium priced slacks. Decent shoes cost an arm and a leg here and you get tired of the horrid plastic smell of many shoe shops here.

pixi-dust

Treats in the packing are the best! I packed lots of yummy toiletries and stuff, almost three years on I'm still using some of them, probably off by now
When I packed our bed linen I put it in a big trunk and put lavender scented tissues in with it in layers, when we opened it it was lovely.

As for taking everything, I think yes. But if you decide not to I would definitely consider taking some favourite things. I remember when I was unpacking everything being absolutely over the moon ( and a little tearful) when I came across my tea mugs. They just felt like home.
I found it was the small things that made all the difference, doesn't matter how desperate you are to make the move, when you arrive you are very far away from all that you've known, especially, if like me, you'd not been here before getting PR and if there's a wee thing to make you feel better then take it, whether it's some photos, or a special ornament or a tea cup!

We also packed one set of our own bed linen in our luggage, I know it was heavy and took up room, but it was the nicest thing to sleep on your own sheets.

If you don't feel the need to take your furniture there are lots of places here to get things, but remember if you choose to live rurally there is way less choice. There are some ace secondhand places though, I got all our mixed dining chairs and recovered and painted then up and they look brilliant (to me!)

You mentioned that your beds need to be taken apart, with our shippers it was part of the deal that they dismantled them and put them together at the other end, it was no problem.

Anyway, best of luck with whatever you decide to do.

pixi-dust

Sorry, I don't know when you're planning on coming over, but if you go off season lots of the baches cost way less, I have ours advertised on this site and there's a difference of $200 per week inbetween high and low season.
Another thing, a fair amount of the normal rentals arent furnished so therefor are cheaper.
That being said, we had no furniture for 12 weeks! Kind people lent us some stuff though and really you get totally used to having nothing.

cathyc

Good advice the kids shoes are terrible.

ldwilliams

I second the "kids shoes are terrible" comment. We bought new shoes from Clarks for our two in London just before we left so at least they had one season in decent shoes. There are no shops that actually professionally measure the children's feet - just spotty teenagers guessing at the size. There is nothing like Clarks at all over here. Shoes are generally cheap and nasty or very expensive - my daughter's leather sandals for school cost $80.00 and she's only 5 years old!!

Genesis

TAKE TAKE TAKE...............................everything!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


You will regret it if you dont. I am afraid that NZ furniture is overpriced and appears shoddily made in my opinion. It cost us $9k to buy back all the white goods we gave away!!!!!!!! Pack your container with non perishables (that you are allowed by MAF) that you are likely to miss and that will comfort you in the early days!!!!

It cost us about £7.5k to bring a 40 footer over in 2005..best £7k I ever spent!!!!! All my stuff from the UK made me really feel at home here!!! Good luck!!

Genesis

OR..buy a load of flat packed IKEA stuff...only problem is if customs get wind its brand new I think you need to pay tax...sod it, buy it build it and use it afore ye go, thus its second hand and then won't attract tax?? Alas IKEA aint coming here. You couldn't pack one of those wee chalets they do now at IKEA ..those 5 room 'houses'...bargain I thought at £13k..and probably built better than most kiwi homes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yummy_Mummy

Well after what i have read here i think i will be

1. Bringing everything.
2. Buying stuff that needs replaced and bringing it.
3. Ordering much of the Next Directory and bringing that too.
4. Bringing many pairs of good shoes for the kids in both their current size and sizes up!
5. Bringing loads of decent linen, kitchen electrical stuff and anything else in my cupboards

Oh a question.... The phones over there.
We currently have a BT DECT phone, we bought it not that long ago and its really good. Will it work?

I think my treats will include nice toiletries from marks and the body shop. Luv the smell of the coconut and strawberry ranges

Oh i heard the bras are crap too.... so a mega spend in la senza too lol

xxx

whitesand

Not really, in fact both NZ and Oz have much better underwear than many places in the UK - especially in the department stores. Perhaps it's the American influence?

Yummy_Mummy

Really? Oh well there goes that idea.... Cant make that excuse to hubby now lol

Unless i say "hunni they dont sell bras in my size there"

Problem sorted!!!

xxx

Oh so anything else anyone can recommend bringing??? Just while we are at it?

Gonna compile a list haha (Just so i dont forget... being blonde and all)