Shipping Pros & Cons
 

We got a quote recently from GB Liners, who I must say were very helpful & courteous.
The issue we are having is that we would require a 20ft container that will cost us £6200. What we intend to take doesn't come near that amount if we purchased new it the States, but it's the personal effects including pictures that are the issue....any ideas what we could do?

Re: Shipping Pros & Cons
 

(i) get other quotes. Others have reported that GB liners are among the more expensive, as is Pickfords. We used Allfreight, that provide service to London and the south east.
(ii) don't bring the furniture, which I presume makes up much of the volume
(iii) don't bring anything electrical, in almost all cases it is more trouble than it's worth
(iv) if your move isn't permanent consider putting some of your stuff in storage
(v) consider using a container obtained through a shipping broker, who will arrange for the delivery and shipping of a container which you pack and inventory yourself. Someone else reported recently saving a lot based on using a shipping broker.

Re: Shipping Pros & Cons
 

we used pickfords last September, we also had a 20ft container and insurance on some of the items and also had to pay some sort of tax once it was in florida and it still all worked out under 5k,

However I still think there are 2 boxes missing and when my wife rang them last year they didn't want to know.

Re: Shipping Pros & Cons
 

Are you sure about that? If you inventory everything - you'll be amazed at how it adds up. You could also investigate the possibility of moving a few items as a part load. I did that moving a few things from SA to the UK - I just had to wait until another customer needed to move a load that wasn't quite large enough to fill a container. It meant a longer wait but as it wasn't urgent I was OK with that. It was a while ago, but the firm I used was Pickfords - not the cheapest, but I was delighted with the service.

Re: Shipping Pros & Cons
 

Was at a wedding last night, and soe guests told us about Seven Seas Worldwide 'Move Cube' ....basically they come and plonk a huge wooden crate on your drive, you pack it full, they collect it and deliver it to the destination...sounds perfect but looks like they only offer the service to Australia at present :(

Re: Shipping Pros & Cons
 

See (v), above. :)

Re: Shipping Pros & Cons
 

Oh, sorry missed your comment...I will try and find the thread

Re: Shipping Pros & Cons
 

We didn't come directly from the UK but we only shipped a small amount of stuff, it filled one pallet, and it was about £500. I actually used a company that shipped excess baggage, but it came by boat.

Re: Shipping Pros & Cons
 

I am really struggling to find a company that will air freight a large storage box as opposed to a container....

Re: Shipping Pros & Cons
 

How large is "large". There is no way that air-freighting a house full of stuff will be economically viable, air freight is for small shipments, and high value, perishable goods, such as shell fish and cut flowers.

We air-freighted two trunks of clothes and some kitchen utensils (cost about £120 twelve years ago), and the rest in a freight container sent by sea.

Re: Shipping Pros & Cons
 

We did something similar from Seattle to the UK - can't remember the company name but it was pretty cheap. You pile your boxes on the palette then wrap it with a very big tube of cling wrap. Pack anything delicate in very strong boxes. I sent a PC this way and the box the monitor was in was basically triangular by the time it arrived, but because there was so much packaging in there the monitor was OK.

Re: Shipping Pros & Cons
 

Ok. That makes sense.....maybe just buy lots of strong double walled boxes and put them on a pallet.

Re: Shipping Pros & Cons
 

a shared load is what i'd suggest too if you don't want to take everything but still have too much to take in your suitcase.... bit of an explanation here http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=783380