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Shipping to US

Shipping to US

Old Jun 5th 2006, 5:55 pm
  #1  
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Default Shipping to US

Hi,
I have spoken today to a removal firm here in UK asking for a quote to ship household effects to USA.
No problem there, they are quite happy to come round and give a free quote but the gentleman mentioned that, nowadays, anything they ship to USA has to be packed specifically by them. They cannot ship anything that I have packed myself - even boxes of photo albums, crockery etc. Apparently US custom laws decree that they sign to say what is in the shipment and they are not allowed to ship anything without packing it themselves.
Are all removal firms subject to this?
I have so much stuff. I have already been packing some of it into boxes already (I can get as many boxes and as much packing materials as I want for free from work.) I'm not keen on the idea of someone else doing all my packing for me (I hate it when they do this at the supermarket with my shopping!!!) - I would rather sort my possessions myself into boxes in the order that I may or may not need them in the States!
Anyone have any input on this? Any experience of shipping companies? The US customs law?
Please???

Thanks guys!
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Old Jun 5th 2006, 6:23 pm
  #2  
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Default Re: Shipping to US

Originally Posted by britnyank
Hi,
I have spoken today to a removal firm here in UK asking for a quote to ship household effects to USA.
No problem there, they are quite happy to come round and give a free quote but the gentleman mentioned that, nowadays, anything they ship to USA has to be packed specifically by them. They cannot ship anything that I have packed myself - even boxes of photo albums, crockery etc. Apparently US custom laws decree that they sign to say what is in the shipment and they are not allowed to ship anything without packing it themselves.
Are all removal firms subject to this?
I have so much stuff. I have already been packing some of it into boxes already (I can get as many boxes and as much packing materials as I want for free from work.) I'm not keen on the idea of someone else doing all my packing for me (I hate it when they do this at the supermarket with my shopping!!!) - I would rather sort my possessions myself into boxes in the order that I may or may not need them in the States!
Anyone have any input on this? Any experience of shipping companies? The US customs law?
Please???

Thanks guys!
Make sure whoever you use is a member of the British Removers' Association (or whatever the official designation is).

We used Cadogan Tate. They know what they're doing. (We got 3 quotes; their's was the most expensive, but they matched the average quote from the other two.)

HTH!
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Old Jun 5th 2006, 6:34 pm
  #3  
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Default Re: Shipping to US

Originally Posted by britnyank
Hi,
I have spoken today to a removal firm here in UK asking for a quote to ship household effects to USA.
No problem there, they are quite happy to come round and give a free quote but the gentleman mentioned that, nowadays, anything they ship to USA has to be packed specifically by them. They cannot ship anything that I have packed myself - even boxes of photo albums, crockery etc. Apparently US custom laws decree that they sign to say what is in the shipment and they are not allowed to ship anything without packing it themselves.
Are all removal firms subject to this?
I have so much stuff. I have already been packing some of it into boxes already (I can get as many boxes and as much packing materials as I want for free from work.) I'm not keen on the idea of someone else doing all my packing for me (I hate it when they do this at the supermarket with my shopping!!!) - I would rather sort my possessions myself into boxes in the order that I may or may not need them in the States!
Anyone have any input on this? Any experience of shipping companies? The US customs law?
Please???

Thanks guys!
We had a lot of stuff shipped over from the UK by my husbands company. It does all have to be packed by the movers as they have to inventory everything. Feel free to pack your belongings in boxes they may just repack the box in their boxes to avoid time wasting.
I know exactly how you feel about the supermarket packing thing lol. It was a huge adjustment for me to let the stores over here pack my groceries (control freak) In DC the supermarket packers were a surly bunch I would have to leave the store while my husband paid as I just couldn't stand there doing nothing.
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Old Jun 5th 2006, 6:42 pm
  #4  
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Default Re: Shipping to US

Originally Posted by britnyank
Hi,
I have spoken today to a removal firm here in UK asking for a quote to ship household effects to USA.
No problem there, they are quite happy to come round and give a free quote but the gentleman mentioned that, nowadays, anything they ship to USA has to be packed specifically by them. They cannot ship anything that I have packed myself - even boxes of photo albums, crockery etc. Apparently US custom laws decree that they sign to say what is in the shipment and they are not allowed to ship anything without packing it themselves.
Are all removal firms subject to this?
I have so much stuff. I have already been packing some of it into boxes already (I can get as many boxes and as much packing materials as I want for free from work.) I'm not keen on the idea of someone else doing all my packing for me (I hate it when they do this at the supermarket with my shopping!!!) - I would rather sort my possessions myself into boxes in the order that I may or may not need them in the States!
Anyone have any input on this? Any experience of shipping companies? The US customs law?
Please???

Thanks guys!
we moved from the US to the UK for a couple of years and kept thinking we would be moving sooner so didn't unpack
(just opened the boxes to check nothing was broken) so when the time came to move back to the US again the movers said the same thing and had to repack all the stuff even though a profesional had packed it in the 1st place! I prefer to pack stuff myself as I know I have 23 boxes labeled kitchen stuff (why they couldn't put glasses or cultlery in it I don't know!). I am renting here and all my stuff is in storage (again! the movers still have it ) so when I buy a house again I can finally unpack and have things out that for 5 years forgot they existed
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Old Jun 5th 2006, 8:32 pm
  #5  
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Default Re: Shipping to US

Originally Posted by britnyank
Hi,
I have spoken today to a removal firm here in UK asking for a quote to ship household effects to USA.
No problem there, they are quite happy to come round and give a free quote but the gentleman mentioned that, nowadays, anything they ship to USA has to be packed specifically by them. They cannot ship anything that I have packed myself - even boxes of photo albums, crockery etc. Apparently US custom laws decree that they sign to say what is in the shipment and they are not allowed to ship anything without packing it themselves.
Are all removal firms subject to this?
I have so much stuff. I have already been packing some of it into boxes already (I can get as many boxes and as much packing materials as I want for free from work.) I'm not keen on the idea of someone else doing all my packing for me (I hate it when they do this at the supermarket with my shopping!!!) - I would rather sort my possessions myself into boxes in the order that I may or may not need them in the States!
Anyone have any input on this? Any experience of shipping companies? The US customs law?
Please???

Thanks guys!
We used Euro/USA,arranged through my husbands company. We thought they were excellent. We had a 40ft container and because we weren't paying we took everything.
They wrapped all the furniture but they let us pack our clothes in their hanging wardrobes. I packed my own shoes,bagsetc. I also helped pack the childrens toys and some kitchen stuff.
I only helped because I had nothing else to do and they didn't have a problem with that.
I have a lot of china and glassware, some of of it very old and so I let them pack all of that as they are the experts. Nothing got broken or even cracked.

They were a really nice team of guys, which was good because they were with us for 3 days packing and a half day loading the container. It was quite upsetting in a way to see our home be taken apart but they were so nice it was ok.
They let my youngest daughter pack some of her stuff.

We taped up the boxes we packed and they didn't check them or repack them.
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Old Jun 5th 2006, 8:37 pm
  #6  
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Default Re: Shipping to US

I moved over here in October 2003, and used Simpsons.

http://www.simpsons-uk.com/

It was much cheaper to pack things myself and insure than to have them do it. They provided crates, tape and paper for packaging. I had to fill in forms telling them what was in each crate, eg "1 of 12: CDs, clothing, photo albums." Some things were heavier than others, so I mixed them up a bit. Simpsons advised me not to have any aerosols, or perishables, or valuables (jewellery etc) in the boxes.

It took 12 weeks door to door, although they estimated 6 to 8 weeks. Nothing was broken or damaged, however, and they were very efficient if you don't count the extra time I was waiting for my stuff. Overall I would recommend them.
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Old Jun 5th 2006, 8:42 pm
  #7  
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Default Re: Shipping to US

I finally sold my house in the UK last December - after hanging onto it for 8 years - and shipped all my stuff to our new place in KY using Robinson's International. I found their approach to be most professional.

I had already packed a lot of my belongings. All the guys did was check what was in the boxes I had packed and then placed those boxes inside their own cartons, carefully sealing all openings and marking them for inventory purposes.

Basically if ANY item is marked as "Packed by Owner", your shipment is 100% likely to be held longer by USA port customs. Which could then cost you more fees and also carry the potential of you having to travel to NY to clear your own goods.
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Old Jun 5th 2006, 9:14 pm
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Default Re: Shipping to US

Sorry, OT a bit, but did anyone have Dolphin Movers pack them at the UK end? I am going back to the UK with Rinkens, and Dolphin is their UK company (at least where I will be going, S. Wales). Just wondered if you have any comments about how profesional they were (or not).
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