Where should I get a Removals Quote from?
As soon as you know where you are moving to and an idea on timescales you should contact 2 - 3 reputable removal companies that have experience of overseas removals. They will ask to visit you and property to do a detailed quote, make sure you are prepared in advance and ensure you know exactly what you are taking with you, what is going into storage, what is being dumped etc. Due to moving and shipping costs they will need to know exactly what needs to be moved, try and create an inventory which you can keep up to date. And don't forget to tell your removals firm of any updates!
Things a removals firm may ask;
Where are you moving and what is the completion date?
What is the access like at your current and new home?
Will people be moving in / out on the same dates as you and in what timeframe?
What additional services will you require? Packing service, Packing materials, storage?
When you do ask for quotes, make sure you ask them all the same questions and give them all the same information. If you fail to do so then it will be hard to compare the quotes like for like.
Ask as many questions as you can, no matter how small or silly. You need to know everything! Standard questions you may want to ask include;
Insurance
What insurance does the company offer, what does that include and is there any excess?
Experience
Ask about previous overseas removals and references
Are they a member of any trade associations?
What qualifications / criteria do they meet?
Logistics
When will the removals team arrive and how many people will it include?
How long will it take to pack all of the belongings
Where will the goods be stored while waiting for shipping / transport?
Customs
Does the firm provide customs forms and information?
Will they help you fill out the forms?
What restrictions are in place for said country?
Costs
What does the quote include? Taxes, port charges, customs etc.
Can I pack myself?
Of course you can pack yourself, but you will need to check a few things with your removal team, such as;
Will this invalidate your insurance?
What effects should be packaged in what materials?
Would they like to check all boxes for contents and packing against the inventory
Will this cause possible problems at customs in my destination country
Never pack your personal documents such as; passport, visas, embassy letters, chequebook, driver's licenses, birth certificates, airline tickets or foreign currency.
Can I take my pets?
Entirely dependent on your destination, wherever you are moving you can probably expect some quarantine and regulations. You can find specialized pet carriers who can advise you on health checks, certificates and veterinary documentation.
Can I take my car?
Talk to a specialist car exporter, each country will have different regulations and it will also be dependent on which car, how many etc. Rules tend to be more relaxed for classic cars, other wise you may be better selling and buying again once you arrive. If you do take your own car you must notify the DVLA and they can take you through the various procedures.
Are there restrictions to what I can take?
Again this will depend on where you are traveling, but as a general rule of thumb the following may not be accepted;
Narcotics and drugs (including forms of medication)
Hazardous items i.e. fireworks, toxic or poisonous substances (including garden products)
Plants, vegetables and many living organisms
Alcohol (subject to duties)
Meat products
Firearms, ammunition and explosives
Weapons i.e. swords, knives etc.
Pornographic material
How will my items be transported?
There are 3 main methods of transporting your belongings abroad, they are;
Road / Ferry Transport
The most popular for the European mainland destinations such as France and Spain. A removals team will arrive and pack your belongings and then drive over to your destination. This ensures the handling of your goods are kept to a minimum.
Sea Freight
This is the most common and cheapest form of transportation of overseas removals. A container come is sizes of 20ft or 40ft and should be completely water resistant. Assuming you hire your own container, this is generally delivered door to door for loading and unloading. Cost is normally charged on volume not weight.
Air Freight
Although the most expensive the main advantage for air freight is speed. Rather than your items being packing into containers, they securely packed into enclosed airline pallets which are then placed into the cargo hold of the plane.
How long will it take to transport my goods?
Depending on your destination and removals transport this can be a few days via road and ferry but up to eight to twelve weeks via container to Australia / New Zealand. Approximately;
Air freight, door to door - 14 days
Container, Europe and America - 4 to 6 weeks
Container, Asia - 8 to 10 weeks
Container, Australia and New Zealand - 10 to 12 weeks
This is entirely dependent on your freight company.
I hope all these tips help you. I will be passing on other hints as time passes. The above is all from my previous experience, and as with all my other house moves, in the end I chose Sheppards Removals and Storage for there professional range of services and previous experience.
Peter Pritchard
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