whoiam Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Hi everyone, I am just in the process of deciding what to ship and what not. Just wondering that when the guys come to calculate cubic footage and quote what should we do with the stuff. Is it ok to leave clothes bedding etc in the wardrobes and storage and just show them around or do people usually gather all the stuff for shipping into one or two rooms downstairs? Oh please advice... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoandJon Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 They're used to judging volumes from stuff that's still in drawers etc. The best thing you can do is be absolutely certain of what you want to bring and not - there's no point in saying different things to different companies cos that will create even bigger differences in prices! Be very clear about it, and make sure you receive an inventory from them with their quote so you can check (because some WILL get it wrong). I also came up with a list of questions and made sure to ask them all the same questions (although I did come up with some extras after I'd seen a couple, I then asked them over the phone!). What I should have done was actually just give them the list of questions so they could answer them all, but I didn't Some questions I asked (some stupid, some not so stupid): - Does the price include all packing materials and boxes? - (For any special items) How will you pack this item? - How long will the process take FROM DOOR TO DOOR, (if they start to talk about time on the water, interrupt and say you only want to know door to door) - What if it's raining/snowing/storming on the day(s) they're due to pack - What is included at the Oz end (?unpacking or not, and can you elect NOT to include unpacking if you want?) - Do they have a Charity shop type service (i.e. will they take your unwanted stuff to a charity shop for you) - Who does the stuff at the Oz end (name of company) - Who does the packing and loading at UK end (employees or subcontractors? what training / police checks do they do) - Do they offer an air-freight service for any urgent bits? And how much...... Me being the paranoid person I am, I actually went around created my own complete inventory and measured all our furniture to compare my calculated Cubic feet to their value (and compared the numbers of boxes estimated from different companies). It was interesting to see the difference between some companies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caramac Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Just leave it where it is. They're used to calculating how much container space will be needed by looking. If there's anything you're not taking don't forget to tell them and don't forget the garage/shed/garden! Be careful who you use though. Try to get other people's views on the companies you're thinking of and not just the testimonials the companies show you. We've done the move four times now and this one was the worst - lots of things broken or lost and a useless customer services dept (in Australia, the one in the UK was great, but couldn't do much). Good luck - it's easier than you think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoiam Posted February 27, 2012 Author Share Posted February 27, 2012 Thank you guys for your replies. Are there anyhting we shouldnt pack--like our dining table is wooden--would that be a problem--also what about shoes etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoandJon Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Wooden furniture is fine so long as its free from bugs / bug damage () shoes will need to be scrubbed and jeysed - especially if you're from the country Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caramac Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 They're not keen on wicker (although our wicker log basket, which I meant to leave behind, went in fine, the chair seats needed fumigating when they arrived. It's a bit arbitary what they decide to treat, or not) and definitely no straw. It's very expensive to have things treated - $800 for our chairs, which had been to Australia before with no problem and $300 for my old teddy to be gamma irradiated. I washed the bottom of our shoes and bikes with bleach before they were packed and left all gardening equipment behind. Treated wood is fine. Make sure everything is documented. We have some Aboriginal art which is either painted on wood, or boab nuts. They were ok despite being untreated and in the Uk for five years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NowPerth Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Make sure you are comparing 'like for like'. Some include the customs costs (Crown Relocations, I think) at this end and some don't. Some will include crating for larger items (like large tv or piano) and some you have to ask. We got a quote for the same thing from everyone, and then asked about the add-ons seperately. One company spent ages documenting averything (looking in drawers and loft) and was there for 1.5hours, one had a quick sprint round. They both came up with the same volume though. They will probably try to sell you shipping insurance but it's much cheaper to get that seperately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoiam Posted February 28, 2012 Author Share Posted February 28, 2012 hi guys, i called John mason today to arrange for a quote. They said they dont do weekends.Is this the case with everyone? Please tell me there are people out there who can come atleast on a saturday! its going to be very difficult talking to people with a super active toddler in tow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.