[Natalieb]

Hi Everyone,

Im just thinking about shipping things over to NZ. Can anybody give me a bit of advice on this? containers, companies to use, costs etc. I havent got a clue where to start!

Would it not be feasable to sell everything and buy new when we arrive or would that proove to be more costly?

Thanks

Natalie xx

[Trigirl]

Hi Natalie

It would help to know where you are shipping from? Also how much stuff you’ve got. But unless its really very little its probably going to be more expensive to sell it all and rebuy. We’re shipping the contents of a 3bed house in a 20ft container from the UK to Wellington. Its costing a bit under £4k including insurance. We worked out the total replacement value of everything we’re shipping is over £25k (its amazing how much books, clothes and CDs actually cost!) so definitely worth it.

[Natalieb]

Thats really interesting thanks for that. We are moving from Manchester and I would be shipping the contents of a three bed house too so would probably need the same size container as you.

When you arrange a container, does the firm come to your house and remove it all for you or do you have to pay someone else? how long would it take to arrive in NZ

Also we are going to rent for the first few months so would you suggest unfurnished and timing this for when the goods arrive?

Thanks Natalie

[Trigirl]

yes the firm comes to your house, packs everything for you and ships it direct from there to NZ - the quote also includes delivery to your new address and unpacking.

we're using john mason international. they come and look round your house at what you are taking then give you a quote that is valid for 3 months.

it takes 8-12 weeks door to door delivery (depends on when the ships are sailing etc) as for unfurnished/furnished - well huge dilemma. i really don't know. but if it helps you can rent basic furniture when you get there until your container arrives?

[gil]

we're using john mason international. they come and look round your house at what you are taking then give you a quote that is valid for 3 months.

it takes 8-12 weeks door to door delivery (depends on when the ships are sailing etc) as for unfurnished/furnished - well huge dilemma. i really don't know. but if it helps you can rent basic furniture when you get there until your container arrives?
Hi Natalieb,
We're using john mason too, they're coming on Monday (:eek:). We are planning to rent unfurnished and hire basics for the period before our stuff arrives (40 ft cubic container to ship contents of 5- bed house with all the stuff from us two and 4 kids aged 9-18). Here's the link to check out costs for hirong furniture/linen/kithen packs etc. http://www.dtr.co.nz/index.cfm/Home They've ben good over email, very helpful.

Good luck,
Gil

[Natalieb]

Ive just had a look at the john mason website and its really interesting and will give them a ring.

I will have a look at the website for renting furniture until ours arrives.

We thought of selling everything but if shipping is roughly £4k when you think about it its not a bad price - how much are 40' containers?

natalie

[StevieD]

Natalie, closer to home for you is Robinsons International - based in Manchester, and I believe, slightly cheaper than Mason's. It pays to get quotes from a few firms.
It is amazing how much stuff you can actually get in a 20' box. A friend of ours is leaving this Monday and he has workshops, tools, lathes all sorts and a large detached house to move, and he got away with a 40' box. The removal people will recommend what you need, but a standard 3 bed house usually gets away with a 20'.

I see you are another one who can come to the NW meets!! Warrington Junc21 on M6, Mascrat Manor pub. Getting a bit close to Christmas now and mega busy time, but keep an eye on the forum for poss meet dates. Chance to have a chat with people in the same boat as you. (not sure if I collared you before but I mentioned it again anyway, and if there is anyone else reading this in the NW area - maybe you can come along to the next one too?!)

Steve - just down the East Lancs Rd.

[gil]

Hi Natalie,
ours is £6,355 for a 40' cubic container, plus £900 insurance (with Letton Percival) as we are shipping in excess of £40K's worth.
Hope that helps,
Gil

[Natalieb]

I will definately be attending the next NW meet - I cant believe there are people so close going through all this that I cant chat to xx

[marcia]

We are the family Stevie D was talking about.

We used Robinsons, 40 ft high cube container, over 50k's worth of stuff, inc a trailer, lathe, and loads of workshop equipment, and the contents of a house, cost was £6100 for the container and £900 insurance.

see this thread for some photos of the process!

http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=8546

[StevieD]

Hi Marcia, didn't want to say just in case :)

Yup, close enough to each other Natalie, will have a chat to OH, see about fitting in another one, possibly before Xmas, who knows.

Steve

[gil]

Just to clarify, we were asked to contact Letton Percival if our estmated replacement costs went over the £40K mark. Can't remember off-hand how much ours actually was, but anything over the 40 grand threshold had to to be notified. (Hubbie just told me it was £52K). I think they have different price bands for this, but do check!! And remember to set aside loads of time to do the inventory with replacement costs and photos for future reference!

Gil

[Miggy]

Hi Natalieb,

Well we used John Masons of Liverpool this year (July to be exact) what can I say - great! We moved from Wigan NW England to the North Shore Auckland and we had no probs what so ever. The price was competitive, the removals guys helpful, the delivery at this end (NZ) no problem (They used The Moving Company) it arrived in the 8 week window. We dealt with a chap called Harvey in the UK and he was ACE. All our stuff arrived as it left and I would highly recommend them. MAF inspection at this end was pretty straight forward because we'd been sensible at the UK end and not packed garden tool type stuff, alcohol, fireworks etc, etc...

Good luck.

[Trigirl]

Well we used John Masons of Liverpool this year (July to be exact) what can I say - great!

Thats exactly what I needed to hear today. They are arriving on Wednesday to pack up our stuff and I am so nervous/worried about it all!!!

We've sold/given away all our garden stuff but we are shipping some alcohol (not huge amounts though)

[olivia]

Good luck with the packers Mandy. We have John Mason coming on the 28th (the following tuesday) to pack up all our stuff so i hope they are as good as everyone says.

Olivia

[Pip]

Encouraging news.. we're just trying to choose between shipping quotes now, but I think we're going to go with John Mason. They seemed the most organised, not at all pushy like some of the others. I've already spoken to the infamous Harvey!

Let us know how you get on with them... right just need to figure out all the container insurance stuff..!

[Smiler]

Encouraging news.. we're just trying to choose between shipping quotes now, but I think we're going to go with John Mason. They seemed the most organised, not at all pushy like some of the others. I've already spoken to the infamous Harvey!

Let us know how you get on with them... right just need to figure out all the container insurance stuff..!


Pip

Have you tried www.lettonpercival.co.uk for a quote, last I heard they were still 1.5%.

[Pip]

Thanks Smiler. I haven't yet - but I know the name keeps coming up on these boards, so I was going to search a few threads to try and understand why there are so popular. if its 1.5% as opposed to 3%, then I think I might be starting to get some idea.... :)

[Kimmie]

We paid £3300 for a 20ft container, would have been an extra 500 to add a car to that, but we went against that due to the frontal impact system regs now present in NZ for bringing in cars. I did read on an earlier thread that if you are happy to pack yourself you can get that for about £1600 instead, but without full pack you do lose the insurance cover for breakages. We have had dreadful problems with the company we used though, once we paid our money onwards they have been incompetent and I am still trying to ascertain if our container is even on the right ship at this point. Stay away from the Removal Group, happy to take our money, not happy to then provide said services.

[Kimmie]

We have just shipped a 20ft container to NZ, used a company called Removal Group, they were really efficient UNTIL THEY GOT OUR MONEY, then they stopped being available and after agreeing a delivery date put our container on a different ship to save themselves money which means our shipment has been delayed three weeks - so the kids presents will be arriving in January now. Steer clear of them. They did outsource the actual packing on the day to another firm that I have since contacted for something else, and on both occasions they have been great - FN Worldwide, well worth a phone call. Check they are bonded, I suspect Removal Group are not. Removal Group also managed to lose all our paperwork for customs and sent blank copies to be completed to our address in NZ, where we don't reside until we get our container delivered, makes me very nervous if our container is even heading to the right country! If you are not worried about the insurance cover for breakages you can pack and load yourself for half the price if you go directly to a shipping company.