overwhelmed: shipping companies, quotes, cubic feet?

I'm feeling overwhelmed! Why are there so many choices?

Basically, I'm looking to ship:

• a queen-sized bed
  a canoe,
  2 bikes + bike trailer
  a computer hard drive
  a few misc. boxes.
  kids storage unit (small)

What do you think the cubic feet here would be? I'm getting conflicting information. I've sent off emails for quotes, but have yet to speak to a human being.

I've heard UPakWeShip is good. Do they come to your house to give an estimate? If it matters, we're in Maryland - moving to Oxfordshire.

Sorry for my cluelessness!

I used UPakWeShip to send 24 boxes from San Francisco to Bristol.  I think it was 108 cubic feet and the cost was $810.00.  They do not come to your house, if only things were that easy!  I had a spot in my garage where I boxed, sealed and labeled then stacked them all and gave a final measurement.  I rented a van and drove to the dock in Oakland and dropped them off.

I don't know how it works with furniture and a canoe.  They were great and I'm sure would give you all the info you need.  My boxes arrived to my door exactly 8 weeks after I dropped them off.  Only one thing broke and thats only because of how I packed it.

Hope this helps and good luck!

I used Rainier Overseas movers. They were good, but there are plenty of other good moving firms out there. They gave me a full quote and did it all - packing, customs forms, etc. - for me.

Chary, if you don't mind me asking, how much stuff did you move and what price range were you looking at?

Chary, if you don't mind me asking, how much stuff did you move and what price range were you looking at?

I honestly can't remember how much it cost me - this was over 4 years ago. I moved the complete contents of a two-bedroom apartment, including about 700 books. Everything came with me except for electronic stuff.

If you don't mind me answering for you, the cost was $6-7,000. We corresponded about it. It's been my mental jumping off point every since, though I've rounded it off to $10K for safety. 

I've just put in for a quote from Rainier -- though I'm considering sending a few boxes by some other, quicker route.

If you don't mind me answering for you, the cost was $6-7,000. We corresponded about it. It's been my mental jumping off point every since, though I've rounded it off to $10K for safety. 

Thanks for that! Yes, I'd round up as well - it's likely the cost of shipping has gone up since I did it.

I'm going to see how much we can send ahead of time.  We will have a lot though because we have furniture that is brand new (well, a year old) that we want to take.  But otherwise we'll have to get things packed up and ready to get out.  Maybe I can send a load of stuff by boxes now, like summer clothes and stuff like that.  Who knows, it costs a lot from the sound of it.  YIKES! 

k27davis: when are you planning to move? and, where are you now?

Just curious, because it would be interesting to compare information on quotes and movers.

We are planning to move in early March.  We'll have to see if that can happen since we have a lot to do before then.  Also, we live in rural Iowa, so totally landlocked place where it will probably cost us a lot just to get someone out here.  I'm going to start looking around soon when I can get time, my MIL went to a company that is big for moving in the UK and asked if they had a US partner, and she gave me the information, but I really think I've lost that paper.  I'll try to keep it updated on what I'm finding.

A good website to checkout moving companies is www.movingscam.com  There are reviews from people who have moved stateside as well as overseas.  We moved back from England to Colorado this year and used Robinsons in the UK and Graebel in the US.  These companies worked well together and everything arrived in perfect shape.  But most importantly, when planning your move, make sure and get at least 3 quotes and make the companies send a representative out to your home to do an in-person estimate.  There are too many nightmares of people who have just done over the phone/internet quotes and then got slammed with much higher bills once their stuff was packed and loaded - and then sometimes held "hostage" until payment is made.  We were very happy with Graebel and Robinsons.  Graebel has locations all over the US.  Good luck!

Thanks for all the advice.

I think we'll go with UPakWeShip. Has anyone packed up themselves and driven to the port in the US/picked up from the port in the UK?

Like I said in my post here I packed my own van and drove my boxes to the port.  I had them all delivered to my door in the UK.

Like I said in my post here I packed my own van and drove my boxes to the port.  I had them all delivered to my door in the UK.

Thanks jennredd!

I was wondering about picking up at the port in the UK. I've heard stories about having to pay a ton of money at the UK port.

Some of you have too much junk.  I'm not shipping anything.  I valued my belongings and the cost to ship would be way over the value of the items.  I figure this way my next place in the UK will be uncluttered.