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Topic: Just running the "what if" variables - cost to ship "home"  (Read 2078 times)

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Just running the "what if" variables - cost to ship "home"
« on: June 17, 2019, 05:09:35 PM »
Not that I want to do this, and if it happens I'm hoping it's a few years away, but does anyone have a ballpark figure for moving costs from the UK to the East Coast of the USA for, say, a 20ft cargo container?

(Yes, I know I can get online quotes. I'm just hoping someone here has a recent estimate.)


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Re: Just running the "what if" variables - cost to ship "home"
« Reply #1 on: June 17, 2019, 05:39:49 PM »
Hoping this thread stays hypothetical!  :)


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Re: Just running the "what if" variables - cost to ship "home"
« Reply #2 on: June 17, 2019, 07:13:43 PM »
Two years ago now my friend paid 6k.  Not sure if GBP or USD.


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Re: Just running the "what if" variables - cost to ship "home"
« Reply #3 on: June 17, 2019, 07:26:09 PM »
So am I, Larrabee. Seriously. 
« Last Edit: June 17, 2019, 09:39:36 PM by Nan D. »


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Re: Just running the "what if" variables - cost to ship "home"
« Reply #4 on: June 17, 2019, 07:26:56 PM »
Two years ago now my friend paid 6k.  Not sure if GBP or USD.

Thanks. What I'm seeing as quotes on the various websites seems to say it'd be about that in dollars, for a full-service move.


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Re: Just running the "what if" variables - cost to ship "home"
« Reply #5 on: June 24, 2019, 04:39:01 PM »
So I contacted the company that moved us over. We used a shared container that time, and if memory serves it was about $5500 into the flat and unpacked.  They say that to have a dedicated 20 ft container to the States, with all port fees and associated costs, we're looking at a bottom line of about $7,500, with professional packers here and into the house at the other end, unpacked, and including shuttle service to get the packed goods offsite into the container (no place to put one here).

Hopefully we won't be using them, but it's good to know.


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Re: Just running the "what if" variables - cost to ship "home"
« Reply #6 on: June 29, 2019, 01:54:54 PM »
So, to get comparison pricing, can anyone recommend a UK to USA mover?


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Re: Just running the "what if" variables - cost to ship "home"
« Reply #7 on: July 01, 2019, 05:02:28 PM »
Robinsons is quoting me ballpark of about £5500 for a full-service move of 700 cu ft of stuff, with a shuttle truck (since we are on a tiny lane) included, for a shared container,  with the caveat there could be another $350 by US Customs if they want to x-ray my stuff. At today's exchange rate, that is (without the customs charges) about $6,900. Which is $600 cheaper than Rainier. R was about $7,500 but covered everything as far as permits/paperwork, and would charge another $250 if they have to use a shuttle to get our stuff to a 20ft dedicated container. Robinsons says that if fuel goes up, or the exchange rate changes, the cost is passed on to me. Rainier does not.

However, in reading the fine print of the Robinson's terms I see that I am responsible for getting any permits/paperwork/government clearances. And:
"If the carrying vessel/conveyance, should for reasons beyond the carrier’s control, fail to deliver the goods, or route them to a place other than the original destination, You may have limited recourse against the carrier depending upon  the  carriers  particular  terms  and  conditions  of  carriage,  and  You  may  be  liable  for  General  Average contribution (e.g. the costs incurred to preserve the vessel/conveyance and cargo) and salvage charges, or the additional cost of onward transmission to the place, port or airport of destination. These are insurable risks and it is Your responsibility to arrange adequate marine/transit insurance cover."

Errrk!  ::)

I'm glad this is only "what-if"ing right now!


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Re: Just running the "what if" variables - cost to ship "home"
« Reply #8 on: July 13, 2019, 10:17:24 AM »
And Rainier has given us a guestimate if we go back to somewhere on the west coast of about $2,000 -  $3,000 more than the original quote of $7,500 (depending on where we were going), and Iowa would be $1,500 to $2,000 more. (Mostly the added cost of trucking.)  We had gotten some Ikea flatpack stuff here, with the thought that we'd break it back down to ship to wherever we went next. I'm thinking it'd be cheaper to just replace it at the other end, now. And to jettison most of what we've bought here as well. We had always planned to leave the living room stuff and the kitchen stuff, which we got on uber-clearance, behind as our landlord participates in a scheme where they will take it and give it to super low-income people that live in their other properties.

I'm still hoping we get to stay and that things work out for the Daughter. I certainly hadn't thought it'd cost us twice to ship our "stuff" back than it did to get it here! Oh, well. This time the Daughter pays for shipping her stuff, rather than us just splitting the cost, if it comes down to that. Most of the "big" stuff is hers.


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