When moving to another country one key issue expats have to sort out is whether to ship all their staff or replace everything once they move to the foreign country. In order to reach a wise decision one has to consider various factors. For instance in case you’re moving to a cheaper country it might make more economical sense to sell everything and purchase new furniture once you move. Or whether you want to ship the smaller items and replace the bigger ones or the other way around.
Besides the economical and emotional considerations, this partly depends on how long you intend to stay abroad. In case it’s a short term experience, it might not be worth it taking other than just the little items and your clothes. On the other hand, if you intend to stay for a longer period or indefinitely, it would make more sense to carry with you most of your values and comforts.
Note that some items including jewelry, perishable goods, plants, seeds, important documents such as visas and financial records, alcohol, hazardous materials should not be shipped with your mover.
Before start inquiring about different mover and quotes, it’s important to make your inventory in order to list which items will be shipped, sold, donated or thrown. This exercise will be useful when asking for a quote and eventually when the movers come since you’ll already know what to ship.
When it comes to ask for quotes, it is important to make sure you’re dealing with reputable movers with a reliable history. Doing some research about their background especially their customer care approach is essential. Look for customer reviews before committing yourself. Most websites of moving companies allow you to request a quote. In case they offer you the possibility to fill out a detailed inventory of the items you’ll be shipping, you may get a price estimate before the actual in-home survey by the movers.
Usually the quote is based on the estimated weight and volume. Therefore, when you know the price per kg or cubic foot, with some calculations, you could easily make an estimate yourself as well. Note that the final price might vary slightly since this would be based on the actual measurements made by the moving companies once they pick up your staff and transport it to their warehouse. Moreover, you should consider some additional charges for cases like difficult access, stairs in case no elevator is available etc.
The mover may indicate a delivery time frame in the quote and the delivery time frame is dependent on the origin and destination of your goods. Some movers are able to specify the dates for when your goods will actually leave the moving company’s warehouse and shipped to the destination.