Freight & Furniture Removals

Article by: Jay
Last updated: Tuesday, 11-Jul-2006 00:00:00 CEST

With freight & furniture removals you need to consider what you want taking down under - Lots of migrants ponder this question. If you have friends or relations in Western Australia why not ask their opinion. If not, here are some suggestions to help you to decide.

The decision is usually cost based, i.e. replacement v removal & shipping. Shipping costs are based on space taken up i.e. cubic metres. This means non standard shaped items take more space and therefore cost more. Some of the items may cost less in Australia.

Is It Worth It To Freight My Furniture & Personal Items Over?

Is there a gain taking items? It can help you settle down more quickly with familiar items surrounding you. Your new accommodation takes on a more homley feel

Look into the cost of replacing items; try to be accurate over the costs; secondhand is a good temporary option. As it is at present the cost of sea freight has dramatically reduced.

A lot of houses in Western Australia have built in robes (BIR's) and so consider whether you need to bring wardrobes at all. Fully fitted kitchens are standard. Other types of furniture can and are quite expensive. You must rememember the golden rule of migration that of DONT COUNT THE COST IN YOUR NATIVE MONEY BUT IN WHAT YOU WILL EARN IN AUSTRALIA (see article Immigration research for more details)

Most electrical items will work with adaptors. However, because of climate differences, it's best to consider leaving your fridge and freezer behind

Always consider taking children's toys to make them feel at home.

Throw out all that is of no use. This may seem harsh but ... you are starting a new life after all!

Make sure you keep all relevant paperwork close at hand as you will need personal details and reference numbers for other paperwork to be processed.

Bringing the family photos is a wise move to consider. They are hard to replace so think about separating photos and negatives and carrying the negatives with you or send them ahead.

Should you bring your TV? In order for TV's to receive all transmissions in Western Australia, there is a need to modify them for signal reception. So, unless the TV is nearly new AND can be modified the short answer is to leave them behind. Before bringing any tv set to Australia, check that the set has both UHF and VHF tuners inside it.

Video recorders and players are the same as TV's that is they require both UHF and VHF tuners to be in place for reception and playing.

In Western Australia, there are a number of rental services for fridges, freezers, washing machines, furniture of most descriptions. A number of migrants use this service and rent on a weekly basis until they are ready to buy. Don't forget the time sea freight takes which might see you want to rent an appliance while you wait for your articels to arrive.

Freight Removals & Shipping of Furniture & Personal Items

Shipping your possessions to Western Australia and moving you / you and your family over there is a major project and an expensive exercise. There are a number of options available to you.

Although the majority of migrants choose to use a reputable and experienced international removals firm, you do have the option of doing all the work yourself including the freight shipping documentation. No matter what, you should consider starting the process some three months plus before your planned departure date. Remember they will carry all that heavy furniture for you - ask your self do you wnat to be doing that?

Points on Choosing an International Freight & Furniture Removal Firm

If you can, talk to other people who have had the experience and look for a recommendation. Research on the internet and look in yellow pages under international freight & furniture removal companies. There you will find smaller companies and some of the better known larger companies most of which have a presence or local office overseas. This enables a door to door service to be offered. There are also brokers offering reduced prices for the shipping of your goods though you will then require a furniture removal company to physiaclly nove the frieght items to the specified port. You need to carry out your research and make decisions on which option is best suited to your needs.

Select two or three companies and invite quotes for the total cost. Look for an itemised quote so you can make a decision on any step you may wish to undertake yourself. Some removal company web sites even offer an on-site quote so you can obtain the information quite readily.

Once you have appointed a freight & furniture removal company, their assistants will arrange a date to come and pack your possessions into appropriate sized boxes. A good standard of packaging materials is required for the long journey to ensure minimum damage to your goods. Your goods are then detailed on a consignment sheet and taken away for loading onto a container and shipping to your destination. The next time you will see them is in Western Australia!

Upon reaching the destination, the container - your goods may be a whole container or part of a container - they are inspected by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS). Once the authorities have completed the formalities, the goods are then released to the removals firm to deliver to your new home.

Costs

Shipping ocsts are based on cubic metres and awkward shaped items that don't fit into a standard box will take up more space and incurr extra charges. Consider up front what items could be replaced in Australia for less than the shipping & removal costs. this is a very important consideration as articles that you may think the point cheaper than Australia can be and are very expensive. Furniture and in particular beds are very expensive to purchase coupled with all the other costs incurred when moving. This could be and is generally an unnecessary cost that can be averted if you use freight to send over your furniture & posessions.

Additional Costs and Charges

Australian sales tax, customs duty, port charges storage and in some instances fumigation of dirty items. An inspection charge will probably be incurred for AQIS. In regard to fumigation this would cover items such as outdoor equipment - boots cycles etc - as the Australian authorities are very concerned about contamination. Seek details from the AQIS website or your removal company.

Insuring the items is also an additional cost to the shipping charges. The insurance premium is usally based on a percentage of the total goods value. Typically, this can be between 2.5% and 3%. Once you have obtained an insurance quote, make sure additional levies or premiums are not added as some people have experienced this happening in particular for higher value items. Double check with your insurance company. For standard furniture and household afrticles it may be better to take the small risk, but obviously with very expensive or 'priceless' sentimental value articles then insurance might be the answer.

Additional ... paperwork!

The Customs and AQIS will require an "Unacompanied Effects Statement and Authority to Act Form" once your goods have arrived in Western Australia. Your removal company should handle this but will forward a copy to you for verification and signature. A copy of your passport - all pages - will also be required in order to gain clearance for the goods.

Delivering the Goods!

This usually takes place between 10 - 14 days after the vessel has arrived in port. Notify your removal company should you not be ready to receive the freight & furniture goods so that they can arrange for them to be put into storage. This service is chargeable to you and there will be a request for payment in advance.

Damaged Goods

Sometimes this happens due to the nature of shipping and the distance that is being travelled as well as the handling of the boxes. Some claims have to be dealt with at the point of origin. It would be wise to consider finding out how to make a claim once you arrive in Western Australia so that you are prepared for such an event should it happen. This may involve an item being repaired rather than replaced.

Air Freight Versus Sea Freight For Your Furniture & Articles

This is a much more expensive method of sending goods but some people who choose to send 2 or 3 boxes send them by air freight so that they arrive much quicker. If you think about it logically you would have to consider the cost of airfreight very carefully in particular in terms of the size and bulk of furniture. The same basic guide lines apply to documentation and seeking a freight company.

Check List

Always get your removal quotes in writing
Ensure that the company you choose is reputable, has insurance of their own and belongs to a relevant professional association
Plan ahead! The sooner you start the planning the process the better. This will give a better choice of removal company
Make sure you have all necessary documentation to hand and do not send important items in the boxes on the vessel. This includes birth certificates, passports, qualifications for obtaining a job, your CV, references from previous employers, insurance documentation, sentimental items such as photographs and negatives, etc. etc.
Make sure all items are detailed on the consignment list before signing - mistakes can happen!
Know what you need to do in the event of your furniture or articles being damaged during the freight travel