[Cidamon]

Hello everyone,

I've read the threads on shipping to/from HK and wondering if anyone could please help me with a few questions. I've checked out a few shipping companies already and one has done a survey of my flat, which is a 600sq ft space. I have about 10 boxes of books and 15-20 more of clothes/misc items. Plus a couple small pieces of furniture. it's not much stuff, and I am paying for this out of my own pocket, not thru a company. I'm trying to save money, but think a relocation company is the safest and more efficient way to go.

1) Does anyone have anything good or bad to say about these shipping companies: Santa Fe, Interdean Interconnex, Four Winds, or Links Relocation?

2) I noticed the quotes vary quite a bit - from the dollar per cft (anywhere from $60-95HKD) to the area they've assessed from my checklist (I gave them the same info and one company quoted me at 150cft, another at 250cft. So far the companies above have quoted me from $20,000 - $45,000. Any suggestions on how to assess what is fair?

3) Once a company has surveyed and given a final quote, do they have the ability to change the price when the moving starts? Does the final price go up substantially due to hidden factors not mentioned in the quote?

Thanks!

[PDLM]

I have been very impressed so far with these people: http://www.sevenseasworldwide.com
They have a small shipment of mine from the UK to HK. The service is great - SMS notified drops offs of boxes and packing materials, and pickups of the packed ones. Online tracking of the shipment (I can see the name of the ship, the number of the container, and where in the world the ship is).

Their pricing for China to USA (quick quotes available on their site) are US$180 for the first teachest and $80 for each subsequent one. Books can only go in half-tea-chest size boxes and are $40 each. It might be slightly cheaper for HK than the rest of China.

So your shipment would appear to cost approximately 20 tea-chests which would be US$3700 (HK$29000) door-to-door. This is the all-in price - very simple and straightforward (only extra is 3% for credit card if you pay that way).

They have a depot in Shenzhen which serves HK. chninfo@sevenseasworldwide.com And one in Charleston that serves the USA.

[penguinsix]

I liked Santa Fe. Good packing, were in and out of my house quickly.

We moved, basically 1 bedroom and 1 other room with boxes, clothes, tv, computer, etc. When it arrived it was crated in a box, say 5 x 5 x 10 feet. I think we paid $6,600 US, $48,000HK or so...about 5 weeks by boat to Baltimore

[Cidamon]

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[Cidamon]

Hi PDLM & Penguin Six,

Wow, sounds like you guys paid a lot, but i'm sure it meant less hassle and swift efficient service. As I'm trying to save money, yet not go freight, I think I may try to get rid of as much stuff as possible while still meeting most of the relocators minimum requirement - 150cft @$68 w/insurance & extras works out to about $17,000.

PDLM - Do you know the dimensions of a 'tea chest'?

Thanks!

[PDLM]

http://www.sevenseasworldwide.com/packing.aspx

A tea chest is 61*51*41cm, which is approximately 4.5cuft. A book box as supplied by Seven Seas is 51*41*31cm (2.25 cuft). The idea is to keep each box below 30kg,

So 20 tea chests is only about 90cu.ft.

If you are really looking at 150cu.ft+ then I guess Sevenseas are not for you - they position themselves as excess baggage/mini moves, not complete house movers.

[Simatai]

THanks PDLM!

Appreciate the info. I will keep Seven Seas in mind if I have end up having less than 150cft.

Is 150cft a lot? I thought that amount would only fit into 1/4 of a 20ft container.

[PDLM]

It's not a lot if you are shipping large items of furniture and kitchen appliances, but I'd be surprised if "10 boxes of books plus 15-20 boxes of clothes etc." is much more than 100cu.ft - they would have to be unusually large boxes. Seven Seas deliberately go for smallish boxes to keep each one reasonably man-handable - their book boxes (half a tea chest) weigh about 25kg when full of paper/books.

[Cidamon]

OK, I'm finally getting it I think . I did another more detailed calculation, and I DO think those re-locators are perhaps ripping me off a bit. They are calculating pretty high, and even their minimum is 150cft @$15,000 w/insurance, customs etc. So I think I will go with Seven Seas after all.

Thanks for all your help

[Cidamon]

Doh! I called Seven Seas and they don't have an agent in Hong Kong to pick up/deliver my belongings. They only service China (Shenzhen, Guangzhou) now. Does anyone else know of a door-to-door service in HK that does mini moves?

Thanks a bunch!