Sunday 4 October 2009

Advice on Moving Refrigerators and Freezers

Refrigerators and freezers alongside other bulkier items of furniture and other household appliances are usually the most difficult items to move from one house to another. They’re cumbersome and heavy and you should never attempt to move these items on your own. It’s not simply an issue of their bulkiness and weight, however. You will need to both prepare and clean your appliance first before moving it and also make provisions to store any of its contents, give them away or put them in the bin.

Defrosting
You should fully thaw and defrost your fridge and freezer ahead of moving day. Although this is likely to cause you some inconvenience, it has to be done otherwise you’ll have problems with things like condensation and ice on the day of the move. Not only that, you need to make sure it is fully dry and has been fully aired out before moving it or it may result in a musty smell so this is one of those tasks which you should be prepared for about 1 to 2 days before the move. Even if you have a frost free appliance, you should still prepare it a couple of days in advance.

Removable Parts
Make sure you remove all the trays, crispers, chilled drink dispenser, shelves, egg tray and any other removable part of the fridge or freezer otherwise they’re likely to come out of position when they’re lifted which could cause them to break and to damage the lining of the appliance. Keep these parts in a container and label them so that you know where they are when you reach your destination.

Cleaning Assuming that you’ve removed all the spare parts and foodstuff items, in particular perishables, from your appliance, you should unplug it before beginning to clean it. Use a cloth and mild detergent (or a baking soda solution) to clean the interior of the appliance. Don’t just wipe down what you can easily see. In fridges especially, you need to look underneath shelf runners too as you’ll often be amazed at how much grime has gathered or remnants of food are caked on to the underneath of the runners. Likewise with the door seals.

It’s no use just running a cloth along the top. Pushing the sides of the seal apart is likely to reveal a whole lot more dirt than you bargained for. Once you’ve done this and wiped down the exterior of the appliance, you should leave the door open for at least 24 hours to allow for any moisture to disperse. You’ll also need to wash the removable parts and let them dry too before placing them in a separate container. Don’t forget that glass shelves should be handled carefully and wrapped in some kind of protective covering and transported in a separate bag or container marked ‘fragile’. You should also remove the base cover at the bottom of the fridge and vacuum the condenser or compressor as well as emptying and cleaning out the evaporator pan.

Moving the Appliance
You should remove any handles if possible to avoid them getting snagged on something or damaged during the move. It’s also a good idea to pack the interior of a fridge with lightweight blankets to keep it more stable during transit. In some cases, motors may need to bolted down so you should refer to your instruction manual about that or speak to an expert if you’re not sure as many appliances are not designed to be carried on their sides as it can damage the motor so you should make sure you check otherwise you may end up ruining the appliance. Wrapping some blankets or other soft covering around the appliance before you move it will also help to minimise it being scratched or its exterior being damaged.

A Word of Caution about Freezers
If you’ve planned things well, you should have run down the food in your freezer in the weeks leading up to the move but if you’ve forgotten to do that, be very wary about leaving food in the freezer and taking it with you. Freezers were not designed to be lifted full of food and you can damage your freezer by trying to carry it with excess weight inside. Not only that, frozen food can’t be kept frozen during a move and it can defrost and deteriorate far more quickly than you might envisage. This can cause bad odours which can be absorbed into the lining which can often be impossible to get rid of and, therefore, it will make the freezer unusable. The best thing to do is give away any remaining frozen food you have left to neighbours or simply dispose of it in the bin. It might seem a waste of money but a new freezer is bound to cost you more.

For more information please visit www.removalcosts.co.uk

Thursday 1 October 2009

Moving Overseas

Moving Overseas

Most of us will have spent lazy days on holiday lying on a sun-kissed beach with not a care in the world and have thought “wouldn’t it be nice to live abroad?” at one time or another. And whilst many Brits will go on and turn their dreams into reality and become part of the millions of expats living overseas, there are so many considerations to take into account and it involves far more thought and careful planning than you’re likely to have thought possible. If moving overseas is something you are seriously considering, however, here are just some of the many issues you’ll need to think carefully about.

Permits/Visas
Firstly, depending on where you are looking to move to, you may find that it’s difficult or nigh on impossible to obtain the relevant paperwork such as visas and work permits unless you’re moving to another EU member country. Therefore, it’s important you find that out from the outset because without the necessary paperwork, all of the other considerations will be meaningless.

Health and Insurance
It’s not simply a matter of a couple of weeks’ travel insurance but you’ll need to take out comprehensive insurance policies for your health, travel, home and contents, third party liability and motor insurance. Health insurance is vital as without it, you could end up being left with bills you simply cannot afford to pay if you suffer from a serious illness or have a bad accident whilst abroad. It’s not like the UK which has the NHS. In certain countries, you may not even be entitled to the most basic of healthcare facilities without having the proper insurance. You should also be aware of any potential health risks in the country you’re travelling to, make sure that you have all of the proper vaccinations and have taken any other necessary health precautions.

Cultural Issues
Once again, a holiday experience abroad is likely to be very different from becoming a resident in a certain country. Even if you do tend to go on holidays away from the typically British resorts overseas and enjoy conversing with the local natives, actually living amongst them as a resident can be very different and in many places, you’ll need to get to know their culture, heritage, traditions, customs and way of life before you go as you may find that certain practices and beliefs are so far off from what you feel you can accommodate within your own lifestyle so it’s important you gain a grasp of these first before deciding if a move to a particular country is right for you.

Children and Education
If you are planning to move abroad with children, you’ll also need to look at the implications for their schooling. Will there be schools there where English is widely spoken? Are the schools of a high standard? How do your children feel about integrating with foreign children and perhaps having to learn a new language? All of these and much more are questions you’ll need to have answered.

Cost of Living
Many people quit Britain for a life abroad because of the cost of living which they believe is far cheaper overseas. Whilst this may be true in some countries, it is not true of all and it’s important you find out if you can actually afford to live overseas whilst maintaining your required standard of living. Remember things like healthcare costs which are often not taken into account when considering like-for-like costs of living between the UK and countries overseas.

Employment
If you have a job go to, you’ll also need to consider what you would do if the job ended at any point. Would you be able to obtain another job within your chosen field quite quickly and, if not, how might this affect your ability to afford the means to sustain yourself and your family?

Finance and Taxes
You’ll also need to consider opening a foreign bank account and to find out more about taxes and other charges which you will incur in the place you are moving to and the cost of any implications of financial assets you still might have in the UK.

These are just some of the issues which will need careful consideration before moving overseas. Others would include things like accessibility to public transport if you don’t intend having a car, crime and personal safety and communications infrastructures if you rely on them for work or for keeping in touch with friends and family back home.

The important thing to remember is that many expats go on to lead far happier lives and have never regretted leaving the UK for a life overseas. There are, however, many for whom it ends up turning into a nightmare. Therefore, the key thing is to plan meticulously, ensuring that relocation overseas is viable and something you are determined to do and then to also have some kind of ‘exit strategy’ in place, should emergencies occur or you decide later that you wish to return home.

For more information about overseas moves please visit www.removalcosts.co.uk

Tuesday 29 September 2009

Shipping Overseas - Plane or Boat?

Shipping Overseas - Plane or Boat?

If you’re moving many miles away overseas the two main options you’re going to have are whether you transport your belongings by air or by sea. Obviously, if you’re flying yourselves, you may end up thinking that it’ll be easier to transport everything on the plane but if you have a lot of stuff, it may well end up having to go on a different cargo plane altogether anyway. The main factors are going to be cost and how long you’re prepared to wait for your belongings at the other end. This article will outline a few of the pros and cons of each method.

Shipping by Sea
Shipping costs are worked out by volume as opposed to weight which is how sea freight is calculated in terms of cost so you’ll obviously save yourself a great deal of money should you choose to ship everything by sea. The downside, however, is that you’ll wait a lot longer for your belongings to appear at your destination and, depending on circumstances, that could mean that you incur additional costs if, for example, you prefer your creature comforts and decide to take up temporary residence in, say, a hotel and stay there until your belongings arrive. You should also note that, unlike with air freight, your bottom line quote will usually not include insurance which you’ll also have to take out independently and which could bump up the total cost considerably. And, although it can vary between companies, insurance is usually based on either coverage for loss only or the more expensive coverage for loss and damage so when you ask for a quote, make sure you know what you’re covered for. Also, as most shipping companies will only ship your belongings in wooden containers or crates which are seaworthy, this could mean them taking up more space than you have available to you in your home as you’re trying to pack and they might also not be included in the cost or you will be charged extra for them.

Shipping by Air
Air freight, whilst being more expensive, is a much quicker way of getting re-united with your belongings at your destination and it’s this convenience that may make you think that it’s worth paying the extra cost which can be quite considerable. But, as you can also use your own boxes it can make the whole process a lot quicker and simpler and it’s really only the cost that might be too prohibitive.

Get Several Quotes
The best thing to do is to obtain a number of quotes from both companies who specialise in sea freight and those who specialise in air freight. Then, once you’ve decided which method you’re going to opt for, then you should compare the quotes again and find out the bottom line and whether or not it includes things like insurance and door-to-door pick up and delivery as what, at first, might seem the cheapest quote might be the most expensive once you add on all the extras. Just as you would with any removal company, try to find out as much as you can about the companies you’re comparing – how long they’ve been established, where they tend to ship to the most, do they ship to your destination regularly, do they have their own packers, can they provide you with written references, how long it will take from the moment the items leave your door to the time they arrive at the other end etc. These are all questions you need to find out before you can finalise which company you intend using.

For more information about overseas moves please visit www.removalcosts.co.uk

Friday 3 July 2009

Moving Your Car Overseas

If you’re moving abroad and intend shipping your car overseas the two main things you’re going to need to consider are looking for an appropriate company to ship it and the things you need to do with regards to informing the DVLA.

Informing the DVLAYou must notify the DVLA if you intend taking your car out of the country. That applies even if you’re moving to France and driving your car through the tunnel. You need to complete section C of your V5 registration document to show the intended date of export and then a certificate of export (V561) will be issued to you in place of your V5 registration which will then enable you to register the vehicle abroad. To obtain a certificate of export, you should complete the relevant section of your V5 document and return it to the DVLA in Swansea or make the application at your local DVLA office but you need to do this a minimum of 14 days before your intended date of export. If you currently have a V5C registration certificate, you need to complete the relevant slip on the V5C which is called the V5C/4 (the notification of export) and send that to the DVLA. You’re then able to take the remainder of the V5C to the country you’re going to when the vehicle is being exported. If you are not in possession of either a V5C or V5 registration document, you can obtain one by completing the form V62 which you can get from the Post Office, and then send that to the DVLA. Then, follow the steps above. More information can be obtained from the DVLA website.

Choosing an International Car Shipping CompanyIt’s important that you shop around when looking for a company to ship your car overseas. Prices can vary widely and the cheapest price may not always be the best value for money. There are several things you’ll need to consider.

Will they be shipping the car from door to door or from terminal to terminal? Some companies might be cheaper but they might only ship your car to the nearest port to where you live at the other end. This won’t be too bad if you don’t live too far from the terminal but if you’re several miles away, this could involve greater costs overall. And, if you’re moving to a remote location, the actual cost of delivering the car to your new home might very well end up costing more than the actual shipping itself so when obtaining quotes, make sure you obtain full quotes which meet your exact specifications and not just get a basic quote with just the ‘top line’ on it.
What about shipping insurance? Most international shipping companies will offer some kind of basic insurance coverage but you need to find out what ‘basic’ includes and, more importantly, what it doesn’t include. Some may offer a higher premium depending on your destination and the type of car you have. And, if you’ve got an antique or ‘classic car’ or some kind of expensive sports model or luxury car, you’re better off taking out a higher insurance premium to cover the cost of your investment.

Routing of the JourneyTo keep charges as low as possible, some international shipping companies will use different routes and different carriers to get you a lower price. Whilst that’s very noble of them, it’s no use to you if that means your car goes all the way around Europe one way then comes back upon itself and comes all the way around the other side before it finally reaches its destination. You’ll probably want your car as soon as possible after you get to your destination yourself, so you also need to check how long it will take before your car reaches its intended destination.

Try to obtain bona fide references from people who have used the company before in order to ship their vehicle. You might not object to paying a little extra if you’ve been able to obtain references and have good faith that your car is in good hands. Also, all shipping companies will give you a shipping report which will highlight any minor damages, dents or scratches that are on the vehicle before it is shipped. Before you sign this make sure that you agree with the reports findings. It’ll be the only record of the state of your vehicle before it is shipped and you’ll want to ensure that your car matches the report when it reaches its destination before you can be sure that no further damage has been inflicted on it during the journey.

for more information please visit www.removalcosts.co.uk

Tuesday 23 June 2009

Moving Your Car Overseas

If you’re moving abroad and intend shipping your car overseas the two main things you’re going to need to consider are looking for an appropriate company to ship it and the things you need to do with regards to informing the DVLA.

Informing the DVLAYou must notify the DVLA if you intend taking your car out of the country. That applies even if you’re moving to France and driving your car through the tunnel. You need to complete section C of your V5 registration document to show the intended date of export and then a certificate of export (V561) will be issued to you in place of your V5 registration which will then enable you to register the vehicle abroad. To obtain a certificate of export, you should complete the relevant section of your V5 document and return it to the DVLA in Swansea or make the application at your local DVLA office but you need to do this a minimum of 14 days before your intended date of export. If you currently have a V5C registration certificate, you need to complete the relevant slip on the V5C which is called the V5C/4 (the notification of export) and send that to the DVLA. You’re then able to take the remainder of the V5C to the country you’re going to when the vehicle is being exported. If you are not in possession of either a V5C or V5 registration document, you can obtain one by completing the form V62 which you can get from the Post Office, and then send that to the DVLA. Then, follow the steps above. More information can be obtained from the DVLA website.

Choosing an International Car Shipping CompanyIt’s important that you shop around when looking for a company to ship your car overseas. Prices can vary widely and the cheapest price may not always be the best value for money. There are several things you’ll need to consider.

Will they be shipping the car from door to door or from terminal to terminal? Some companies might be cheaper but they might only ship your car to the nearest port to where you live at the other end. This won’t be too bad if you don’t live too far from the terminal but if you’re several miles away, this could involve greater costs overall. And, if you’re moving to a remote location, the actual cost of delivering the car to your new home might very well end up costing more than the actual shipping itself so when obtaining quotes, make sure you obtain full quotes which meet your exact specifications and not just get a basic quote with just the ‘top line’ on it.
What about shipping insurance? Most international shipping companies will offer some kind of basic insurance coverage but you need to find out what ‘basic’ includes and, more importantly, what it doesn’t include. Some may offer a higher premium depending on your destination and the type of car you have. And, if you’ve got an antique or ‘classic car’ or some kind of expensive sports model or luxury car, you’re better off taking out a higher insurance premium to cover the cost of your investment.

Routing of the JourneyTo keep charges as low as possible, some international shipping companies will use different routes and different carriers to get you a lower price. Whilst that’s very noble of them, it’s no use to you if that means your car goes all the way around Europe one way then comes back upon itself and comes all the way around the other side before it finally reaches its destination. You’ll probably want your car as soon as possible after you get to your destination yourself, so you also need to check how long it will take before your car reaches its intended destination.

Try to obtain bona fide references from people who have used the company before in order to ship their vehicle. You might not object to paying a little extra if you’ve been able to obtain references and have good faith that your car is in good hands. Also, all shipping companies will give you a shipping report which will highlight any minor damages, dents or scratches that are on the vehicle before it is shipped. Before you sign this make sure that you agree with the reports findings. It’ll be the only record of the state of your vehicle before it is shipped and you’ll want to ensure that your car matches the report when it reaches its destination before you can be sure that no further damage has been inflicted on it during the journey.

for more information please visit www.removalcosts.co.uk

Wednesday 10 June 2009

Moving Your Car Overseas

If you’re moving abroad and intend shipping your car overseas the two main things you’re going to need to consider are looking for an appropriate company to ship it and the things you need to do with regards to informing the DVLA.

Informing the DVLAYou must notify the DVLA if you intend taking your car out of the country. That applies even if you’re moving to France and driving your car through the tunnel. You need to complete section C of your V5 registration document to show the intended date of export and then a certificate of export (V561) will be issued to you in place of your V5 registration which will then enable you to register the vehicle abroad. To obtain a certificate of export, you should complete the relevant section of your V5 document and return it to the DVLA in Swansea or make the application at your local DVLA office but you need to do this a minimum of 14 days before your intended date of export. If you currently have a V5C registration certificate, you need to complete the relevant slip on the V5C which is called the V5C/4 (the notification of export) and send that to the DVLA. You’re then able to take the remainder of the V5C to the country you’re going to when the vehicle is being exported. If you are not in possession of either a V5C or V5 registration document, you can obtain one by completing the form V62 which you can get from the Post Office, and then send that to the DVLA. Then, follow the steps above. More information can be obtained from the DVLA website.

Choosing an International Car Shipping CompanyIt’s important that you shop around when looking for a company to ship your car overseas. Prices can vary widely and the cheapest price may not always be the best value for money. There are several things you’ll need to consider.

Will they be shipping the car from door to door or from terminal to terminal? Some companies might be cheaper but they might only ship your car to the nearest port to where you live at the other end. This won’t be too bad if you don’t live too far from the terminal but if you’re several miles away, this could involve greater costs overall. And, if you’re moving to a remote location, the actual cost of delivering the car to your new home might very well end up costing more than the actual shipping itself so when obtaining quotes, make sure you obtain full quotes which meet your exact specifications and not just get a basic quote with just the ‘top line’ on it.
What about shipping insurance? Most international shipping companies will offer some kind of basic insurance coverage but you need to find out what ‘basic’ includes and, more importantly, what it doesn’t include. Some may offer a higher premium depending on your destination and the type of car you have. And, if you’ve got an antique or ‘classic car’ or some kind of expensive sports model or luxury car, you’re better off taking out a higher insurance premium to cover the cost of your investment.

Routing of the JourneyTo keep charges as low as possible, some international shipping companies will use different routes and different carriers to get you a lower price. Whilst that’s very noble of them, it’s no use to you if that means your car goes all the way around Europe one way then comes back upon itself and comes all the way around the other side before it finally reaches its destination. You’ll probably want your car as soon as possible after you get to your destination yourself, so you also need to check how long it will take before your car reaches its intended destination.

Try to obtain bona fide references from people who have used the company before in order to ship their vehicle. You might not object to paying a little extra if you’ve been able to obtain references and have good faith that your car is in good hands. Also, all shipping companies will give you a shipping report which will highlight any minor damages, dents or scratches that are on the vehicle before it is shipped. Before you sign this make sure that you agree with the reports findings. It’ll be the only record of the state of your vehicle before it is shipped and you’ll want to ensure that your car matches the report when it reaches its destination before you can be sure that no further damage has been inflicted on it during the journey.

for more information please visit www.removalcosts.co.uk

Monday 8 June 2009

Moving Your Car Overseas

If you’re moving abroad and intend shipping your car overseas the two main things you’re going to need to consider are looking for an appropriate company to ship it and the things you need to do with regards to informing the DVLA.

Informing the DVLAYou must notify the DVLA if you intend taking your car out of the country. That applies even if you’re moving to France and driving your car through the tunnel. You need to complete section C of your V5 registration document to show the intended date of export and then a certificate of export (V561) will be issued to you in place of your V5 registration which will then enable you to register the vehicle abroad. To obtain a certificate of export, you should complete the relevant section of your V5 document and return it to the DVLA in Swansea or make the application at your local DVLA office but you need to do this a minimum of 14 days before your intended date of export. If you currently have a V5C registration certificate, you need to complete the relevant slip on the V5C which is called the V5C/4 (the notification of export) and send that to the DVLA. You’re then able to take the remainder of the V5C to the country you’re going to when the vehicle is being exported. If you are not in possession of either a V5C or V5 registration document, you can obtain one by completing the form V62 which you can get from the Post Office, and then send that to the DVLA. Then, follow the steps above. More information can be obtained from the DVLA website.

Choosing an International Car Shipping CompanyIt’s important that you shop around when looking for a company to ship your car overseas. Prices can vary widely and the cheapest price may not always be the best value for money. There are several things you’ll need to consider.

Will they be shipping the car from door to door or from terminal to terminal? Some companies might be cheaper but they might only ship your car to the nearest port to where you live at the other end. This won’t be too bad if you don’t live too far from the terminal but if you’re several miles away, this could involve greater costs overall. And, if you’re moving to a remote location, the actual cost of delivering the car to your new home might very well end up costing more than the actual shipping itself so when obtaining quotes, make sure you obtain full quotes which meet your exact specifications and not just get a basic quote with just the ‘top line’ on it.
What about shipping insurance? Most international shipping companies will offer some kind of basic insurance coverage but you need to find out what ‘basic’ includes and, more importantly, what it doesn’t include. Some may offer a higher premium depending on your destination and the type of car you have. And, if you’ve got an antique or ‘classic car’ or some kind of expensive sports model or luxury car, you’re better off taking out a higher insurance premium to cover the cost of your investment.

Routing of the JourneyTo keep charges as low as possible, some international shipping companies will use different routes and different carriers to get you a lower price. Whilst that’s very noble of them, it’s no use to you if that means your car goes all the way around Europe one way then comes back upon itself and comes all the way around the other side before it finally reaches its destination. You’ll probably want your car as soon as possible after you get to your destination yourself, so you also need to check how long it will take before your car reaches its intended destination.

Try to obtain bona fide references from people who have used the company before in order to ship their vehicle. You might not object to paying a little extra if you’ve been able to obtain references and have good faith that your car is in good hands. Also, all shipping companies will give you a shipping report which will highlight any minor damages, dents or scratches that are on the vehicle before it is shipped. Before you sign this make sure that you agree with the reports findings. It’ll be the only record of the state of your vehicle before it is shipped and you’ll want to ensure that your car matches the report when it reaches its destination before you can be sure that no further damage has been inflicted on it during the journey.

for more information please visit www.removalcosts.co.uk