Advice on Allied Pickfords, what should I take back to UK? | ExpatWoman.com
 

Advice on Allied Pickfords, what should I take back to UK?

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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 27 November 2015 - 23:04

Hiya. New to this forum! (but i guess i’ve been a lurker for a time ::))))))

After 6 and a bit years in the sandpit, DH and I are going back to UK. I’m thinking what to take with me. A friend went back and used Allied Pickfords.

We have a lot of stuff but nothing that’s so important, furniture etc. But we have a dining table that means a lot to us, so we want to ship that back. I guess my question is - if we’re already shipping the table (which is kinda expensive) is it worth just shipping a bunch of other stuff as well? I heard Allied Pickfords charge for either a half container or full container. So if we’re already using a bit of the half, may as well use the rest?

Really appreciate your thoughts on this. I can’t decide whether to sell things like the TV and room divider or just ship them, since i’ll need to buy at the other end anyway?

Thanks.

xxxMinnie

111
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 17 December 2015 - 19:52
Sky Cargo was actually more reasonable, but they don't pack. So you would have to pack and arrange a truck to get your things to the airport so that would add to the cost.
4
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 07 December 2015 - 09:08
Thanks posh bird, Sue, RSAgirl…sooo helpful!! posh bird, I don’t mean really small things like the toaster, i’m thinking mainly of electronics and a few bits of furniture. DH has lots of boy toys/game consoles/hifi which will have to come with us and i have boxes of clothes!!! I’m thinking if I’m sending all of that, one or two small bits of furniture won’t matter too much. I get the feeling tho sending big pieces of furniture like a sofa isn’t worth it. Lastly, there’s no cheaper way, right? RSAgirl you mentioned sky cargo, but surely that’s gonna be more expensive than sending it by ship? I don’t mind splitting things. I could let allied pichfords handle the furniture and electronics and send the clothes and other things by sky cargo. but that would be more, no? xxxMinnie
111
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 04 December 2015 - 18:09
We just used Allied Pickfords when we moved to Europe 2 months ago. In all honestly in retrospect, all I would have brought is the kitchen stuff which could have gone with Emirates sky cargo for a tenth of the price and bought everything new with the rest of what we paid Allied.
2262
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 04 December 2015 - 11:56
Only take back what you love. Do not haul anything you really do not like. So you are planning on selling everything, sheets, towels, cutlery, pots and pans and all your other kitchen stuff and buying new? You might also look into sending some boxes with the above items in cargo on the plane when you leave. It all depends on if you like your stuff enough to bring it home, or screw it and just buy buckets of new stuff :)
166
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 03 December 2015 - 11:49
OP, when you say you don't have any important stuff (apart from your dining table) that you want to take back, do you mean like, toaster, coffee table, bookcase, TV, etc? Because it will cost considerably more to take back these items than just your dining table, obviously. I'd say contact Allied for a free survey to see what the difference in cost would be between shipping just the 1 dining table, vs the dining table and all your other bits. Only you can decide how important these extra bits are to you. However I suspect that once you see the price of shipping bigger volume of stuff, you'll stick with just taking your dining table, haha!
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 30 November 2015 - 20:35
Thanks Amelia, Chrissy, good good advice. What do you think about shipping things I'll need again? I can't decide if it's worth it or not?
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 29 November 2015 - 11:49
Allied Pickfords seem to be really good. I helped someone move back to the UK, they didn't have any furniture but did have some large items of artwork and sculptures. They come and pack everything for you and then anything that needs crating in a wooden crate is taken away and a specific crate made. they even send photos of the crate. They send the boxes / crates on a shipment that has space and keep you updated every step of the way. I think it took around 4 weeks in total for delivery. Once it clears customs they deliver to the property, unpack everything and take away the empty boxes and packing materials. They check all items for any breakage and you sign to say everything has arrived safely and in one piece.
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 28 November 2015 - 23:26
We have recently returned to the UK and used ISS for our shipment. Didn't bother shipping any large items, such as furniture and ended up with two and a half cubic metres. They packed for us on 10th October (very impressed with their packing, quick and efficient) but they did warn us that it could take two to three weeks before there would be space in a container. It was eventually shipped at the end of October and was due to arrive in Felixstowe yesterday (27th). It will be delivered to our new address and the total cost, including insurance, was 3,700 dirhams. We watched them pack and were very impressed so I am not expecting any breakages when we unpack.
4
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 28 November 2015 - 18:01
Thanks poshbird, that's useful. :cool: So what's your advice on taking stuff, especially stuff I'll need to buy again? Is it worth the cost of shipping it, or should I just sell it? Really wanna hear what you think.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 28 November 2015 - 00:40
I have it on good authority that these are the 3 main options with Allied: Option 1 - You pay for a full container, and fill it with as much (or as little!) stuff as you want. You get an "exact" shipping and delivery date. This is the most expensive option, obviously. Option 2 - You "share" a container with other people's shipments. This option is for people who only have a few items to ship but don't want to pay for a full container, so Allied basically group several clients' stuff together until the container is full, and then it's shipped. This is most likely the most cost-effective option but you won't necessarily get an exact shipping or delivery date - only an estimate - as obviously they won't always know when the container will be filled (and therefore ready to ship) as they're relying on clients to fill it. I haven't said that properly but hoping you get the gist! Option 3 - Not 100% sure but something like if you don't want to pay for a full container, but you also don't want to wait a while for your stuff to ship, Allied box your stuff up (wooden boxes), and stick it on the next ship out with available space in containers. Sounds like a "third party" kind of jobby though, so not sure how popular this option is, or whether it's more or less cost than option 2.
 
 

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