International Movers - Buyers Guide

International Movers - How to Choose

Once you have decided to relocate to a foreign country, the next step on your exciting new venture will be finding the right international movers to help you move smoothly and easily. Although you might be tempted to simply organize your move by yourself – hiring the shipping company, finding containers, packing everything yourself doing the customs brokering and finding agents at the shipment’s ultimate destination to take charge in case you will be unavailable to meet the delivery yourself, the very thought of all that work could induce headaches in many people. Instead, hiring international movers is really your best option. The following is a guide on how to choose the movers that best suit your needs.

No matter where you get your international moving quotes from – whether online or through a traditional yellowpages directory, always ensure that the companies with which you are deal have their RIM certification . RIM stands for Registered International Mover. If a company has this certification then you can rest assured that they will provide a very high level of quality, customer service. In order to obtain a RIM certification, moving companies must pass an exam and then meet rigorous standards for the handling of household goods and belongings. It is a very good standard to which members must adhere.

Next, when looking to hire international movers, you should get quotes from at least five movers and then compare the cost against what they offer. However, always remember than an initial estimate is just that – it is subject to change based on the actual content of what you will be moving. So, the only way to get a true estimate of what you can expect to pay is to have the moving company send a representative to your home to get a visual of what needs to be shipped. Only then can a mover give you a truly accurate quote. If you are able to get a representative to come to your home to give you an estimate, try to make it a binding estimate. A binding estimate will guarantee you that price whether or not it takes the movers longer to ship or the contents are heavier than initially assessed.

Ask if the company you are interested in hiring offers packing services. Many international movers, in fact, prefer that one of their representatives packs your belongings as they can then be assured that the contents have been packed properly. Some movers will only offer their insurance on shipments that they have packed themselves. If you choose to do your own packing, then do not be surprised if you have to supply your own shipping insurance.

Also, hiring a new company – one that has been in business for less than five years might save you money, but could result in hold-ups, mishaps and unexpected delays. Hiring an established international moving company is always the best idea; so to is avoiding the lowest bidding company. Although you might be tempted to skimp on moving expenses, most companies will lure you in with a low estimate only to tack on a large number of hidden fees that will raise the cost far beyond their initial estimates.

Hiring international movers to help with your relocation, is the best way to save yourself headaches, stress and tensions during your move. As long as you are smart about the company you entrust with your belongings, your experience should be a positive one.

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I immediately got a call from a moving company who was very professional. We've had good communication, the survey was punctual and they returned a quotation the following day as promised. So far, so good!

Kate, Buyer
Adelaide, Australia