Shipping costs

The prices of international removals depend on many different factors. One of them is the distance which can be broken down to:

  • The distance from the collection address to the port of departure
  • The distance between the port of departure and the port of entry
  • The distance between the port of entry and the delivery address

Another main factor that has a huge impact on the shipping costs to USA from the UK is the volume and that's why you or your freight forwarders will have to carry out a survey to make the exact list of all items to be shipped.

There is also an additional charge for porters, dismantling of furniture, packing, carrying goods down and up the stairs or an unusual term. 

Arranging all the formality related to the international transport such as preparation of appropriate documentation, taxes, airport or sea fees, quarantine, customs clearance involves some additional expenses too.

How to calculate shipping prices?

Shipping costs to USAThe easiest way to calculate or better to obtain the cost of shipping to USA is to contact us. We need just a few details to prepare the quote for you. If you need just a rough figures we will not need the exact info, just the moving from address, the delivery town, biggest items and that's it.

Below you can see some info from our clients and the prices they have paid for their move to USA.

"We used a professional moving company who were very helpful when we were shipping from London in October 2014. We just took personal stuff, pictures, documents, books, jewellery, clothes and shoos etc.. We shipped 10 large boxes and took about 28 days to reach our new address in the US and it cost £510. Our boxes were put in a shared container" - Ann

"I am about to move to New York from Birmingham. At the beginning of September 2014 I have requested tree quotes from different international movers. I have had estimators in my house and all worked out the same cubic volume, between 960 cubic feet and 990 ft3. I was told I would need a sole 20 foot container. I was taking with me all our double and single beds, fridge, freezer, 3 wardrobes, 3 and 2-seater sofas, dining room table and 8 chairs, about 28 boxes and some garden, shed and garage items. The cost of shipping the full container was £3250, including packing and door to door delivery and insurance." - Mark

The average cost of shipping from the UK to USA

The approximate moving costs to United States from UK depends on many factors:

  • the number, the size and the volume of transported boxes and furniture. 
  • the distance between locations, shipping to Phoenix from UK will be much more expensive than local removals within the country
  • number of small items (books, papers, ornaments, personals, fragiles) for international packing
  • the scope of removal and installation
  • location and architectural conditions: 
    • parking restrictions
    • distance between collection and delivery addressesTransportation costs
    • what floor
    • width of the staircase
    • access to the elevator
  • the date (fixed or flexible)
  • pianos and upright pianos, cabinets and safes
  • other items over 110kg
  • services required
  • the value of your cargo
  • are they brand new or used
  • have you moved from or to USA before?
  • the nature of items you are taking

The scope of work to be done:

Each client has different needs and require different services. Anyone can rent a van and do the packing, loading and unloading on his own. Another customer wants a comprehensive service in the form of loading, unloading, packing and furniture removal services. Thus, the discrepancy in quotes can be significant here. Unfortunately when relocating to USA there is a few more costs to be added: sea or air transportation, customs clearance and quarantine fees. Depends on the nature of the items you are taking across the ocean an adequate cost of taxes to be paid will be added too.

The Living costs

When you change jobs and move to another area of the country or abroad, it may appear that the money you earn will allow you to live in a new place and have a better standard of life - moving is not always associated with higher living costs in USA. How ever much more often you will have to earn more to survive.

Living costsNowadays, more and more people move abroad, where they can find a much better life conditions, better opportunities and huge potential for development. It is impossible not to notice that the organization of the international removals is a huge challenge because you have to take care of all the details, which is really a lot, because moving to another country is a 180 degrees change to everybody's life. 

In addition to standard activities, such as packaging and transportation you have to also take care of all the formalities associated with moving to another country. You also have to find out all the prices and make some calculations to make sure if you can afford to relocate.

International removals these days are becoming more frequent. People relocate to search a better piece of the world but also they return to the home country tired of wandering. 

Container shipping prices

Container shipping costs to USAOne of the most common ways of transporting your furniture to USA is using a container. Regardless of the destination, be it removals to San Diego, San Jose or New York, you can opt for door-to-door delivery services from any location. You should be aware that containers come in different sizes and it will depend on the volume of your move what size you will have to use. So the first thing you always have to do to get a price for your move is to estimate the accurate volume. Unfortunately working out the volume is not an easy thing to do.

To do it properly you need to sit down and write down on a piece of paper all biggest items of furniture you are taking with you and try to assess how many boxes of clothing and other valuables you and your family is going to fill up. Once you have established what you want to take with you and have made the inventory list you have two options.

First is to work out the volume yourself and the second is to send the inventory to your movers and we will do it for you. The cost of shipping container to USA always depends on the volume.

The weight of the cargo shipped is not that important unless you are shipping heavy machinery. Average Shipping costs range from $1970 up to $3850 depends on the origin and the destination. To find out the exact rates and how much to ship house contents to USA please contact our office. The quote is free and with no obligation.

Average postage rates

Postage rates and shipping costs from USA to UK - 04.06.2014
Postcard - First-Class Mail International Postcard Maximum size 6" length x 4-1/4" height $1.33

Letter - First-Class Mail International Large Envelope, Maximum Value for Contents: $399.00 Max. length 15", height 12" or thickness 3/4"

$7.90
(about 12 sheets)
Large envelope - Express Mail International Padded Flat Rate Envelope USPS-Produced Envelope: 12-1/2" x 9-1/2" Maximum weight 4 pounds. $41.12
Express Mail International Flat Rate Boxes USPS-Produced Box: 13-5/8" x 11-7/8" x 3-3/8" or 11" x 8-1/2" x 5-1/2" Maximum weight 20 pounds. $81.12
(10 pounds)
Global Express Guaranteed (GXG)**, Maximum Value for Contents: $2,499.00, Min. length 9-1/2", height 5-1/2", Max. length 46", width 35", height 46" and max. length plus girth combined 108" $120.22
(40 pounds)

 

Relocation due to work is not as rare event as it used to be. Unfortunately a lot of people still are not doing very well with the analysis of their financial expectations and working out the costs involved in shipping their belongings overseas as well as moving their entire life to a different continent.

Most common mistakes affecting the relocation costs

  • underestimation of the shipping costs  and living prices in a new city (often related to the situation of moving from a smaller to a larger city)
  • unrealistic and not tailored to the the local market financial expectation
  • wrong expectation of higher salary just because you change the job or move to a reacher country
  • not enough savings - each relocation involves some investments and unexpected costs

You know your life - you know how much you spend on clothing, food, entertainment. So you divide your budget on things that cost roughly the same regardless of location (such as clothing, electronics), and those that differ in different cities (rental housing, monthly passes, food, entertainment - movies, restaurants).

You can collect information on average prices that differ from those that you currently pay, so you can calculate how much you need to earn in order to preserve the status quo. Contact us today, we will calculate you relocation costs to United States from the UK for you. With our help you will move with no stress. Whether you are moving a dog to USA or sending commercial machinery.

Find out the cost of shipping a piano to USA and other musical instruments.

How much to ship house contents to USA from UK? Contact us today!