The price of moving depends on the how much is being moved, the value of the goods, and the distance to be moved. Compare companies because the prices and assurances they offer can be quite different. The first step is ascertaining that the company is approved by an international remover network like the International Association of Movers or the AMSA for example, so you will have recourse if something is damaged. Also, be meticulous in keeping records of what you are shipping and their values if possible.

If possible, ship only the truly indispensable items and try to buy when you arrive to abate some of the cost. Shipping costs are calculated on the amount of volume (Cubic Feet) that your packed goods will take up in one of our shipping containers. Volume is calculated by multiplying the length x depth x height. An example would be a full size refrigerator/freezer that is 3ft wide, 2 feet deep, and 6 feet high would be 36 cubic feet. A 20 foot container total cubic capacity is 1172 ft 3 and a 40 foot container capacity is 2392 ft. A standard 2 to 3 bedroom house or condo should fit into 1 x 20ft container. A larger 4 to 5 bedroom house would need 1 x 40ft container.

Different options: ground, sea or air

The three options are to go by ground, sea or by air, or a combination of the three.

To move by sea takes longer (6-8 weeks), but costs less. If moving by sea, your household goods will be packed into containers that are usually loaded at your residence. Once your home is packed into the containers, they are then shipped by rail or transport to the port where they are then loaded on to a steamship container. The container is then loaded on the boat as cargo. Once your goods have arrived in the new country, the container is unloaded and must pass through customs. International movers will be able to help you with the custom forms and are responsible for clearing your goods.

Moving household items by air is becoming increasingly popular, despite a much higher price tag than shipping by boat. Heavy cardboard boxes are normally used to pack your goods, although some air freight companies will use containers. You may find that shipping items by air is less expensive than renting a furnished place to live or hotel costs. Most companies offer both options so inquire about the price difference and decide which method is best for you.

Some basic factors in determining the best shipping method are:

• Determine the volume of your personal belongings (for road and sea shipments); the weight and volume of your personal belongings (for air shipments).
• The final destination of your shipment. If you are looking to move across the globe (e.g. from New Zealand to the USA or Australia), you might want to ship the majority of your personal belongings by sea container and a small portion of things you will need upon your arrival by air.
• Your personal moving schedule. How soon do you need or want to receive your personal belongings at your destination? Do you already have accommodation (i.e. a house or apartment) at destination? Will you be going on vacation before taking up your new position at destination? Will intermediated storage of your personal belongings be required?
• Your budget. Who is paying for your move? Your present or new company, or yourself? What is your allowance for the move?

Ground Shipping

To save money, you can ship your items with other people's belongings. Known as "groupage", your personal belongings will be shipped on a large truck together with the personal belongings of one or more customers. Depending on the final destination of your shipment, your personal belongings may be unloaded at a central warehouse somewhere in Europe, for instance, and then shipped to their final destination on another truck departing to your destination country from that central warehouse. A groupage truck option is usually less expensive than a direct truck option, but door-to-door transit times are longer.

If your household goods shipment is large or cost is not as much of an issue as time, direct shipping might be a better option. The truck will contain your personal belongings only and will go directly to its final destination without stopping at any other warehouse. A direct dedicated truck is usually more expensive than a groupage truck shipment, but the door-to-door transit time can be significantly shorter.

Sea Shipping

Sea shipments are normally used for mid-sized to large moves to and from North America, South America, Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. For some destinations, both groupage sea shipments and direct dedicated container shipments are available. Some rare destinations are only served by direct dedicated containers.

The transit time for sea shipments from and to New Zealand can vary significantly depending on the destination or origin of your shipment. You should take this into consideration when planning your move. Transit times for groupage sea shipments normally are a little bit longer than those for direct container shipments.

Air shipment

If your shipment is small and/or you want to receive your personal belongings at your destination as soon as possible, an air shipment might be the ideal choice for your move. Often people who are moving to a far-away destination send the majority of their personal belongings by surface and opt for an additional air shipment for the most urgently needed items, such as extra clothing and toys. If you want to ship large or bulky items (e.g. beds, sofas) by air, dimensions are important as not all airplanes flying in and out of the city can accommodate such items. The transit time for a door-to-door air shipment is normally between seven and fourteen days, all depending on the origin and destination country's customs regulations. Some countries require that the owner of the personal belongings be present in the country before import customs clearance can take place, which means that your shipment can only be dispatched once you have arrived in your destination country.

Most companies offer a free quote for the move if you submit your information to their webpage "free quote" section.
(For example: compare-international-movers.com/quotes)

Companies include:

• The Moving Company
• Auckland Movers
• Allied Movers.