Your Move, Our Care!
There are so many things to be aware of when considering a relocation and moving to a new country can be extremely stressful. To limit the stress, it is always better to be prepared and plan things ahead, which can take months to do so.
Considering ourselves as one of the best moving companies in Thailand, we would like to make sure that you have everything prepared before planning a relocation to Bangkok (or any cities in Thailand) or a relocation overseas.
In this article, you will learn at least 8 pieces of advice from us in order to make your pre-moving experience as stress-free as possible.
1) Be aware of the current shipping situation
It has been almost 3 years now that we all experienced the terrible repercussions of the COVID-19. While it impacted individuals, companies, it has also impacted the global supply chain. Due to numerous factors, including container shortages the ocean freight rates have climbed up continuously regardless of the trade lane. Until now, we are still experiencing considerable high rates although they are easing up in some regions.
It is important to mention that, more than 50% of the relocation costs comes from the freight costs, costs that we do not have control over. Not that the overall relocation cost wasn’t high before, but a high price is to be expected from relocations companies, including USP Relocations.
To adapt to this ongoing crisis, we make sure to provide the best international moving services in Thailand to all our clients hence, guiding you through to the most affordable way to relocate. Depending on the volume and your needs, we would determine the type of shipment it would take to relocate used household goods and limit the high potential costs. For example, there are at least 3 types of shipment by sea: Full Container Load (FCL), Less than a Container Load (LCL) or groupage shipment. A FCL shipment, whether it is in a 20ft, 40ft or 40ft HC container, the ocean freight would always be flat depending on the routes and type of containers. On the other hand, a LCL shipment has a freight cost that would be calculated by the cubic meters which could be a cheaper option.
If you’d like to learn more about it, we have a full article dedicated to that: “What is the cheapest way to ship things internationally?”.
2) Build up a budget
Keep in mind that leaving your country doesn’t come cheaply. How much you are willing and able to spend while moving should be the starting point for developing your budget. Then, make a list of all the moving-related costs. It would also be great if you had some extra cash set aside for unforeseen costs.
Check to see if your employer will pay for your moving costs if you are relocating for a job. Many employers provide some kind of job relocation package to employees, though it is not a requirement. When moving for work-related reasons, a job relocation package typically pays all or a portion of the employee’s moving costs. And in most cases, these packages are negotiable.
When your budget is set, you should also consider if you wish to ensure your relocation. Once you get rid of certain items in your inventory, you will most likely think about whether or not some items are more valuable than others and how you could protect them in case of an unexpected event during the transit. USP Relocations offers a Door-to-Door ‘All Risks Insurance’ coverage to ensure you are covered from A to Z.
3) Prepare an inventory of your entire household
If you already experienced moving to another country before, then it would be easy since you can use the same inventory used before to add/remove the items on the list accordingly.
However, if you’ve never moved before, it’s easy to make the costly mistake of moving every item you own without first organizing your home. One of the things to think about when moving out for the first time is to inventory your entire home and then get rid of all useless items in order to avoid making this common relocation mistake.
Surprisingly, clearing out the clutter in your home is simple; the challenge may lie in determining WHY you should do it. The main justifications for getting rid of unnecessary items and moving with the fewest number of possessions possible are:
Transportation costs. The weight of the shipment will increase as there are more items, which will raise the price of transportation, especially for LCL shipment.
Storage space. If you don’t have enough storage space for all of your household goods, moving more furniture into the house might not be the best idea.
Fresh cash. Selling items you won’t use again will transfer new money toward your moving budget, making your house move much easier to manage from a financial perspective. This is an important factor to keep in mind when moving out.
Moreover, once you have your final inventory on hand, you could start contacting us for an initial consultation with one of our expert removalists in Bangkok. The inventory would help a lot in assessing the total volume of your household goods, hence, enabling us to determine the best way to relocate you.
4) Run a background check before contacting a moving company
Overall, whether there is a shipping crisis or not, moving to another country would always involve high costs. It can be difficult to choose a moving company in Bangkok or even in general, and the price would usually be the decisive factor. But keep in mind that a cheaper price doesn’t mean a higher quality of service.
When choosing a company, always make sure they are accredited like us, with at least the IAM certification. The International Association of Movers (IAM) is the moving and forwarding industry’s largest global trade association. It includes companies that provide moving and related services in 170+ countries, accounting for more than 2,000 members. That means we have a wide range of partners around the world to consult when looking for the most affordable rates, while keeping a high standard of professionalism and premium services.
5) Learn about the customs regulations of the destination country
As part of the pre-moving process, the customs clearance type in the country of arrival is not to be neglected. We mentioned earlier in the budget section that It would also be great to put aside some money in case of unexpected costs.
If you are planning a relocation to Thailand, you would need a valid 1-year work permit or being a Thai Returning National to be considered for duties/taxes exemption. Otherwise, you will certainly pay the full duties/taxes for your shipment.
You can always inquire about it as we are able to estimate the costs for that and if you are really subject to duties/taxes, keep in mind that at USP Relocations we have a unique and alternative option to make your customs clearance smoother and faster, as well as cheaper. For more details, please contact us.
To learn more about the customs regulations regarding Thailand, we have a full article explaining the procedures based on the different cases: Thailand’s Import Customs Regulations & Procedures
If you are relocating from Thailand, you can also inquire with us about the customs regulations for your country of destination. We do also have some destination guides on our website, in the Destination Guide section.