International Relocation Shipping — Household Goods Moved by a Freight Forwarder

The two variables that matter are volume and mode. A shared-container (LCL) move of a small flat is a very different number from a sole-use 40ft container of a family home. Beyond volume, cost is driven by access at both ends, whether you need full packing, whether the destination requires quarantine inspection, and storage at either end. We survey the volume properly rather than guessing from a room count, because an underestimated volume is how relocation quotes turn into arguments.

Door to door, allow roughly 6 to 10 weeks to or from Europe and the UK, 5 to 9 weeks to or from North America, and 4 to 7 weeks to or from Asia for a sole-use container. Shared-container moves take longer because they wait for a consolidation to fill and then wait again at a deconsolidation depot — often adding 2 to 4 weeks at each end. Air freight for a small urgent consignment is days rather than weeks.

Concessional treatment is available for personal and household effects that you have owned and used overseas for a qualifying period before arrival, where you are migrating or returning to Australia. New goods, goods bought shortly before departure, alcohol, tobacco and motor vehicles are treated differently. The concession is not automatic — it depends on your circumstances and a correct declaration, so tell us your full situation and we will explain what applies.

Every destination has its own prohibitions, but the recurring ones are firearms and parts, ammunition, explosives and fireworks, flammable liquids and gases, aerosols, paint and solvents, pool chemicals, LPG bottles, illicit substances, some seeds and plant material, ivory and other protected wildlife products, and asbestos-containing items. Food, alcohol, wooden items, outdoor furniture and sporting equipment are not prohibited but attract biosecurity attention. We give you a destination-specific list before you pack.

Under roughly 15 cubic metres, a shared container is usually cheaper. Above that, a sole-use 20ft often costs little more than the LCL equivalent and is considerably faster and safer because the shipment is sealed at your home and not handled again until delivery. For a full family home, a 40ft is standard. We will price both so it is a decision rather than an assumption.

Both are possible. Full packing by professional packers gives you a proper inventory, better protection and a much stronger position on any insurance claim. Owner-packed cartons cost less but insurers generally will not cover damage to the contents of a carton they did not pack. Fragile items, artwork, mirrors and electronics are worth having packed professionally regardless of what you do with the rest.

It is not automatic and the carrier’s liability is limited to an amount that will not replace your belongings. We arrange marine transit insurance based on a valued inventory you prepare. Take the time over the inventory — an accurate valued list is the difference between a straightforward claim and a frustrating one.

Vehicles yes — see our vehicle shipping page, and note that a Vehicle Import Approval must be in place before a vehicle is shipped to Australia. Pets require a specialist animal transport provider working to the destination’s veterinary and quarantine requirements, and we will coordinate timing with a provider rather than pretending it is a freight service.

For inbound moves to Australia we lodge the customs declaration, manage the biosecurity inspection that most household consignments receive, arrange any treatment required, and then deliver, unload and place items room by room, with debris removal. For outbound moves our destination agent does the equivalent, and we stay involved rather than handing you over.