Shifting furniture from India to the US

[that man 1]

Hey everyone,

We're got our visa situation sorted, and are almost ready to move. We fly out of Delhi on July 17th, headed for San Francisco.

But we have a lot of stuff to bring. We are bringing furniture-some antique dressers, chairs, a bed, etc; lot of clothes; artwork; glassware; etc.

I have been asking for quotations from relocation companies-I have spoken with Crown, Writer, Interem, AGS. We have received estimates ranging from 10-13 cubic meters. They are asking for $4,000-$7,000 to shift our stuff. It seems expensive to me, but I guess that's what it is.

I was wondering if

A. People had any good experiences with a moving company from India. Which one? How much?

B. Dealing with customs. Did people have to pay customs duties, or did they get the companies which made it inclusive. The more expensive companies say that they deal with everything, while another one ssaid "there usually aren't any duties". A bit of googling later, I found some form that said otherwise. http://forms.cbp.gov/pdf/CBP_Form_3299.pdf .I was just hoping to hear from people who had successful experiences.

C. Did you get your stuff delivered strait to your house, or did you pick it up at the port (a possibility if it isn't too much of a bummer).

Thanks VJers!

[Bec_Dipu 103]

I've never done this before, but I would make sure of the following:

The company is licensed and bonded and carries sufficient liability insurance to cover any damages.

Document everything that is sent and it's condition, preferably with photos.

If you can, have an insurance appraisal on anything that is of significant value and provide a copy to the mover.

Pray really hard.

On a side note, don't waste effort bringing beds. US beds are way better. My husband would disagree but I'm pretty sure I'm right. I'll take a king pillowtop over a cot any day!

[TimeTravel 78]

It is best if you may consider to buy your furniture in United States. They import alot of antique style stuff here and they have most amazing stuff here. You may end up paying custom duty for your imported furniture and it may become alot more expensive when it arrives to your door. To ship the artwork and clothing, it is best to use Fedex/DHL. With Fedex, you may get a special pricing around Rs 300 INR per kg ( including taxes ) or less from an agent.