The cost of moving to Tasmania... and how shall we do it?

Yes, yes... we know that we don't actually have a house to live in yet (in fact, we haven't so much as cleared a single tree), but so that we can plan our budgeting, we have started looking into they "how's" and "when's" of moving all our crap belongings from Queensland to Tasmania.
We looked at a number of different 'traditional' removalists, but eventually decided that the best option (for us at least) would be to ship everything down there in a shipping container - and if we bought the shipping container, we could include it's location and installation on the block as part of our Building Application (yes folks, you do need permission to keep a shipping container on your land).

"Honey, have you seen the car keys?"

We sent out requests to four different shipping companies, but only two responded. Mind you, a 50% response rate is pretty awesome these days.
The criteria we set out were:

• Moving from Queensland to Tasmania sometime in the vicinity of 2013 - 2014 (yes, we were that vague)
• Would like to purchase a 20 foot high top container
• Would like to pack our stuff up ourselves
• Destination is rural Tasmania
• May need to store the container somewhere in Tasmania if the house build is still ongoing

We received responses from both Anglia Container Services and Budget Self Pack Containers. In alphabetical order, here is what they had to say....

Thank you for your inquiry.

I know that your relocation is around a year away so please treat the following quote as an indication of what we would expect your costs to be then. If you decided to use our services, we would need to review our quote again closer to that time.

We can deliver one lease 20’ shipping container to {Queensland} for you to load. We would then relocate the loaded container to {Tasmania} for you to unload. We would then recover our empty container. We expect that the total cost to you for this will be between $3600.00 and $3800.00.

Extended Lease option - Our quote includes your use of our container for up to 28 days and you decide how to use that time. If you need to extend this free lease period, the only extra cost to you after the 28 days is, at this time, $2.75/day.

All quoted prices include GST.

Please note that our quote is based on good access for our delivery vehicles and on you loading personal household effects and furniture. It is okay to load complete motor cars or motor cycles if you wish. If you intend to load heavy building materials or industrial machinery etc though, please tell us in advance because additional costs may apply due to excess weight.

Thanks again for the opportunity to quote and please do not hesitate to call if we can assist.

Regards, Ed

Ed Smith

Anglia Container Services Pty Ltd

Phone:  1300 296040  -  0488 421342

Fax:  02 6336 8080

And the second response we received goes something like this....

Thank you for requesting a quote from Budget Self Pack Containers. Should you have further questions, I can be contacted directly on either 1300 659 221 (key option 2) or on

0478 124 219. Please note that all prices include GST. Your quote is valid until 30/9/13.
Price
The price for a 20ft shipping container (supplied by BSPC) from {QLD} to anywhere TAS is $5850. The price for a 20ft shipping container (supplied by you) from  {QLD} to anywhere TAS is $4350.
How it works

1.     We deliver an empty container to your current address.

2.     You pack your belongings into the container.

3.     We transport the container to your new address (or store it until you are ready to receive it).

4.     Once unloaded, we remove the empty container.

Days to Pack / Unpack

We give you up to 40 days to split between packing and unpacking. If you need to keep the container for an extended period, the hire rate is $30 per week.
Transit time
The door to door transit time is 6 days.
Packing Equipment and Materials
Included in the price above is use of 1 furniture trolley and 10 heavy duty furniture blankets. We also provide you with 2 x 30m rolls of soft woven nylon rope that is yours to use and keep.
Insurance
All customers of Budget Self Pack Containers are covered under our transit insurance policy at no additional cost. Events covered are; fire, explosion, lightning, flood, collision, overturning, jack-knifing and derailment. The limit of any one claim is $150k. We also carry public liability insurance ($20m).
Container Specifications
The container has tie rails and a heat / condensation vent as well as multiple padlock points for keeping your belongings secure during the move. The internal capacity is 38m3. Internal dimensions are 5.95m long x 2.35m wide x 2.75m high. There are heavy lugs at floor and ceiling level for securing a vehicle or other heavy object.
Weight Allowance (base weight)
Your quoted price allows for a total weight (container and contents) of 8 tonne.  The container itself weighs 2.2 tonne. Additional weight is charged at $20 per tonne.
Container Transportation
By default, we transport 20ft containers to and from rail using tilt-tray trucks. Side-loading trucks are available upon request at additional cost.
Storage - BSPC Container
If required, we can store the container prior to delivery.  The weekly storage rate is $20 per week for the first 3 weeks and $85 per week after that. There is also a one-off charge of $190 to cover the cost of the additional container movement. Container hire charges are included in our storage rates.
Storage - Your Container
The weekly storage rate is $30. There is also a one-off charge of $190 to cover the cost of the additional container movement. Container hire charges are included in our storage rates.
Customer Service
The customer testimonials on our website are genuine. At Budget Self Pack Containers, we understand that you have a lot to organise besides getting your belongings to your new home. It is our commitment to our customers to offer an exceptional customer service experience that will take some of the pain out of moving interstate.
Payment Terms
We require a $300 deposit prior to empty container delivery with the balance payable prior to the full container being delivered to the final destination. We accept Mastercard or Visa (1.5% surcharge on transactions over $300) or direct deposit.
Quote Acceptance
You can either call or email advising acceptance of this quote. The more notice you can give us the better, but we can get things going with as little as 3 days notice. Please note that your quoted price is based upon the information provided.
Kind Regards

Clarke Davies

Budget Self Pack Containers
1300 659 221

0478 124 219

So there you have it. Both were friendly and helpful and we will definitely be contacting them once we get closer to "The Relocation"... The Android has, however, since advised that some of his more sensitive electronic components won't cope well with sitting in a hot shipping container, so he needs to come up with a solution to transporting those... And of course, the three ships' cats are unlikely to take all that well to being packed into a container, so we need to investigate getting the beasties transported also.
But that is something for another day.
Look after each other, and we'll catch up with you soon. 
V&A
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