How did you MOVE ???
Posted: Tuesday, 10 April 2007 |
Comments
long time ago now, but when we moved to Orkney we did it self hire, drove up ourselves and paid for the truck on the ferry....the cost of that is HUGE, or it was back then, I doubt it has gone down any. :( Don`t know about anchoring rings on the North Isles ferries, but ye can see the crew chain trucks and cars to the deck on our ferries. Good luck with your move!
Hermit from Sanday
Calmac insist on anchor points now, can you imagine the carnage if an artic started sliding about in a heavy sea. I think the office will give you drawings of what is required and you might find a friendly hire firm willing to let you get some welded onto their lorry. Or use a local firm, MacQueens in Oban are used to moving islanders. If you do it yourself, go for a short van (cheaper ferry fares) with a high roof and good weight carrying capacity, and avoid tail-lifts like the plague, they weigh over a ton!
Nic from Coll
Gosh Nic, first I read Island Threads' handy cookery hints, now your sensible thoughts on moving....PDB! I would like to add, that when parental units, babybipeds and three old cats moved from Another Island to Orkney, it was useful to have three quotes; and, at the time, the local firm, now MacAdie & Reeve, were by far the most reasonable. Well worth doing thorough research.
Flying Cat from not moving just now
try getting quotes of these four haulage companies - DR Macleod, Hebridean haulage, Woodys express or Mackaskills
drifter from driftwood
What's an "artic" Nic? A truck? a shipping container? Are the seas usually that rough that you need more than brakes? Must be. Lor' have mercy.
mjc from NM,USA
Browsing Nic's comment in an idle moment (not that cat's know much about idle moments...) I note the chilling phrase "Calmac insist on anchor points NOW" and wonder what made them come to such an earth-shatteringly obvious conclusion. And this lot are now responsible for our North Boats. *sigh* Good Luck Fredblog! Make sure your affairs are in order before you go...
Flying Cat from not ever moving oot west
We hired a truck in Inverness drove it down to essex and then up to Orkney. It was cheaper than a removal firm. We used a 16 ton lorry with tail lift and because it was hired up here it had anchorage points. Hope you find someone who is a reasonable price.
Barebraes from Shapinsay
Note to Tanith from Point and mark from gravir: unfortunately your comments could not be published. However, I have forwarded them to Fred Blog.
Anne from IBHQ
Thanks Anne :-)
tanith from point
Tanith......thanks for your comments they where very useful, and as Anne explained she forwarded them to me, the company was very good indeed. Mark....thanks for the offer too
Fred from Point
Wow! Feel the Power of Islandblogging!
Flying Cat from in awe and shock
Anne thanks for forwarding and not just, dumping... Fred, no probs, like I said it is a genuine offer. If you go down the route of buying a lorry/bus/shed on wheels like most people do, then the ferry thing is something you'll come across. It gets you looking at the back of wagons on the motorway to see what they mean. If it helps I bolted JATE hangers onto the chassis of our lorry and just rocked up to uig looking all innocent.
MArk from Gravir
Looking all innocent? And you fooled them? Send us pictures, Mark from Gravitas, with copies to Bigheid from Flotta for his calendar. I want to see what it looks like to be innocent (or merely to look like one)
mjc from NM,USA
All the best, Fred. Remember: take your time (Lewis is not going anywhere), load carefully (avoiding hernias), no road rage, try gaelic (no, Fred, NOT garlic) as needed to smooth the way. Who is doing the driving and who is reading the map/bossing the driver?
mjc from NM,USA
MJC......I'm driving my small van, with Wife Sarah taking the Car.....the furniture removers following like a convoy really. We have been to the house 4 times last year so hopefully will know the way LOL. OH I love Garlic too?
Fred from Point
Are you bring an Aga or a Raeburn with you to Lewis, Fredmeboy? By the way, folks, a serious question: how reliable are the Agas and the Rayburns, and why choose one brand over the other? Gas or electric?
mjc from NM,USA
MJC......the raeburn is solid fuel no gas on the isle, and no i will not be installing another one. Good question I dont know the difference between them?
Fred from Point
there is gas on the isle but only if you live in town
tanith from point
The aga is about twice the price and the oifired version will go on and on and on, with only an annual service and the odd replacement part....possibly for ever. I know of one that has remained in perfect working order for at least 35 years.
Flying Cat from agitating for an aga
How about the electric or gas fired Agas? What do you mean "oil fired" - exactly what kind of substance are you talking about?
mjc from NM,USA
Was lookin at the Raeburn/Aga comments. I grew up in a hoose with an oil fired aga, and it was great. But raeburns I believe are good too. However, maybe we should be thinkin about our - wait for it, new PC phrase comin here, and TWS by PC i dont mean the computer - what about our CARBON FOOTPRINT? Agas and raeburns cant be so good for that, surely? And this on a day that even the Queen has said she is going to Carbon Offset her state visit to the US next month.
Ruthodanort from Unst
How is Helen Mirren going to offset her carbon foot print? By planting more ceremonial trees?
mjc from NM,USA
silly mjc, I meant the real one!!
Ruthodanort from don't you know ANYTHING mjc?
When is the move, Fred Blog?
mjc from NM,USA
Ah, there is a real Queenie, is there?!? She may not be as versatile as Helen Mirren, but, for your sakes, I certainly hope she lives forever. The alternative is too ghastly to contemplate. # Oh, and rest assured, we'll make your sovereign welcome when she visits. Americans have the habit of treating visitors like kings and queens anyway ...
mjc from NM,USA
You are too kind, mjc. I'll let her know she's to have a good welcome, when I pop along for a cuppa at the weekend, it'll take a load off her mind. And as for that alternative, well, you are right, contemplation is not something to do often.
Ruthodanort from Unst
MJC......All goes well we are planning June to mid June, we have started packing now. Its amazing how much you collect over the years, I got so carried away packing that this morning Monday 30th April, I could not find my leather works shoes !!! and sure enough I packed them too LOL
Fred from Point
Good luck, Fred. I am packing here too. Though we are not moving to southern Indiana for good till the end of the year, we are transferring our earthly goods in two shipments at least. Got a large shipment of boxes yesterday. Packing one's own stuff is safer and cheaper than letting the movers do it. I shall let the professionals do the hauling. I am not up to fighting the big rigs while driving a 26 foot truck (not counting cab). Not young and foolish any more. Cheers!
mjc from NM,USA
Gook Luck to you MJC too......We are packing ourselves too, we have 3 stories high and 5 bedrooms there is no way im running around all those levels on the day so my lounge is now out of action as a store depot, I cannot drive up myself in a van as we are taking 2 cars with us, so I have now hired a company to move us and thats now 拢2900 cost for that little project. Next time I wont move so far LOL
Fred from Point
mjc, mercy me buddo, du's flittan? I looked up Indiana on Google earth, and see you have to cross a minimum of 4 states, if you count that peedie bit to the north east o NM. Of course, when you zoom in a little it looks a bit like you're just flittin as far as from Lancashire to Newcastle, then upon further zooming it becomes clear that it may take you some days to get there. Best o luck!
Ruthodanort from Unst, Still.
'tis just a few miles, Ruthodanort. Two long days by car, and three by truck or if one is intent on making pit stops at every barbecue place in Arkansas.
mjc from NM,USA
Why the move, mjc? Are you fed up of NM?
Ruthodanort from Unst
Wife is from the village in southern Indiana (parents and siblings are still in area), and she felt like "going home" to the knobs (hills). Country roads and all that. As I don't have an original home in this country (being an immigrant), and as the natives in her village have semaphored they would be delighted to have us, I am game to move, though Albuquerque and NM are simply wonderful. As wife works for headquarters (ministry) in Washington DC but has insisted on being decentralized: i.e. she has a permanent office in DC but also one in another VA hospital anywhere in the country, she can simply request for transfer of her local office from Albuquerque to Louisille VA Medical Center. Wife will be right at home.I am rather adaptable and will keep busy. Property (cottage and some 20+ acres) became available a few months ago, unexpectedly, right in the village, and we seized the opportunity. # If any IB wants to visit NM, in the near future is the time to do it: Anne would be kind enough give you my email address, I hope. Wife and I would be delighted to provide free room and board in Albuquerque.
mjc from NM,USA
mjc, hope all goes well, it sounds like you two are making a good choice. Thanks for the invitation, you are very kind.
Ruthodanort from Unst
Well, Fredmeboy, give us a sign of life. I hear the neighbors are getting impatient.
mjc from NM,USA
Hi MJC yes im still hear, how's you move going? we are still awaiting an exchange date seems like forever keen to get on with the new house (Well Old really) cant get these solicitors to made their mind up....but still planning June hopefully, so it gives the kids some summer holiday left before starting new school.
Fred from Point
Be patient, hang in there and, before you know it, you'll be up there! # The solicitors finally got their act together (after four months!) and we own the property in southern Indiana as of May 1. All the utilities are on, and so we camped in the house (on inflatable beds), did some heavy duty shopping, and we took all kinds of measurements re: house renovations. Enjoyable week. Ended up buying a Great Dane Chariot zero turn lawnmower for father in law to play cowboy on until we move in end of year. He is muttering about taking a chainsaw to the trees so he can have a clean run mowing down those acres of grass. A neighbor is harvesting the hay on the property this year. We visited all the neighbors, and they are very nice. Hope it is the same with you.
mjc from NM,USA
Fantastic MJC, your going full steam ahead, and its great your neighbours are nice..........a question? why is it when you move home the wife insists on new items for replacement grives me crazy :) the good thing is when we move I will be morgage free which will be a good thing. Yes we do that too camping in the house when visiting the kids enjoy that, im just buying the wood floors now ready to take with us. Oh we are lucky NO TREE's here I think they have blown away, but do have willows which are nice....good luck with the renovation, keep in touch
Fred from Point
A lawnmower pulled by a large d.o.g. sounds like a great way to keep it occupied and out of mischief...
Flying Cat from Rolling Acres
How come the connection escaped me, I cannot tell. Good for you, FC. # Did you know that there is a North Face sleeping bag called the Cat's Meow? You will be pleased to know that, being unprejudiced, each member of my family has one.
mjc from NM,USA
wow fred, you got a good price for removal there, i've spoken to others who paid twice that amount with certain can't be named big removal companies.
Tanith from point
Tanith, I thought that was exspensive. The 1st quote I got was 拢1800, but the guy from Harris has never phoned me back.....So I thought he may never turn up on the day of moving, but as you say 拢2900 was petty good concidering it will take them 4 days to collect & Deliver plus ferry costs. I got a company from Inverness to move us and so far they have been great.
Fred from Point
A Cat's Miaow sleeping bag sounds like the ideal Christmas present for a discerning feline. Taht's me, mjc, before you say anything!
Flying Cat from Santa's List
Hi Fred, just found your blog and, as I've just found out that I've got a transfer with work to a job in Stornoway, it's proving very informative and helpful. In a couple of months time, we'll be doing the same as you and moving to Lewis - so any pointers and tips would be greatly appreciated. Hope your move goes well.
Rachel from Blackburn
Rachel....you can email me on fbarnham@aol.com if you need names of companies due to not advertising on this blogs if that helps, most of my information was just talking to people which becomes informative, when we decided to do this over 12 months ago we had not a clue, but visiting the island first helps put things into prospective alittle...everyone here is helpfull so please keep in touch, and hope all goes well with your relocation too. Are you buying your property or renting?
Fred from Point
"you might find a friendly hire firm willing to let you get some welded onto their lorry" - highly unlikely sorry as welding lugs or any part to a vehicle chassis will weaken it severely. Welding of chassis must be done by specialist welding co's and will cost you! I know companies who regularly take HGV/LGV over to isles and usually have space to fill at a cheap rate, just needs a little calling round.
Ian Blair from Strathmore
Had a giggle reading all this. I recently moved from the Basque Country to Aberdeen, and even more recently from Aberdeen to the westside (of Lewis), and was quite disgruntled to find that the second move cost around 1 and a half times as much as the move from Spain. Be prepared to earn less and pay more - welcome to sunny Lewis! :-D
JJ from westside
The Journey to our new live on the Isle of Lewis
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