Household Goods Moving FAQ
　　　When shall I call movers for quotation on my move? And how
　　　many quotations shall I ask for?
　　　　Your will need to plan it at least 6-8 weeks before your move.
　　　　2 or 3 quotations are enough.
　　　　How do I select the right mover for my move?
　　　　　　◆ Collect movers’ information from different resources, e.g. from HR dept.
　　　　　　　 of your company, from your friends and colleagues, from advertisemen
　　　　　　◆ Call them to get initial impression of the mover and their
　　　　　　　 knowledge/experience/capabilities…
　　　　　　◆ Select the top 2 or 3 movers who you feel comfortable from your initial
　　　　　　　 calling, invite them to come to your home for premove survey and
　　　　　　　 quotation
　　　　　　◆ Compare specification and price among the proposals, select the one who
　　　　　　　 is good at both expertise and competitive rate
　　　　　　◆ Make sure the one you select has their own facilities & operational
　　　　　　　 teams for packing (not subcontract to others)
　　　　　　◆ Visit their facilities if you have storage needs
　　　　What can increase the final charge of my move?
　　　　Additional charges will be occurred for the following issues:
　　　　　　◆ Insurance cost, it will be charged based on a % of total declared value
　　　　　　◆ Relic inspection fee collected by China Relic Bureau
　　　　　　◆ You add big furniture or items after survey which cause to significantly
　　　　　　　 increase on volume of your shipment. Please inform KMI when this happen.
　　　　　　　 Quotation will be revised according to the re-estimations.
　　　　　　◆ Your shipment is delivered into a building without elevator and need to be
　　　　　　　 delivery via stairs.
　　　　　　◆ Access to your residence is not allowed container to park to your front
　　　　　　　 door, which will need small van to do shuttle or long way to carry by hand.
　　　　　　◆ Destination customs choose to X-ray or physically inspect your goods
　　　　　　　(especially to move to US after ‘9.11’), you will have to pay for the
　　　　　　　 inspection fee at cost
　　　　　　◆ Destination duty/taxes, quarantine/fumigation charge, or charge
　　　　　　　 collected by destination government
　　　　　　◆ Destination storage/demurrage charge during to invalid customs
　　　　　　　 paperwork
　　　　　　◆ More than one time or one address delivery
　　　　　　◆ Holiday work
　　　　What are my responsibilities?
　　　　　　◆ Give the same brief to all movers coming for survey
　　　　　　◆ Separate goods to move/stay, by sea/air
　　　　　　◆ Separate and well-keep for cash, jewelry and valuables
　　　　　　◆ Get old items (antique furniture/porcelain etc…) inspected by relic
　　　　　　　 bureau before packing them
　　　　　　◆ Do not pack any prohibited items
　　　　　　◆ Be present during the packing days
　　　　　　◆ Check rooms carefully before packing teams leave to make sure all
　　　　　　　 goods to move are packed
　　　　　　◆ Check package quantities and sign on packing inventory list
　　　　　　◆ Give detailed information of your destination contact to mover
　　　　　　◆ Give clear instruction for time frame of delivery schedules
　　　　　　◆ Hand over all required customs documents to mover before you leave the
　　　　　　　 country
　　　　　　◆ Contact your destination mover immediately upon your arrival to build
　　　　　　　 up connection and prepare necessary customs paperwork
　　　　What is ‘prohibited’ items?
　　　　Generally flammable items, propane tanks, liquid detergents, aerosol cans and
　　　　perishable food or any similar items that may cause damage to your shipment
　　　　definitely should NOT go. Besides, many countries has strict restrictions on
　　　　drugs, alcohol, weapons, ammunition and porn materials. Check with KMI moving
　　　　specialist for destination customs regulations.

　　　　Can I pack goods by myself?
　　　　Yes, you can. KMI is happy to deliver boxes and packing materials for you to
　　　　pack some of your personal belongs by yourself. Please refer to KMI Premove
 　　　　Packing Guidelines before you start to pack by yourself.

　　　　Can I ship my cars?
　　　　Certainly. Please contact KMI moving specialists or refer to KMI Car Shipping
　　　　for more information.

　　　　Can I ship my pets?
　　　　Surely you can. Pets shipping do need a well plan. Please contact KMI moving
　　　　specialists or refer to KMI Car Shipping for more information.

　　　　How about to insure my goods during its door to door transit?
　　　　To get a full ‘All-Risk’ insurance is vital important for your treasure
　　　　possessions. Please refer to KMI Insurance Coverage for more information.

　　　　When do I need to book the packing date?
　　　　At least 2-3 weeks before packing. However please be as early as possible,
　　　　especially in the peak moving season (May to Oct.) or before public holidays.
　　　　Jobs schedules for the movers during that period will be very tight. The
　　　　earlier you confirm the easier to select your preferable dates for packing, and
　　　　the easier for you to arrange your own schedule for other issue relative to
　　　　moving.
　　　　For short notice moves, please contact KMI directly and we will do everything
　　　　we can to accommodate your needs.

　　　　Hong long will the packing take?
　　　　It depends on the volume of your shipment. Generally a 20’ container
　　　　shipment will take 2 days and a 40’ container take 3-4 days with four packers.
　　　　However, KMI has the flexibility to adjust it according to your specific needs.

　　　　How long I can expect to receive my goods in destination?
　　　　Generally, for air shipment please allow upto 14 days for door to door. For
　　　　sea shipment it depends where you are going but a reasonable estimate is
　　　　ChinaàUSA –4/6 weeks, Chinaà Europe – 6/7 weeks, ChinaàAsia – 3/4 weeks,
　　　　Chinaà Australia – 5/6 weeks. KMI will provide the time frame in quotation.

　　　　Do I need an overseas address before shipping my goods?
　　　　It is not necessary for you to have an actual delivery address before
　　　　shipping your goods. Clearly, you should know which city you are moving to.
　　　　However, you will need to have a time frame of house readiness before you
　　　　instruct KMI to ship out your goods.

　　　　Do I need a visa for overseas residence?
　　　　If you are returning resident of the country you are moving to, you are of
　　　　course permitted to import your household goods. However, some countries (e.g.
　　　　France) require for an approval of ‘change of residence’ when you bring
　　　　back your shipment. If you are going to work in country of destination, a work
　　　　permit is normally required. Please take in consideration when you schedule
　　　　the time to ship your goods.

　　　　Can I store my goods at KMI warehouse?
　　　　Surely you can. KMI has its own storage facilities with 24/7 security. KMI
　　　　will be happy to offer a FREE storage period, after the free period storage
　　　　charge will be based on volume of your shipment.
　　　　Alternatively KMI can arrange for store your goods overseas. However, it will
　　　　be much expensive than if you goods in KMI warehouse and you will also have
　　　　to pay a duplicate handling charge etc…
　　　　Contact KMI moving specialist for your storage needs.

　　　　What happen when my goods arrives in destination?
　　　　Please contact KMI destination agent immediately upon your arrival to setup
　　　　connection. With sufficient customs paperwork KMI destination agent will
　　　　clear shipment through customs and arrange delivery to your new home. Make sure
　　　　you be present upon delivery to check goods quantities and conditions.

　　　　What if damages found upon delivery or after unpacking in destination?
　　　　Insurance company allows 45 days to report a claim. However, it’s advisable
　　　　to check all packages condition as early as possible and report to KMI asap
　　　　if any exception is noted. Please refer to KMI Insurance to follow the
　　　　process of a claim.


　　　　When do I pay?
　　　　If you pay by yourself, you will need to pay in full before dispatch of your
　　　　shipment. If your local company pay, payment can extend for a period after
　　　　packing.
　　　　Is there any Common Error that I can prevent myself from?
　　　　Yes. You can prevent yourself from the followings:
　　　　r Waiting too long to sell unwanted items, thereby adding more to the size,
　　　　　 weight, and cost of the shipment
　　　　r Not carefully checking competitive bids to be sure that volume, services,
　　　　　 and the expenses covered are comparable. For example, KMI includes THC
　　　　　 (Terminal Handling Charges at both origin and destination) while most
　　　　　 companies do not.
　　　　r Moving with inexperienced mover, or allow the mover to sub-contract packing
　　　　　 to vendors.
　　　　r ‘Saving money’ by not insuring or underinsuring effects
　　　　r Shipping without first checking customs regulations.
　　　　r Expecting ocean carriers to be on time. (They are sometimes about several
　　　　　 days delayed from published schedules especially for long distance transit
　　　　　 e.g. from China to European/USA)
　　　　r Failing to get in touch immediately upon arrival with your mover to advise
　　　　　 your whereabouts and contact information.
　　　　r Expired passport or incomplete documentation.