When the container arrives.....

[MotherBear]

I read somewhere that when containers arrive at their final destination in NZ, they are offloaded from the lorry. The implication was that, if you don't have suitable access i.e. a tarred surface, space to offload the container and/or room for the lorry to turn without having to reverse down driveways you are charged a large amount for decanting the stuff into smaller lorries. Is this right?

I thought they would just offload from the back of the lorry as has happened here with our belongings. We probably wouldn't want the men hanging around for a couple of days unpacking, as chaos would probably ensue and we'd rather do it in our own time. I could understand the container being offloaded if the men had to stay for a couple of days to unpack, but not for purely unloading it. :-/

[Glenda]

I really don't know Mother Bear. :-/

Our container was emptied at the port, supposedly for MAF, though it was stored there for a few weeks whilst residency was sorted out.

On the day of delivery, a big lorry turned up and reversed up our longish driveway and they unpacked everything that very day, taking off all cardboard and paper, checking to see what was damaged or missing. They can really work hard and in one day they unpacked almost all of the contents of our 40ft container, taking away all paper and boxes.

From what I gather, they do have to trek up steep driveways now and again, and they like to be informed beforehand if that is the case, but I have not heard of them charging extra.

Hope someone else knows.

:)

[MotherBear]

Thanks, Glenda. I was sure someone on the forum would have had a container delivered. ;D

On the day of delivery, a big lorry turned up and reversed up our longish driveway
:)

So it can be done. Perhaps it depends on whether the lorry driver has an obliging temperament or not. :-/

I gather that MAF are ceasing home inspections shortly and will only inspect at the port. Hope their charges will reflect this as they won't have to spare staff to go on home inspections any more. Can't say I'm too happy about them digging through our carefully packed belongings though, which will then have to be stuffed back into their boxes ready for the onward journey to the house. That could be where damage occurs, as I can't imagine MAF will take the time to repack them with the care and attention that we would.

[Glenda]

I think MAF look at the inventory the packers/shippers provide and particularly look for certain items to check - e.g. tents, bikes, unusual items. I also pretty sure they do spot checks and don't unpack every item.

I think, maybe, with your stuff coming from the Middle East, they will give more attention to your items just in case some unfriendly bugs have stowed away.

Don't worry, MB.

:)

[MotherBear]

I'm doing some packing at the moment. Stuff that we aren't using etc. just in case we have to move on in a few months. Nothing like getting started early. :D

I'm trying to be MAF-friendly and am keeping all 'suspect' stuff that MAF might like to see all together in special boxes to cut down on the hassle during an inspection. Might sound funny to be asking questions like these so early in the proceedings, but we don't always unpack everything when we settle in a new country and it could just happen that hubster might get a job with furnished accommodation and our stuff will have to be stored until we go to NZ (she said, optimistically ).

[fisheress]

Our company asked about overhang, access etc and to be sure checked it out the day before to see if the big lorry would be okay. It was, but they had to keep moving up and down the hill to let people up/down the driveway.

Keep up the optimism MB!!! If you believe it, you can achieve it! My parents come out to visit on 28th Dec for 2 months and will be looking for somewhere to live! Immigration have told them that they must inform them as soon as they return to the UK to ensure they don't 'disappear' into the NZ mountains forever! :o

Fisheress

[Glenda]

My parents come out to visit on 28th Dec for 2 months and will be looking for somewhere to live! Immigration have told them that they must inform them as soon as they return to the UK to ensure they don't 'disappear' into the NZ mountains forever! :o

My parents would love to live here too (especially my mum who did not want to go back to the UK when they lived here in the 70's/early 80's), but with no chance of PR and two offspring living in the UK it is not likely to happen for them.  It worries me a bit that they too may 'disappear' into the NZ mountains when they come to visit   ... I know my mum would have to be pushed onto the plane 'home'.  

:icon_neutral:

[Debd]

Hi Motherbear,

Our container was supposed to be directly delivered to our home but was unloaded/checked by MAF also!e were never asked about access though. It was eventually delivered in a lorry which was able to get onto the drive right outside the front door.

[nick_and_jacky]

our quote was tagged with "must have good access", but they didnt say for what!

Although its reasonable to assume that if its a 20ft container, then a similar sized truck will be used to deliver to your property. I would think that 2 trucks this size would be expected to carry the contents of a 40ft container - as its unreasonable to expect an articulated truck & trailer to get up a domestic driveway - plus it will bugger the driveway and they wouldny want to pay the bill for a new driveway.

Some houses we looked at had a really steep drive then maybe 10-15 steps to get to the front door. That would be an exception to the must have good access rule. It wouldnt be fair to give the delivery guys hernias - so i would tell them in advance and let them get sorted with extra pairs of hands.

Nick

[MotherBear]

Thanks for all your comments. I think we would have to have a 40 ft. container going by what we had when we came here. They'd quoted us for a 20 footer but we had several boxes left when that was full so they took them away in a lorry and I assume it was all put into a 40 footer at the depot.

This is the driveway. There is a kind of turning circle just out of shot but I don't think they'd get a big lorry round it, as a car can just get round. They'd have to reverse out. The drive isn't very long, but there is a slope to it.





Cars can do a U turn round the dark tree in the middle.



P.S. Does anyone know how expensive tarmacing is there? Would be good to have the parking area tidied up, but I dare say it'd cost a fair bit. Can't rely on some Irish lads turning up with a truck and offering to do it for cheap like in the UK. :-/