eagles100 Posted February 10, 2013 Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 We got a quote from Strom-White back in October 2012, a mere 4 months ago and then another quote 2 weeks ago for the same cubic feet (I guess thinking they made a mistake back in October), and the cost had increased $500 USD. What? The original quote from Laredo for 400 cubic feet of stuff was $2,500 and 2 weeks ago it was $3,000. Now I know that you all rave about their services and that it's worth it but $3,000 USD for a 13-hour drive to bring in the contents of boxes that will fit in a U-Haul? I personally think it's excessive and a money-grab. It really upsets me that my plumber/electrician is getting $100 pesos/hour, an equivalent of approx. $8/hr and a company who will hire a driver without necessary education will get this boat-load of money. I was looking at the stuff we intend to bring and it's barely worth it. Sure, monetarily, it might be worth a bit more than $3,000 but what we intend for them to bring in surely isn't worth that much. Anything of value will be brought in in our truck. Or maybe I'll get really mad and leave everything behind except hubby and the kitties. How can there be an increase of $500 USD in less than 4 months? That is a large increase and surely gas prices have not been jacked up that much. And why are they quoting in UDS anyway? This is Mexico not the US. I'm from Canada so it's an insult to me. Is there another shipper in town that's not gonna rob me blind? I realize they have an important job to do by clearing our stuff though customs but I just can't get over the price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparks Posted February 10, 2013 Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 Leave your stuff at the border if you can't bring it down in your car. In a few years it will mean nothing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tingting Posted February 10, 2013 Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 Instead of trashing the company online, why don´t you first ask them? If it´s not that difficult, you can do it yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagles100 Posted February 10, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 Instead of trashing the company online, why don´t you first ask them? If it´s not that difficult, you can do it yourself. Our original plan was to bring in our SUV full and have the balance (U-Haul full) brought in by a shipper. You can't bring U-Hauls in Mexico. We might have to rethink that plan. The reason I posted the story here is to see if others have experience such a thing, to see if there is another shipper that would be reasonable and to show how much they are charging for such a small quantity. Maybe we'll leave the contents of the U-Haul at the U-Haul facility (which is free for one month) and then go back for the rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagles100 Posted February 10, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 Leave your stuff at the border if you can't bring it down in your car. In a few years it will mean nothing What we plan to bring is good quality items that are either difficult to find in Mexico or more expensive + stuff we don't wanna live without. Believe me, we've cut back a LOT and are not bringing any furniture except for a coat rack and a huge salad bowl on legs (wedding gift). Maybe we'll have to sell even more than we want to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chooch57 Posted February 10, 2013 Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 That is a lot of personnel information, I guess if you really want your stuff in Chapala you will have to get it in somehow. Bonne chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chooch57 Posted February 10, 2013 Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 I have a very good friend that have some of their stuff moved by strom-white 2.5 years ago and the container was 4x4x8 from New Brunswick and it cost them way more than that, but the service was exceptional. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valbogyo Posted February 10, 2013 Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 Have you tried Sergio? He has a good reputation and a extra large van. He can do this for you. sergus_tours@yahoo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagles100 Posted February 10, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 Have you tried Sergio? He has a good reputation and a extra large van. He can do this for you. sergus_tours@yahoo.com No, it's the first time I heard of Sergio. I will have to do a search for him on here and see what feedback I get for him. Thanks for the suggestion. My requirements are simple: load boxes into a truck, go through customs, drive 13 hours and drop them off at my property, no need to unpack or any of that fancy stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagles100 Posted February 10, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 That is a lot of personnel information, I guess if you really want your stuff in Chapala you will have to get it in somehow. Bonne chance. What do you find personal information about my post? The fact that I want to bring in good stuff? What I mean by good is quality pots & pans, linens, blankets, clothes, etc. etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shira Posted February 10, 2013 Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 If you bring your stuff to the border at Laredo L&L Freight Forwarding will bring it to your door. Call Elsa Gonzalez at 956 726 9941 or email her atEladgonzalez@SBCgloal.net. They provide excellent service and the cost should be lless than Strom White. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagles100 Posted February 10, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 If you bring your stuff to the border at Laredo L&L Freight Forwarding will bring it to your door. Call Elsa Gonzalez at 956 726 9941 or email her atEladgonzalez@SBCgloal.net. They provide excellent service and the cost should be lless than Strom White. Thanks I will look into them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrm30655 Posted February 10, 2013 Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 < Or maybe I'll get really mad and leave everything behind except hubby and the kitties.> My ex wife would have left me and brought her stuff. She would have probably left the kitties also. Since there are two of you, have you thought about renting a MX van where you cross and using it? I have no idea if it is possible but you can check Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagles100 Posted February 10, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 < Or maybe I'll get really mad and leave everything behind except hubby and the kitties.> My ex wife would have left me and brought her stuff. She would have probably left the kitties also. Since there are two of you, have you thought about renting a MX van where you cross and using it? I have no idea if it is possible but you can check OMG too funny, or maybe it isn't (sorry ?) That would be another "possible" option, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valbogyo Posted February 10, 2013 Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 What we plan to bring is good quality items that are either difficult to find in Mexico or more expensive + stuff we don't wanna live without. Believe me, we've cut back a LOT and are not bringing any furniture except for a coat rack and a huge salad bowl on legs (wedding gift). Maybe we'll have to sell even more than we want to. I am going through the same challenges. After living in my home for most of the last year, I decided it just did not feel like home without my stuff. I am in Canada, now, organizing my stuff for a move. Yes, it will cost money but I have moved a lot in my life and, when I hang those familiar painting on the wall....sit in my favorite chair with my favorite reading lamp.... I feel like I am at home. I am using Sergio because of the many recommendations. Its not a lot of stuff, but important to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad_Max Posted February 10, 2013 Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 There has been/will be fuel increases monthly http://www.bajainsider.com/driving-baja/gaspricesmexico.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Studio del Sol Posted February 10, 2013 Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 Listen to Sparks. And you might consider this: There is a lot of petty theft down here--home break ins, because this really is a third world country and many of the locals are very poor. Then there are the druggies--kids stealing stuff to sell for drug money. If your place is vulnerable to break ins, there's a good chance on loosing a hunk of what you now consider precious. A couple years ago I heard of someone losing their laundry hanging outside on the line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbleitch Posted February 10, 2013 Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 We moved 85 boxes plus 3 suitcases and a double Hatteras Hammocks hammock from northern Indiana to Ajijic last August using the "Pack Pro" service that we booked through Winston Tortajada at Lake Chapala Moving, 866-804-1513, toll free from US. We packed our own boxes and loaded our boxes into the front end of a Roadway semi trailer. We prepared a box by box inventory in a spreadsheet fashion, as Winstin instructed. See their website: lakechapalamoving.com You can see more info their re the Pack Pro system. The first four linear feet (4' x 8' x 8' = 256 cu ft) cost us USD 3700. It would have been $250 more for each additional linear foot. They dropped the trailer where we wanted in Indiana and then we had 24 hrs +/- to load it before they picked it up. They provided the bulkhead that we installed after we played a big game of Tetris packing the boxes in the front end of the trailer. I snapped a photo of the load as it appeared when we sealed the bulkhead in Indiana. When it arrived in Ajijic, Winston snapped a photo, they were identical. No shifting; we had done a good pack job so no shifting. The load received a green light at the border, so the seal was not even broken. We asked Winston also for a quote from Laredo to Ajijic for the same 256 cu ft, thinking that we might U-Haul it from Indiana to Laredo. That quote was $2783. It was more cost effective for us to to do the Indiana to Ajijic Pack Pro move. We had no damage. This is a very reasonable way to go. We would HIGHLY recommend it. We moved no furniture, just kitchen items, linens, clothing, and other things we knew would be hard to find or extra expensive here. We did need to purchase insurance for the move from another company; I think it ran us about USD 75. Feel free to PM us for any more info. This was THE way to go for us!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbleitch Posted February 10, 2013 Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 Forgot to mention that we had several boxes of artwork and wall hangings, also, in our Indiana to Ajijic move with Winston / Lake Chapala Moving. If you call him and don't reach him immediately, don't be put off. He manages local moves directly; it's s small office and he's not always in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbleitch Posted February 10, 2013 Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 One more point re the PackPro system through Lake Chapala Moving; we had a trailer dropped to us to load six days after we first contacted Winston. And he could have arranged for it sooner. We HIGHLY recommend this way of moving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cortland Posted February 10, 2013 Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 We used Strom-White 4 years ago to handle our move from Canada and found them very professional. We got quotes from others but decided to go with Strom-White even though they might possibly have been a bit more expensive. In our case we needed to have a shipper pack our household items (china, etc) and some furniture. We were very impressed with the Ontario agents used by Strom-White. Another Lakeside company used a different Ontario agent (a very well known name) who insisted on having everything sent by sea via Veracruz, claiming that the shipment would not survive the Mexican roads because "they were so poor". When the shipment arrived, Doug White personally came to the house to make sure everything was OK. We couldn't have wished for a better move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hkrause Posted February 10, 2013 Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 We used Strom White for our move from KC. In reading posts here, we figured we could go cheaper if we wanted to make the effort, but we were already juggling enough things related to retiring, selling our house, and moving to another country (all at once). We went with SW because we wanted them to handle everything (paperwork, storage as needed, contracting with a local company for the US side of things, etc). They were excellent with all the questions we had, took care of dealing with all the paperwork details, were flexible with storage when our house closing took longer than expected, and got everything here in good shape, pretty much. One tote (that we packed) had rodents take up residence while stored someplace, so we had a bit of clean-up there. And I think a couple of items received minor damage, but it all went better than we expected given the time and distance. I read a few stories about people who had problems getting things across the border, so we felt it was worth the money for peace of mind while we worried about other things. Since you're driving things down to Texas yourself anyway, have you considered buying a trailer rather than doing the U-Haul thing? If the trailer is yours, you can bring it all the way yourself instead of swapping contents to a moving company partway through the trip. Or U-Haul to Texas, then buy a trailer there. Once your stuff is here, take the trailer back north and sell it. I'm not sure... you might need to get a company to facilitate coming across the border (paperwork, etc). But after you re-sell the trailer, it might end up costing less overall. Something to consider when doing calculations. Folks here will be able to elaborate more on what's involved. I know others have used this option. Heather Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valbogyo Posted February 10, 2013 Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 Listen to Sparks. And you might consider this: There is a lot of petty theft down here--home break ins, because this really is a third world country and many of the locals are very poor. Then there are the druggies--kids stealing stuff to sell for drug money. If your place is vulnerable to break ins, there's a good chance on loosing a hunk of what you now consider precious. A couple years ago I heard of someone losing their laundry hanging outside on the line. I recall that poor Eagles100 already experienced a break in, soon after purchasing their home. The theives are looking for computers, cash, jewellry.....All the stuff you do not stick in a moving truck. The crack heads are not looking for good quality pots/pans, sheets, bedding, photo albums, favorite books, clothing and the stuff most people bring down. Interestingly enough, they could probably sell a new set of 500 thread count king size sheets or a good wok on the malacon to gringos, for a crazy high price. Oh wait.... Barbaras Bazzar is already doing that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hensley Posted February 10, 2013 Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 We also used Strom 6 years ago and when our shipment arrived they said they under quoted us by $3,000 USD, we weren't happy but if you want your stuff you pay, we were otherwise very happy with them. If you value and want your stuff you will pay whatever to get it here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomgates Posted February 10, 2013 Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 Over the past 5 years we have gradually brought things here, all in suitcases via airlines. Cost was near zero. This year we will drive back to get some things that don't fit in suitcases very well. It used to be that bed and bath linens were the most valued but even Costco now has good linens. Cookware is problematic but just having been to the Ave La Paz kitchen and restaurant supply shops in Guadalajara, there is everything you want, save for copper cookware. The cost was in line with what I see at Wiliams Sonoma. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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