Most of a household goes in cartons. A short list of things should never see one, and knowing which is which before packing day is the difference between a smooth arrival and a claim form.
One vetted mover from our network handles these, and not every firm has the people for it. Good movers plan the crating around the relocation dates rather than the reverse. International movers who do specialist work will name the pieces at survey and price them individually rather than folding them into a volume figure.
The common thread is that these items fail differently from a wardrobe. They do not scuff, they crack, snap, delaminate or go out of tune permanently.
Pianos. An upright is crated whole, on a purpose built base, wrapped and braced. A grand has its legs and lyre removed and is transported on its side on a piano board inside a bespoke case. Both should be tuned after arrival rather than before departure, since eight weeks of climate change will undo any tuning. Humidity in southern China and dryness in the north both affect soundboards, so ask about internal protection.
Artwork. Framed pieces get bespoke timber cases with internal suspension. Glazing is either removed or taped so a break does not cut the canvas. Anything of real value should be photographed and valued before packing and declared separately on the insurance.
Mirrors and glass. Cases rather than cartons, packed vertically, edge protected.
Marble, granite and stone. On edge, always. A slab laid flat flexes under its own weight with every roll of the vessel and eventually cracks. Table tops, worktops and stone floor pieces all follow this rule and any mover who packs one flat has told you something about their experience.
Chandeliers. Dismantled, with each drop wrapped individually and the frame cased. Photograph it assembled before it comes down, because reassembly is otherwise a puzzle.
Wine. Temperature swings during an eight week sea voyage are not kind, and rail through Central Asia is worse. Beyond the practical question, alcohol is dutiable into China and does not fall under personal effects relief, so it is a customs question as well as a packing one.
Safes and gun cabinets. Weight is the issue rather than fragility. Access, floor loading and lifting equipment all need establishing at survey. Gun cabinets should be empty and declared, since firearms are prohibited.
These are priced per item rather than by volume, on top of the shipment cost. Crating is labour and materials, and the figure varies with size and complexity rather than with value.
Modest per item
A straightforward bespoke timber case.
Higher per item
Internal suspension, multiple parts, longer to build.
Highest single item
Specialist handling, dismantling and a purpose built case.
Send us a list of the pieces that worry you, with rough sizes. That is what shapes the crating budget.
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Some of these are a packing question and a customs question at the same time, and the second one catches people.
Anything old. If a piece was made before 1949 and you bought it in China, it needs a cultural relics export certificate. That includes furniture, ceramics, scrolls, bronzes and jade. Have it assessed weeks ahead, because appraisal is not quick.
Ivory and exotic materials. Older pianos may have ivory keys. Antique furniture may contain exotic hardwood, tortoiseshell or bone inlay. These fall under endangered species controls in both directions and are a genuine problem rather than a technicality. Raise them at survey.
Wine and spirits. Dutiable into China and outside personal effects relief. Quantities matter and so does declaration. It is often simpler to leave a collection with family than to argue about it.
Firearms, replicas and edged weapons. Prohibited into China including imitations, so decorative swords and airsoft equipment cannot travel. Gun cabinets can, empty and declared.
Drones and transmitting equipment. Regulated. Declare rather than assume.
Instruments containing restricted materials. Some older bows contain materials now controlled. If you own a professional instrument, ask its maker or dealer before assuming it can cross a border.
On documentation generally. For anything valuable, photograph it, get a valuation, keep receipts and declare it separately on the insurance. All four take an afternoon and all four matter if something goes wrong.
Specialist items are the strongest argument for a sole use container, since they remove four handling stages.
A move usually means moving money too, whether that is a deposit on a Chinese flat or funds coming back the other way. We have helped customers with currency exchange in any currency through trusted partners for many years, and our partners can help with the money side of your move. Mention it on the form and it gets included.
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Yes. An upright is crated whole on a purpose built base. A grand has its legs and lyre removed and travels on its side in a bespoke case. Have it tuned after arrival rather than before departure, since eight weeks of climate change undoes any tuning.
Because a slab laid flat flexes under its own weight with every roll of the vessel and eventually cracks. On edge it is supported along its strongest axis. Any mover who packs stone flat has told you something about their experience.
In bespoke timber cases with internal suspension, with glazing either removed or taped so a break cannot cut the canvas. Photograph and value anything significant before packing and declare it separately on the insurance.
It is a customs question as much as a packing one. Alcohol is dutiable into China and falls outside personal effects relief, and temperature swings over eight weeks are unkind to wine. Leaving a collection with family is often simpler.
Dismantled, with each drop wrapped individually and the frame cased. Photograph it assembled before it comes down, because reassembly at the other end is otherwise a puzzle nobody will thank you for.
It can. Older pianos may have ivory keys, which fall under endangered species controls in both directions. It is a genuine issue rather than a technicality, so raise it at the survey rather than discovering it at a border.
Usually, and the issue is weight rather than fragility. Access, floor loading and whether lifting equipment is needed all have to be established at survey. Gun cabinets can travel empty and declared, but firearms and replicas cannot.
Anything valuable, anything that comes apart, and the back of every electrical item. It takes an afternoon and it matters twice: for reassembly at the far end and for any insurance claim, which is assessed against what you declared.
Sometimes not, and it is worth asking honestly. A modest upright piano may cost more to crate and ship than to replace. A good instrument, a family piece or a work of art is a different question, and the arithmetic should not decide it.
Send your collection address, your Chinese destination, a rough idea of the volume and your date. A vetted mover from our network checks the route, the paperwork and the access, then comes back to you with the price.
Send your move detailsWe match international moving enquiries with vetted moving companies in the AGM Group network, each holding FIDI FAIM certification and BAR Overseas membership.
We are not a removal firm ourselves. We find you the one that suits your route, and you deal with them directly from there.