Removals to the USA from the UK

It depends mainly on how much you’re shipping and which container option you choose. As a guide, a few boxes can start from a few hundred pounds, a studio or 1-bed move typically runs from around £3,500-£8,000, and a full 4+ bedroom house move can run from £12,000 up to £22,000 or more for a sole-use container. Sea freight in a shared container is the most cost-effective option; a sole-use container and air freight both cost more but offer faster delivery. For an exact figure, the quickest route is an online estimate or a free home or video survey with one of our senior surveyors.

You can get an instant estimate online in a couple of minutes, or book a free home or video survey with one of our senior surveyors for a more accurate, tailored quote. The survey option is the better choice if you want a firm price rather than a ballpark figure, since it accounts for the exact volume and any specialist items you’re shipping.

No – our door-to-door quotes are built to include UK collection, shipping, and US customs clearance as standard, and everything included is set out clearly in your written quote. The main thing that can sit outside a quote is US import duty, which only applies in specific cases. Your senior surveyor will flag if this is likely to affect you.

A shared (groupage) container is the biggest cost saver versus a sole-use container, since you’re only paying for the space you use. Beyond that: pack fewer, better-chosen boxes rather than shipping everything; consider self-packing to save on labour costs (this can affect what’s covered by shipment protection); and if your dates are flexible, moving outside peak summer season can help, since that’s when demand – and prices – tend to be highest.

It depends on the shipping method. A sole-use container is generally the faster sea option, a shared (groupage) container takes longer since it needs to fill before departing, and air freight is fastest of all but costs more. Door-to-door timing also includes UK collection, export customs, the sea or air crossing itself, and US customs clearance at the other end. Your senior surveyor will give you a specific timeline once they know your container type and destination.

As a general rule, the earlier the better – ideally as soon as you have a confirmed moving date, and especially if you’re moving during the busier summer months when container space and packing slots book up fastest. 

Yes, to some extent. East Coast destinations are generally quicker to reach than West Coast ones, simply because of the shipping routes involved, and how far your new home is from the nearest port can add a little time on top of the sea or air crossing itself.

Clearance timing varies by port and by shipment, but it’s a standard part of every US move and something we manage on your behalf, so you won’t need to deal with US Customs and Border Protection directly. Your senior surveyor will keep you updated once your shipment reaches port.

A sole-use container is yours alone – nothing shared, nothing waiting on other shipments – which generally means a faster, more predictable transit. A shared (groupage) container means your belongings travel alongside other clients’ shipments, clearly separated and labelled, and you only pay for the space you use, which makes it the more cost-effective choice for smaller moves.

It depends on what matters most for your move. If speed is the priority – a tight start date for work, or wanting your essentials with you as soon as possible – air freight is worth it. If cost matters more than speed, sea freight (shared or sole-use) will almost always work out cheaper. Some clients use both: air freight for a small, essential shipment, with the rest of their belongings following by sea.

Yes – you don’t need to be filling a container to use our service. Smaller shipments are typically sent as part of a shared container or by air freight, and priced accordingly.

Yes, self-packing is available if you’d like to save on professional packing costs – we can supply the materials. It’s worth knowing that self-packed items are typically covered on slightly different insurance terms than items we’ve packed ourselves, since our export-standard packing is built specifically to withstand an international move, so it’s worth discussing with your senior surveyor which option makes sense for your belongings.

You’ll need your passport and valid visa, green card, or citizenship documentation, along with a detailed inventory of everything you’re shipping and Form 3299 (a US customs declaration for personal effects), which we prepare as part of your move. Depending on your circumstances, you may also need proof of your right to import goods and receipts for any recently purchased items.

US Customs prohibits items including firearms and ammunition without the correct import permits, fresh food, plants, seeds and soil, endangered species products, and illegal drugs or controlled substances. A few other items – alcohol, prescription medications, pet food – aren’t prohibited but need extra paperwork. We’ll flag anything in your shipment that needs attention before it’s packed.

Usually not. Personal effects and household goods you’ve owned and used for at least 12 months typically enter the USA duty-free when you’re relocating there as your main residence. Items you’ve bought more recently may attract duty, so it’s worth keeping receipts where you can.

It’s the official US customs form – the Declaration for Free Entry of Unaccompanied Articles – used to bring personal and household belongings into the US, generally without paying import duty on items you’ve already owned for a while. We handle the preparation and submission of this as part of your move, so it’s not something you need to complete yourself.

Your visa or residency status is part of what US Customs looks at when clearing your shipment, so it’s worth having this in place, or well underway, before your move date. We’re not immigration advisors, so for anything specific to your situation, we’d always recommend checking with a qualified immigration professional – but we’re happy to talk through how your visa type is likely to affect your shipping timeline.

It’s not compulsory, but we’d strongly recommend it. An ocean crossing carries risks that standard carrier liability doesn’t fully cover, and shipment protection cover gives you proper peace of mind for what’s often a house full of belongings travelling thousands of miles.

It’s designed to cover your belongings from the point we pack them through transit, US customs clearance, and final delivery – protecting against loss or damage across the whole journey rather than just one stage of it.

Cover is typically priced as a percentage of the total value you’re insuring, so the exact cost depends on what you’re shipping and how much cover you want. Your senior surveyor can talk you through the options and give you a specific figure as part of your quote.

Yes – you’ll get updates at the key milestones of your move: collection, departure, transit, arrival at the US port, and once your shipment clears customs and is scheduled for delivery. Your senior surveyor is also on hand throughout if you want an update at any point.

That’s not a problem – we just need a contact address and your details to get started, and you can confirm your final delivery address later. If needed, we can also arrange storage until you’re ready.

Yes – we offer UK storage if your move-out date and shipping date don’t quite line up, so your belongings are looked after in the meantime.

Yes – if you’re not ready to take delivery when your shipment arrives, storage can be arranged at the US end too, so you’re not under pressure to have a finished home ready the moment your container lands.

Unpacking and furniture placement is available if you’d like it, so you can arrive to a home that’s genuinely ready rather than a stack of boxes – just let your senior surveyor know when you book.

You can ship them, but it’s worth thinking carefully before you do. The US runs on 110-120V power compared to the UK’s 240V, so most UK appliances won’t work in the US without a step-down transformer, and some – particularly anything with a motor or heating element – aren’t worth converting at all. For a lot of clients, it works out better to sell or donate larger appliances before the move and buy US-spec versions once they’ve arrived, keeping shipping space for the things that are genuinely worth bringing.

Yes – we offer specialist packing and custom crating for fragile, antique, or otherwise valuable items, so they’re properly protected for the crossing. Flag anything like this to your senior surveyor early on so it can be planned for.

We offer a disposal and recycling collection service, so anything you’re not taking with you doesn’t have to become your problem to get rid of – just let us know what’s staying behind and we can take care of it as part of your move.

In almost all cases, yes – moving to the US to live requires the appropriate visa, green card, or citizenship status. Visa requirements are genuinely complex and depend heavily on your individual circumstances, so we’d always recommend speaking to a qualified immigration professional rather than relying on general guidance for something this important.

It varies enormously depending on where you’re headed – housing costs in a city like New York or San Francisco bear little resemblance to costs in Texas or the Midwest, for example. It’s worth researching your specific destination rather than assuming a single “US cost of living” applies everywhere.

Not necessarily straight away, but it’s worth planning for. Opening a US bank account typically requires a US address and Social Security Number, so most people rely on UK cards or transfer apps for a period after arriving before they’re able to open a local account.

For a limited period in most states, yes, but requirements vary quite a bit from state to state, and you’ll generally need to get a local licence before too long. Worth checking the specific rules for wherever you’re heading well before you need to drive.

There’s no single right answer, but a couple of things are worth factoring in: summer is peak season for international moves generally, so container space and packing slots can book up faster and cost more; and if you’re heading to Florida or elsewhere on the Gulf Coast, it’s worth being aware of hurricane season (June to November) when planning your date.

Yes – that’s exactly how our service is built. From UK collection and packing through shipping, US customs clearance, and delivery, to unpacking and furniture placement if you’d like it, we handle the whole journey door to door.