Moving to Cuenca, Shipping household goods.

Bryon. 

The rules are constantly changing on this.  I was able to bring everything I needed to in but it cost me an arm and a leg.

Are you married to an Ecuadorian?  Email me about your situation and I will see if I can help.

Mike Bruner
[email protected]

Hello Mike,

  Thank you so much for wanting to help.  I have read that the costs of shipping in your goods can be astronomical, and even worse, you may not get to keep them once they get there.  Seems it is best to sell or give away everything before heading down and just buying them there. 

   I know shipping containers can be costly, but what about a few smaller crates, using an air freight company like DHL, or even an airline?  Has anyone done this?  For clarity, I'm thinking like a 4x4x4 crate full of my tools, or kitchen goods, etc.

Bryon,
I think Vinny on this site is pretty knowledgeable about that end of things. I know that there is a " pallet " size that many chose to ship. I think I've heard Vinny refer to that? Sounds like it would be perfect for you.
Me, I'm bringing 4 suitcases, as many others have. As I have visitors from the US visit, I'll have em' bring me stuff suitcase by suitcase.
Anyway, Vinny will probably see this post and respond to you. If not, try to reach out to him. He is a great asset to have in Cuenca from my understanding.
Good Luck
Neil

Hi Neil,  thanks for your kind words, you make me blush

Byron, there's some options about moving belongings to Ecuador.
A 20' container is the most used option but is not worth it if you don't fill it to the top.
Then, other option is bring a pallet or two. If you only have few things to bring could be the best option. Pallets are more easy to handle and pay much less expenses in harbor.

Other thing is where do you live, if you live close to an important harbour is much easier to ship the pallet, if you live far away form a harbour, inland transport is an extra cost you have to deal with.

Anyways, the best way to know how much is going to cost you is once you have a clear idea of the items you want to ship, contact a moving company and they will do a quotation for free.

Of course, I deal with this here in Cuenca so, if you want I can contact with one of our agents in your area and help you with this matter.

Vinny

Hello Jrinec,

Feel free to contact me at [email protected] and I can answer your questions.

Vinny

Hello Vinny -> If you have some informations, do not hesitate to share them on the forum. It could be beneficial to other members.

Thank you,
Aurélie

Vinny, do you have a shipping contact in ARizona?  Do people take refrigerators or do most places have them?  Also do you know anything about rental or neighborhood reception to a big dog?  Labradoodle size.

Marionk

I wouldn't expect to be able to buy everything you had back in the states when you get to Ecuador and the costs of doing so might actually make it cheaper to bring it with you.

From my experience pretty much everything that is "imported" in ecuador is a few years old (model wise) and 1.5-2 times as expensive.   I was lucky that I convinced my Mom, my sister and her bf that they all wanted to visit ecuador.   I gave them each 2 big duffle bags to check for me.   I myself upgraded to first class via points so that I could bring 3 70lb bags.   I was able to get most of what I needed down there that way.

If you plan on checking extra or heavy bags make sure you check with the airline.  There are a lot of embargo periods where you can't check overweight or extra bags.

Refrigerators and stuff you will be able to find decent enough options there.  But for things like juicers, rice makers and things like that, if you have high quality stuff bring it with you.

#1 thing I wish I had brought --  an oven thermometer.   I could not for the life of me find one.  Most of the ovens there have analog controls so it is really hard to determine the true temperature.

Hello Marionk,  I didn't see your message until today. Usually my email told me when new messages apears in Expat-Blog, but sometimes it forget.

About your question, yes we have a shipping contact in  Arizona and I will send tyou a message with the info.
About refrigerators you can find many kinds and brands here.

Dogs can be kind of complicated. Most buildings doesn't allow them unless you're the owner of the apartment. The best option is a house or a condo.

Vinny

Hello there,

I've been reading some of the comments about relocation on this forum. As an ecuadorian expat in USA, I know some processes could be way over the head....like getting a green card... however, believe it or not, relocate in Ecuador is not that hard as it sounds. This is what the law says:
Requisitos para personas migrantes no Ecuatorianas.
La persona migrante no ecuatoriana podrá solicitar la exoneración del menaje de casa y/o equipo de trabajo, solamente cuando prevea residir en el Ecuador por más de un año. Para gozar de la exoneración las personas migrantes no ecuatorianas requieren contar con visa de inmigrante. En el caso que cuenten con visa de no inmigrante deberán presentar el contrato de trabajo respectivo; y, cuando la visa se encontrare en trámite, el interesado podrá retirar su menaje y/o equipo de trabajo previo a presentar una garantía específica.

Now, the key is to make a detail list about everything you are bringing to Ecuador.

(please avoid talking about a private company in your very first message, it sounds like advertisement)


(beep) will ship a 20' container to Cuenca for $6.500 aprox. from Rahway, New Jersey. If you live in another state, you have 2 options: load the container at your house (extra cost) or bring your cargo to New Jersey and the container will be load at the warehouse (include in the price).

If you go to the office in Cuenca, you can make a phone call from there to the offices in New Jersey.

Please, don't let people scare with astronomical prices. Unfortunately, some people take advantage of the situation.

I hope this info helps.

Mariuxi Mansfield.

Hello, Byron.
I suppose, by now you received loads of replies and suggestions addressing your concerns.
My wife and I moved to Cuenca two years ago (on January 10, 2012) and love every minute of it. We asked the same questions that you have and were told to bring everything! Well, we listened and did just that. We filled a 40' container with our "stuff" and got it here without any glitch! One of the things we had to have was our Tempurpedic mattress and bed to set it up in. That was a must for us, too.
We also brought kitchen appliances, tools - power and hand, beddings, towels, down comforters for those chilly nights, room heaters, food processors, etc.
The truth is, you can by just about everything you need here, but not necessarily what you WANT and not at the prices you might be willing to pay for them.
Ecuadoreans are short people and beds are made accordingly. Short for most Americans and Europeans. So are sheets, blankets and comforters. They are also less in quality than what you might be used to using. Same for towels and most other textiles. (Bring them). Funny though, because Ecuador produces some of the most beautiful textiles in the world.
Stainless steel pots and pans are available at outrages prices. (Bring those). Most markets sell aluminum cookware which is highly toxic and causes cancer. You probably want to avoid those. Same for baking products, glass kitchen item and so on.
We want through 3 orange juicer in 6 months before a friend got one for us from the US that worked.
Shipping a container whether it's a 20' or larger, you can fill it to the max, as it is priced by the size of the container not the weight. An empty one would cost you just the Same. There is very little difference in cost between a 20' and 40' container, something else to keep in mind. The truth is that onece you decide to ship some of your household goods, fill your container.
If you are a large person, clothes could be an issue. Or tennis shoes, though leather shoes could be costum made here and they are top quality.
If you are a creative cook, spices and seasonings you might be used to would be a challenge in buying here. Fresh herbs are everywhere, though.
We intend to live here for the rest of our lives, so my wife packed stuff that will last us 25 years or more. She can give you a list of essentials and some of the luxury items one could not by here, if you like.
She can also detail for you how to pack and the shipping company we used. She's good at those things.
We used a company that has been in the shipping business for 19 years and had no problem what-so-ever. They are located right here in Ecuador, not in the Us!
There are a bunch of new companies that have sprouted recently. If you decide to ship, do your research in what services they are offering for the price, what is not included and if they will give you a written guarantee of the charges. We had no hidden costs at the end.
Wishing you a wonderful journey into the next place of your life.
My wife can be contacted at [email protected].

Hi!

My wife and I will be retiring to Ecuador (from California)in July and want to move some of our household goods.
We'll be renting a fully furnished home but there are sentimental items in addition to items that we feel might be difficult to find in Ecuador.
There's not enough money (or things we'd like to ship) to make using a container feasible. We'd read a little about pallets but don't know how that works.
Mainly, we're thinking of our nice cooking pots (we've read that most are aluminum in Ecuador) books (these are a must...hard to find and related to my work as a therapist... and they're heavy), a jimbe (drum), two guitars ( one electric and one acoustic), an amplifier, a barbeque grill, some nice tools (nothing huge but I used to be in construction and like to have good tools on hand) and three area rugs (persian). If there's a store (Kywi??) that has nice grills that aren't pricey, we'd just buy one in Ecuador.
We've read that an option is to fly business rather than economy because you get additional baggage allowance. But that wouldn't take care of the rugs or instruments/amp. or grill.
Help is very greatly appreciated. We're leaving behind a household of goodies and traveling light but don't know what to do with the above mentioned items.
Thank-you!!!

Stephen

Good morning, Stephen.
Your very best bet is to contact [email protected]. They have been in the import/export business for nearly 19 years. They moved us a little over 2 years ago. The best movers ever!

Manonne wrote:

Good morning, Stephen.
Your very best bet is to contact [email protected]. They have been in the import/export business for nearly 19 years. They moved us a little over 2 years ago. The best movers ever!

What is the name of the company?

Hello Stephen,

If you have less than 4 cubic meters is not worth it to ship it to Ecuador. Too expensive.

A full container has capacity for around  32 cubic meters.  LCL is a good option but if you have more than 5 cubic feet,
Only few moving companies in Ecuador deals with LCL movings,
Other option is by air, is quicker than ocean and customs is much easier, but it could be more expensive.

Other option is non-acompanied luggage, you can bring in the same plane you flight some extra boxes in cargo area, they will pass customs but you only need your passport and a packing list.  But you only can include items you could need as a tourist like clothes, pots and pans, camping equipment, cameras.....

If you need quotes for LCL air or ocean import, I can help you but I need a estimate on the volume you want to bring to Ecuador.

Vinny

Hi there,

Can I jump into this discussion, too? It's hard to know how to figure out what to ship or send by air or whatever — and how fast we can get our things. Is it best just to call a moving company? How much of this can I do myself? (I live in Boston, 15 minutes from the harbor and the airport.) Also, how do I determine how much space I need? I don't really know what 4 cubic meters means in terms of household items.

Thanks!
Elizabeth

Hello Elizabeth,

If you planning to do a moving you need to contact a moving company with an agent in Ecuador. I can help you with it if you want to know how much it will cost.

To calculate the volume you have to multiply heigh, wide and long of the items you want to ship. Usually, moving companies  can give you an estimate about the volume and cost for free. 
If you're in Boston, by air it takes like two days to arrive to Ecuador, then about 10 days for customs clearance and delivery. 
Usually moving companies do all as many doesn't accept packing done by the clients  due insurance regulations but in order to cut expenses you can do the packing, maybe delivery on the airport and then, pick up your moving in Ecuador airport.

Vinny

Hi, Elizabeth. First, you can't just ship your stuff to Ecuador. You need a visa to do that. And to ship a container duty free, you need some kind of legal visa be it a retirement visa or an investment visa. Two types of investment visas are real estate or a bank CD for $25,000 for one person plus $10,000 for a spouse. Once you got that you can think about shipping your stuff duty free, which is the only way that makes any sence to ship.  In my previous posting I said that there is no significant cost difference betweek a 20' and 40' container. Now, if you don't think that you have enough for a container a pallet or pallets are the next option for cost consideration. In either case you will need to submit your zip code of origin and the city in Ecuador to a receiving agent where you need your stuff shipped. By all means, think twice before hiring a mover in the us. They really have no idea of the rules, customs, permits and such that are required to get your things into this country. We have been fixing so many problems caused by US shippers lately, it's sad to see how much extra cost is acquired along the way for charges the US shipper did not included in the quotes. You will have to pack and accurately inventory your stuff or you can face a lot of headache if you don't have all your things listed. You can no longer bring in a bunch of cargo without a legal visa. If you are a tourist, you can bring with you touristy stuff, but a Persian rug, BBQ or a long list of tools will not fly. Two and a half years ago friends of ours flew in from Ohio with 49 peices of trunks and oversized luggage. They didn't want to ship a container, they didn't have their permanent visas or an address of residency in Cuenca. They paid an outrages amount of cargo cost, duty in Ecuador which, if I am not mistaking was in the area close to 60% of the value determined by the customs agent, not a real value. We shipped a 40' container from Dallas for half of what it cost them. (A typical sea cargo will take around 35 days from pick up to unloading it into your home in Ecuador.) Since that date, rules have changed several times and are still changing, one might say tightening up a bit.
Now if you can't decide on what a cubic meter is, just calculate your stuff in cubic feet. We can convert that easily. (Four cubic feet would be 2x2x1 meter). You will also have to have the weight of your pallet as well and submit it.  What you will bring here is a personal matter, depending on your need and lifestyle. There are a list of items us, old timers have compiled over the years that we wigs we had brought with us. You can pretty much have stuff sent by Club Correo up to 4 kilos, I believe, which is not much.
So, after all this additional confusing information I just dumped onto this page, may I suggest that you contact: [email protected]. That would be me and we don't charge for giving out up to date, accurate information. Much more than what you find here.

This is incredibly helpful! Thank you, Vinny and Manonne. Manonne, I actually sent your company an email earlier today. Your website looks great and is full of helpful information. I feel so much better already knowing that I can get so many of my questions answered. I look forward to hearing back from your company. Thanks again!

Vinny, if you think it's wise to contact a couple of different moving companies, I'd love to hear your suggestions. Thanks!

Hi,

Yes, is better to have two or three options. You can send me your contact information in order to redirect it to a moving company in your area. Or I can send you the information about our moving agent there to  you if is better for you.
Let me know. My email is [email protected].

Is important you have a good idea of what you want to ship in order to get an acurate quote.

Vinny

One last note: Relocation Services of Ecuador shipped our 40 footer over two years ago and we had the best, stress free experience with them. That is how I got to help them out with client care. I have the highest regard for the professionalism we received. It isn't my company, but I am proud to be affiliated with them and I will do all I can to help their clients get the best, most honest and cost efficient service I once received from them. Next I will be writing to you from the company contact.

The alternative of getting what you need here is still an option……..in truth, there are few things you will need from the states and that can be taken with you on your flights………..
Yes I have much "stuff" that is nice and I would like here, but having lived here for a couple years now, I intend to sell or give away just about everything……
You can be very comfortable here with what is available in country………

@Themiddleoftheworld

Hi, you mention your shipping cost an arm and a leg, i'm planning a move there and am considering shipping items. What range are we looking at for say 20ft container, now i realize there will be a difference as we are coming from New Brunswick  canada, but at least a range of cost will clue us in a bit. Thank you

@trevormickelson066

Hello, please note that you are replying to a very old post. This member will not reply as it's been already 9 years since he last logged in.

I would suggest that you start a new thread on the Cuenca forum so that active members might guide you.

All the best

Bhavna

@trevormickelson066 Hello Trevor, ***

Before you ship your household goods, make sure you really really want to live in Ecuador for at least a few years - it might be a better idea to visit for the maximum allowed tourist time and see, first.

For most people the cost is verging on the prohibitive - not only must you pay for the use of the container and the shipping (which has gone up over 50% since just several years ago), there are also loading and unloading fees, port fees, inspection fees, customs/import fees which can amount to the cost of an item itself, and the bureaucratic paperwork at every turn.  Once at the port there will be storage fees, and then fees to haul the container to its final destination and more fees to unload it.

Unless you have items that you simply can't bear to part with you are better off selling or giving away everything and starting over.  Flying down with just a few (or many) suitcases can make your life so much easier.

Although this article is over a dozen years old it goes into good detail about what you must plan for:

https://cuencahighlife.com/Shipping-you … headaches/

Do an internet search for

cost to ship 20 ft container from us to ecuador   (substitute "canada" for  "us" if appropriate)

You will get many hits - but be aware almost all of the companies will quote only the cost of shipping and not include all the other fees.