A Costly Lesson

Why We Moved

Relocation from Singapore to Malaysia via land transport.

Choosing the Mover

They were rather proactive, and they were not the cheapest. Rather, they were the most expensive, but they had offered door-to-door service and crating as well as packers coming in to pack for you.

We compared the mover with others, and some had initially quoted a lower base fee — but every additional square metre was charged at 600+. When we compared the additional costs to the others that had done a site visit and estimated the volume required, it was clear that the company with the lower quote had underquoted so as to secure the business. They also kept calling us to sign on the quote, citing “booking” the lorry as a reason to hurry and sign.

The Moving Day(s)

Packing took two days. The supervisor had assessed the whole process — from packing to handling and delivering to the doorstep. Based on the arrival date from the supervisor, we booked our flight tickets to coincide with arriving a day earlier so we could receive the shipment. However, we had to pay a “halt” fee because we were later told that our shipment would be delivered a day earlier instead of the intended date advised by the supervisor.

It was rather messy as there were people everywhere handling and picking up boxes and packages. The supervisor was busy writing the box and package numbers on the inventory as well as the description on each box (which incidentally was not accurate with the contents within the boxes). The movers took two days to pack — so be prepared for boxes lining the apartment on Day 1. The supervisor was vaping in my living room too, to my annoyance.

What Went Wrong

The experience was below expectations. The moving company packed my items in Singapore but handled it poorly. They had forgotten to crate my glass mirror console table, resulting in a damaged corner. I can’t repair it, as no one wants to undertake the job. They also broke one of a pair of vintage Peranakan pots upon arrival, devaluing the ceramic piece.

Due to poor packing and mishandling, my lampshade was broken at the joints. It needs to be welded together.

I had to pay an additional “halt” fee, and I did not know that I was going to share a transport truck with another family moving to KL. I was told that the truck was a 22–25 foot vehicle, so we paid for that size without knowing it was on a shared basis. We didn’t even fill up the truck with our items — we didn’t move any big items like a refrigerator, bed frames, living room sofa, TV, sound systems, washing machines & dryer, dining table and chairs, etc. We moved antiques, personal items, kitchenware, glassware, photo albums, and paintings, including Peranakan ceramics.

Tips for Others

Beware of additional costs. Other than crating my rosewood cabinet (upon my request), they also crated the glass shelves within — and that is a separate cost. It’s not inclusive. They also failed to crate my glass console, which was specifically requested by me. This resulted in the mirror console being chipped badly. And they just shoved the insurance form for me to fill.