International Moving Survey: Video Survey, Fixed Quote, and Complete Move Planning Before You Ship
Accurate international move planning for clients across the entire UK by video survey, using export-trained crews, IAM-certified overseas partners, nationwide collection avaialable
An international removal involves measured shipment volume that determines container type and freight cost, customs documentation that must be prepared before departure, biosecurity and import compliance that varies by destination country, and delivery logistics in a country where you cannot simply return if something was missed. Every one of these elements needs to be confirmed before your shipment is booked .
The international moving survey is where that confirmation happens. It is conducted by video for clients across the entire UK, takes 20–40 minutes, and produces a fixed written door-to-door quotation covering every stage from UK collection to overseas delivery.
Book Your International Moving Survey
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Moving internationally from anywhere in the UK? Our video survey takes 20–40 minutes and gives you a fixed door-to-door quote, confirmed container selection, customs preparation guidance, and a complete move plan before you commit to anything.
We’ll confirm your video survey appointment and tell you exactly what to prepare beforehand
We’ll respond with honest, practical advice based on your international move
How The international Moving Video Survey Works
The video survey is the standard format for all Trunk Logistics international moving assessments outside of London, Essex, Kent, and Hertfordshire, and for many clients within those areas who prefer the convenience of a remote appointment. It is not a compromise on accuracy. A video survey conducted properly produces the same quality of assessment as an in-person visit. For international moves, where the questions go well beyond volume, it is often the more thorough format.
What The Video Survey Actually Involves
our survey is conducted by a Trunk Logistics international move coordinator via a secure video call at a time that suits you. You walk through your property showing everything that will be included in the shipment, main rooms, storage areas, loft, garage, and outdoor items, while your coordinator assesses volume, identifies items requiring specialist handling or export packing, and notes access conditions at your UK property. The call also covers your destination address and delivery access where known, your visa and residency status as it relates to customs eligibility, your intended move date and how it aligns with vessel sailing schedules, and any questions specific to your destination country. The survey is a planning conversation as much as a volume assessment. T0he questions asked during a UK to Australia survey are different from those asked during a UK to Dubai survey, because the compliance requirements, customs authorities, and biosecurity risks are different.
Why Video Works For International Moves
Domestic moving surveys are primarily about volume and access, information that benefits from physical presence. International moving surveys cover volume and access plus customs documentation, container selection, biosecurity risk, destination delivery logistics, visa alignment, and specialist item handling. Most of which is confirmed through conversation rather than physical inspection. A video survey with an experienced international coordinator covers all of these elements accurately from anywhere in the UK, without requiring you to be located near our Essex base or to wait for a convenient in-person appointment slot.
What You Should Prepare Before Your Video Survey
Make all areas of your property accessible during the call including rooms, cupboards, loft, garage, and any outdoor storage. Have your destination address or intended area confirmed if possible, as delivery access affects routing and cost. Know your visa or residency status for your destination country, or have the details available as this directly affects customs eligibility and documentation requirements. Have an idea of your intended move date or timeframe. You do not need to have resolved every detail before the survey, the survey is partly designed to help you work through open questions, but the more confirmed information you can bring to the call, the more precise your fixed quote will be.
In-Person Surveys For Clients In Essex, London, Kent, and Hertfordshire
For clients located within our operational area, an in-person survey can be arranged where preferred or where the complexity of the move due to specialist items, unusual access conditions, or very large volume, makes a physical visit the most practical approach. Your coordinator will advise whether an in-person survey is recommended for your specific move.
What The International Survey Confirms
Shipment Volume And Container Selection
Volume, measured in cubic metres, is the foundation of your international moving quote. It determines whether your shipment moves as FCL (a dedicated full container) or LCL (shared container space), what size container is required, and how freight cost is calculated. Volume cannot be accurately established from a bedroom count or a rough list. The video survey establishes your actual shipment volume visually, so container selection and pricing are correct from the outset rather than revised after booking. FCL vs LCL explained
Export Packing Requirements And Specialist Item Handling
International sea freight requires export-grade packing using heavier cartons, moisture-resistant wrapping, and customs-ready inventory documentation, that is categorically different from domestic removal packing. The survey identifies what packing level your shipment requires, flags any items needing specialist handling such as fine art, antiques, pianos, or glass furniture, and confirms the packing schedule relative to your container loading date. Items that require custom crating or reinforced protection are identified during the survey so they are built into your export plan before packing begins. Export packing explained
Customs Documentation And Compliance
Customs clearance requirements vary significantly by destination country and the preparation for clearance happens before your shipment departs the UK, not after it arrives at the destination port. Your survey covers your visa and residency status and how it relates to duty-free import eligibility, what documentation is required before shipping, whether any items in your shipment are restricted or require specific declaration, and what the customs clearance process looks like at your destination. For Australia, this means DAFF biosecurity preparation. For the UAE, it means restricted item declaration. For New Zealand, it means MPI risk assessment. For the USA, CBP documentation requirements. These are not generic questions they are destination-specific, and they are asked during your survey so your shipment departs correctly prepared. Customs Documentation And Guidance Explained
Transit Timing And Vessel Scheduling
Your move date does not simply determine when your shipment departs, it determines which vessel it can realistically board, and when it will arrive at destination. Missing a vessel sailing can add weeks to your timeline. The survey confirms your intended move date against current vessel scheduling for your destination, identifies whether your timeline is achievable or needs adjustment, and aligns shipment departure with your visa status, property availability, and arrival date at destination. Your transit timeline is confirmed as a realistic delivery window and not an optimistic estimate.
Your Fixed Door-To-Door Quotation
Once volume, access, packing requirements, customs documentation, and transit timing are confirmed, your coordinator prepares a fixed written door-to-door quotation covering UK collection, export packing, container loading, sea freight, destination port handling, customs clearance coordination, and inland delivery to your address. Every stage is included. There are no headline rates that exclude port handling, no freight costs that exclude inland delivery, and no estimates that change when the move is properly measured. Your fixed quote is what you pay and confirmed before you book, not revised after your shipment has departed.
Why The Survey Happens Before Anything Is Booked
The most common source of problems on international removals such as incorrect container selection, customs delays, biosecurity failures, shipment timing misalignment, originate before the shipment departs the UK. Not at the destination port, not during transit, and not at customs. Before departure.
An incorrectly measured volume produces the wrong container, which changes your price and your timeline. Customs documentation that is incomplete or inconsistent with your shipment contents produces delays at destination. A shipment that departs before your visa status is confirmed cannot clear customs on arrival. Biosecurity risk items that are not identified and prepared before packing triggers inspection and treatment charges at destination.
Every one of these problems is preventable. The survey is how they are prevented by confirming the information that matters before any of it becomes difficult to resolve. This is not process for its own sake. It is what a fixed price, a reliable timeline, and a move that arrives correctly means in practice.
Frequently Asked Questions About International Moving Surveys
How long does an international moving video survey take?
Most international video surveys take between 20 and 40 minutes. Larger properties, moves involving specialist items, or shipments with complex customs considerations may take slightly longer. The survey is thorough but efficient and the goal is a complete picture of your move and a fixed quote, not an open-ended conversation.
Is there a cost for the international moving survey?
No. The international moving survey is complimentary. There is no charge and no obligation to proceed after you receive your fixed quotation.
Can you conduct an international moving survey if I am outside the UK?
If you are currently overseas and planning to return to the UK before moving internationally, your survey is arranged once you are back at your UK property so your shipment volume can be assessed accurately. If you are coordinating an international move from outside the UK on behalf of someone at a UK address, contact your coordinator to discuss the most practical approach for your specific situation.
What if I do not yet know my exact destination address?
You do not need a confirmed destination address to proceed with your survey. Your destination country and intended region are sufficient to confirm shipping routes, port of entry, customs requirements, and transit timelines. A confirmed delivery address is needed before your shipment departs therefore it does not need to be confirmed at survey stage.
How quickly can I receive my fixed quotation after the survey?
Your fixed door-to-door quotation is typically prepared and issued within 24 hours of your survey being completed. Your coordinator will confirm the turnaround time when your survey is booked.
Can the survey cover storage requirements as well as the move itself?
Yes. If you need pre-shipment storage at Trunk Logistics’ Essex facility, or post-arrival storage through our IAM-certified overseas partners at destination, this is covered during the survey and included in your move plan where needed. Storage requirements do not need to be arranged separately.
Does the survey cover marine insurance?
Marine transit insurance is discussed and confirmed during the survey alongside packing, shipping method, and customs preparation. Cover options and the process for declaring shipment value are explained so insurance is in place before your shipment departs.
Book Your International Moving Video Survey
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Ready to get a fixed door-to-door quote for your international move? Book your video survey and a Trunk Logistics international coordinator will assess your shipment volume, confirm your container type, review your customs requirements, and give you a fixed all-inclusive price from UK collection to overseas delivery, wherever you are moving in the world.
We’ll confirm your video survey appointment within one working day and send you everything you need to prepare beforehand
Message us if you need quick advice on your planned international move