Buying furniture home or Algarve

[LICY]

Thanks all helpful advice. I have no idea how heavy a sofa would be. don't think my weighing will handle that!

[laserblazer]

Sofas are heavy, unless you can't find the one you want in Portugal, then I can't see that it is cost effective to ship one over.

[widge]

Sofas are heavy, unless you can't find the one you want in Portugal, then I can't see that it is cost effective to ship one over.

Shippers seem to charge by the cubic metre rather than weight so ironically 20 duvets might cost the same to ship as a sofa?

Algarve Removals are shipping a 5 seater corner settee a super king size bed, 2 single mattresses, bedding pillows etc. plus ceiling fan & 2 Sky boxes = 5.5 cubic metres at £85 per M3 + VAT.

[laserblazer]

From my experience shippers have a metric weight and a true weight. So if you have a 1m x 1m x 1m box weighing x it will be charged at the metric weight of y so long as y is greater than x. If x is greater, then it will be charged at x. I guess it boils down to finding the right sofa.

[Aldo]

As with anything we can invent issues and find problems. All I said was we shipped a whole house (4 beds) full of quality furniture, linen and accessories via the warrington company. We experienced excellent service, collected fom our door. Whilst a cost is involved, we still saved £s and knew what we bought was not just glorified MFI. We used Algarve removals when a company insisted on using them for the additional furniture (footstool and console) and they were 2 days late!

[LICY]

As with anything we can invent issues and find problems. All I said was we shipped a whole house (4 beds) full of quality furniture, linen and accessories via the warrington company. We experienced excellent service, collected fom our door. Whilst a cost is involved, we still saved £s and knew what we bought was not just glorified MFI. We used Algarve removals when a company insisted on using them for the additional furniture (footstool and console) and they were 2 days late!

Aldo, laser blazer and widge
I asked AR to give me a ball park figure for 5' bed and mattress, 2 singles and mattress and 2 x 3 seated sofas plus a few bits and pieces such as towels. they suggested 6.5m should be ample at £500 plus VAT. I think it could still be cheaper to buy here, but what I need to do on our next trip is check out price and type of product. I think potentially my biggest saving could be the sofa. I have checked a place in my locality and could get 2 x 3 seated leather sofa with a sofa bed in one for about £1200. on the basis of a bed sofa in Portugal being that alone we should be able to pay the removals costs. I will post something on the forum once we decide our best option. I am sure a sofa is heavy, but we also need to ascertain who would be the cheapest in the end. I am yet to hear of someone having a bad experience with AR so I guess they are the most obvious firm. Thank you for this input I find it invaluable. LICY

[Gary/Gaynor]

Will check out the websites suggested. handy to know about curtains, hopefully Sam will see that as she wants curtains. so much to do and see.

LICY, I have used Dean the curtain man over the past 6 years since first buying our apartment in CVO. He came over, measured up, we chose the curtain material, all lined and poles provided, than he came back and fitted, we also had cushions made to match. Overall Dean has a good selection of good quality curtain material so much so we have had curtains made and shipped over to Holland. Ready made are ok but if you want lasting quality check Dean out. Good luck with everything, once it's all in place, relax and have a good slug of your fav tiple.
Gaynor

[Bruce Wallis]

If you are sending loads of stuff from the UK, and you have a reliable source of curtains, and need a modern look.....ie if you tend to go to Bentalls or John Lewis for your curtains.....measure up when you next come over, and get them done at home.

Dean, who is near the CESPA garage at the bottom of your road, has alot of material.....and can get virtually anything.
Why not check him out, then make you decision about which way you are going to do it then??

As regards settees and stuff.......we shopped around Purley Way, Kingston and Croydon and had AR ship the lot......saves a hell of alot of grief, especially bearing in mind nothing is ex stock, most of it has a 12 week lead time, and stuff....in Surrey or the Algarve never turns up when you expect it to.

IVA, (VAT) is higher....and expected to rise out here.

So collect it at home, then ship in one hit.
EASY!!!!........AND....you can get interest free, and dont pay for a year deals in the UK.....which will help your budgeting!

[LICY]

Will check out the websites suggested. handy to know about curtains, hopefully Sam will see that as she wants curtains. so much to do and see.

LICY, I have used Dean the curtain man over the past 6 years since first buying our apartment in CVO. He came over, measured up, we chose the curtain material, all lined and poles provided, than he came back and fitted, we also had cushions made to match. Overall Dean has a good selection of good quality curtain material so much so we have had curtains made and shipped over to Holland. Ready made are ok but if you want lasting quality check Dean out. Good luck with everything, once it's all in place, relax and have a good slug of your fav tiple.
Gaynor

Thanks. can't wait to see the progress on the build when we arrive in a month. curtains will have to wait until end of June when we have a full week and hopefully almost a completed villa, well outside, windows etc.

[LICY]

If you are sending loads of stuff from the UK, and you have a reliable source of curtains, and need a modern look.....ie if you tend to go to Bentalls or John Lewis for your curtains.....measure up when you next come over, and get them done at home.

Dean, who is near the CESPA garage at the bottom of your road, has alot of material.....and can get virtually anything.
Why not check him out, then make you decision about which way you are going to do it then??

As regards settees and stuff.......we shopped around Purley Way, Kingston and Croydon and had AR ship the lot......saves a hell of alot of grief, especially bearing in mind nothing is ex stock, most of it has a 12 week lead time, and stuff....in Surrey or the Algarve never turns up when you expect it to.

IVA, (VAT) is higher....and expected to rise out here.

So collect it at home, then ship in one hit.
EASY!!!!........AND....you can get interest free, and dont pay for a year deals in the UK.....which will help your Obudgeting!

Looked at DFS but not impressed with their sofa beds. we have a wholesaler from Poland behind the office on Stafford Road so he may be the preferred sofa dealer. no interest only though. if I didn't want a quality sofa bed it would be so much easier. LICY

[Bruce Wallis]

We found good sofa beds in M&S of all people.

[LICY]

Will look on line. at home I have an old chesterfield with the typical pull out sofa bed. metal spring type base with thin spongy type mattress. not comfortable unless you're drunk. I really don't want that. LICY

[pato]

Would be very Interested in hearing from you after 21 March. I find it difficult to work out how to calculate how many sq cubic meters when working on the basis of sofas and beds. have you any tips? In relation to TV's have checked on line for Sorten, but it does not appear to have a full range so I guess we will have to look in the shop. They appear to be much more expensive than here. It was a better price at Radio Poplar with the cheapest 40" being €499. Still have to consider beds etc. I reckon our next trip will be pretty busy checking out furniture etc. good luck with the move. I take you are relocating permanently.
Sam in relation to curtains my cousin has a villa and wanted fitted curtains. they always have an eye for a bargain but ended up getting them in Debenhams to take over to Almancil.

LICY yes! I think I could fall for you , you seem to find everything a problem, like a little girl lost sort of thing, you need a strong partner to help you along in life that's for sure, one piece of advice don't ever have a baby.

[LICY]

Would be very Interested in hearing from you after 21 March. I find it difficult to work out how to calculate how many sq cubic meters when working on the basis of sofas and beds. have you any tips? In relation to TV's have checked on line for Sorten, but it does not appear to have a full range so I guess we will have to look in the shop. They appear to be much more expensive than here. It was a better price at Radio Poplar with the cheapest 40" being €499. Still have to consider beds etc. I reckon our next trip will be pretty busy checking out furniture etc. good luck with the move. I take you are relocating permanently.
Sam in relation to curtains my cousin has a villa and wanted fitted curtains. they always have an eye for a bargain but ended up getting them in Debenhams to take over to Almancil.

LICY yes! I think I could fall for you , you seem to find everything a problem, like a little girl lost sort of thing, you need a strong partner to help you along in life that's for sure, one piece of advice don't ever have a baby.

Only one problem. Had 3 babies 25 being the youngest. When you've had as many problems building a bloody dream home as we have then you probably think of all number of problems. However I now have 2 new men in my life, but must not say too much to my toy boy anout that. Certainly getting to feel a lot happier that I might even still be alive to enjoy the villa. Licy

[LICY]

We ended ip buying sofas from DFS with 4 years interest free and about £500 cheaper so worth sending by AR. Also bought 32" TV today for just short of £200 so again loads cheaper than Portugal. Rotary clothes line seems to also be cheaper on line here at Amazon. Garden furniture however probably just as well to purchase in IZI or similar. Even thinking of sending out wardrobes from IKEA depending on price from AR as opposed to hiring a van, buying petrol and driving to Seville.