[MR_BIGGS]

I’m asking for some advice on behalf of a friend of mine.

He is going to be moving from Vancouver to Edmonton in about 10 days for work and will be there for at least 1 year, maybe more. He is throwing some ideas around about how he will move there.

What would be cheaper? Fly to Edmonton and buy all this stuff (bed, desk, dresser, table etc) there?

Or what he has looked into more:

Rent a 10’ Truck (ideal for apartment moves) and pack it up with all the things he’s going to need in his apartment (i.e. bed, couch, dresser, desk and boxes with all his clothes, electronics etc). He will be driving the truck by himself (maybe a friend will accompany him) from Vancouver to Edmonton. U-Haul quoted him $675 and this includes one month storage. He doesn’t need to drive it back as it’s a one way expense.

He wants to leave September 15 in the early morning and get into Edmonton by late evening or night. Get the stuff into the storage facility. He then plans on staying at a relative’s house until he can move into an apartment October 1. Then use a truck to move the stuff from storage into his apartment (cost for that would be about $20).


Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. Please save the Edmonton is a shit box comments as he already knows this. LOL….It’s the winter he’s scared of.

Anything else he should think about?? He plans on finding a place 5 mins from work, his work is in downtown. He plans on getting a vehicle after a few months of living there.

Anyone know what Edmonton is like or has lived there??

TIA!

This is the truck:

1751

[MG1]

Buy new furniture. Sell off what you can of the old stuff to recoup some money. Since you're a good friend, you can do that for him (hee hee). Not worth the hassles, unless he is attached to the furniture and shit. Buy a cheap sofa bed for starters. Who knows, he might really hate Edmonton and......... I assume he's single.

[tacobell]

$675 to move everything is not bad, it'll save you the hassle of furniture shopping and assembling at that junk to begin with. If your buddy is truly wanting to save some money, then forget the idea of moving all his stuff to edmonton and just scan the free furniture section on craigslist. Arrange to pick up all the free stuff, rent a truck for the day and pick everything up.

edmonton is total shits, it's cold as heck and there's nothing to do. you can cruise the mall but that will grow old fast. good luck to your friend.

[jackmeister]

sell everything here and buy everything in alberta for the following reasons:

1) to leave for a job in EDMONTON he better be getting a larger paycheque to make up for living in that shithole
2) new furniture
3) if he moves back, bring the stuff back because he only paid 5% tax on it.

[fliptuner]

Does he plan on having a car up there?

If he can drive his current car, pack it full of smaller stuff and buy cheap furniture up there and sell it before he leaves.

[BIG]

Tell your friend to give me a call at Pak Mail Langley (778-298-7790). We ship anything anywhere.

We can help him in packaging all his stuff and putting it all on pallets for him and have it sent via freight to Edmonton. I see the quote is around $675 to use U-Haul, we might be able to come in around that price for him all while packing his stuff for him. The cost of course may vary depending on what he's shipping and the weight/size. Never a bad idea to have a few options.

We could work on a quote for him that works within his price range.

[The_AK]

just make sure you dont try to load a civic into the u-haul van

[TekDragon]

He will have friends to help him move stuff into the truck, but might not be the case when he gets to Edmonton. That's just another thing to keep in mind. If he buys new, he has the option of having it delivered to him.

[FerrariEnzo]

does he have a car now? if he does, does it want to take it with him..

the prices from uhaul does not include gas and insurance...

its not bad but he has to do a lot of moving.. that truck isnt all that big, if he can take apart most of the things it would be better...

but sept is like the start of snowing season in edmonton.. haha... has he ever exprienced alberta winter? its nothing like in vancouver... tell him to leave behind his summer clothes.. winter will last at least 6 months in edmonton... lots of jackets... scarf or a warm hat/hood is good.. wind chills boost the cold weather my 10 degress at least... haha...

[MR_BIGGS]

does he have a car now? if he does, does it want to take it with him..

the prices from uhaul does not include gas and insurance...

its not bad but he has to do a lot of moving.. that truck isnt all that big, if he can take apart most of the things it would be better...

but sept is like the start of snowing season in edmonton.. haha... has he ever exprienced alberta winter? its nothing like in vancouver... tell him to leave behind his summer clothes.. winter will last at least 6 months in edmonton... lots of jackets... scarf or a warm hat/hood is good.. wind chills boost the cold weather my 10 degress at least... haha...

I think the 10' truck should be able to fit all his things.

They said it is enough for an apartment move. He also gets a place for storage (1 month) while he stays at his relatives place and looks for a condo or apartment.

FerrariEnzo you have lived in Edmonton right? I think I saw in another thread you mentioned it. He totally will not be ready for the winter there and all the snow and freezing weather. That's why he's looking for a place downtown near his work. HAHA...

It's the drive over he's concerned about...how long it take driving the U-Haul?? 15 hours?

[inv4zn]

If it's just the drive, I'd just tell him to man-up and do it - its only once anyway...

It's 15 hours-ish, depending on your number of stops and their duration. If he wants to leave in the morning and get there by evening he better have a stash of chocolate covered coffee beans and some annoying repetitive music...lol

But yeah, if the main pivotal point is the driving - and less the difference in cost - tell him to just drive. It's a good drive (except the #2 highway which is boring as shit)

[MR_BIGGS]

If it's just the drive, I'd just tell him to man-up and do it - its only once anyway...

It's 15 hours-ish, depending on your number of stops and their duration. If he wants to leave in the morning and get there by evening he better have a stash of chocolate covered coffee beans and some annoying repetitive music...lol

But yeah, if the main pivotal point is the driving - and less the difference in cost - tell him to just drive. It's a good drive (except the #2 highway which is boring as shit)

I think he gets the U-Haul truck for 4 days and 1375 km...plus 1 month storage. So he can take his time. I"m guessing he should leave around 6am??

[Fafine]

get on number 1 highway by 6 am but 5am is even better. i got to edmonton in about 10 hours so he should probably get there in 13 hours? if hes taking the uhaul truck.

[inv4zn]

Yeah in my opinion, if you're planning any sort of long trip without sleeping at a motel, then leave as friggin early as possible.

This way (for example to Edmonton) if everything works out, you're at your destination before dark, you miss the morning rushhour on Hwy1.

If shit goes wrong (Highway 1 closed due to accident or some shit - trust me, happens more often than you think), you still make it at a reasonable time (not 3am).

So yeah, 5am is even better as Fafine said (dunno why he's banned..lol)

[Hehe]

I drove with a friend to Edmonton when his company relocated last July. What we did was the following:

On Monday night we slept short hours (around 4hrs instead of the regular 7~8, so we will be tired earlier) and packed all his little stuff/personal belongings (he sold all the old furniture) in his Rav4 next day and went to bed really (around 8)

Woke up around 3:30AM, washed... etc, crossed US/CA Border at 4:20AM, then hit up gas station for coffee and smoke. After this we took on I5-->WA20 (trust me, it's worth the extra 5hrs or so of trip, the most beautiful highway in North West. Sun rise were incredible)-->BC97 to Kelowna through Penticton, and then the usual way to Edmonton.

It took us 18hrs (we got there around 11PM) the whole trip but it was worth every second of it. When it's like a road trip, you hardly feel tired at all. We were still in pretty good shape when we got to Edmonton (although our ass hurt like @!#$) And we drove past the best scenery WA/BC/AB had to offer during the 15hr day time that we had. The night part was mainly boring hw from Calgary to Edmonton. Sure the extra drive from Calgary is a PITA, but it's well worth it.

We stayed in the hotel room the company booked for him, the next day, we went to pick up the key for the bachelor suite he rented and we started hunting furniture on CL and newspaper. We picked up 1 desk and a queen mattress that day, enough for him for a little while. He was basically settled for that week, then he picked up some furniture at Ikea...

Hope our little trip helps your friend in his planning.

[inv4zn]

^ I would do exactly what he said, minus the 5 hour detour.

In a u-haul truck, the most beautiful highway in the world will still feel like 41st avenue all the way through lol

[FN-2199]

Buy new furniture. Sell off what you can of the old stuff to recoup some money. Since you're a good friend, you can do that for him (hee hee). Not worth the hassles, unless he is attached to the furniture and shit. Buy a cheap sofa bed for starters. Who knows, he might really hate Edmonton and......... I assume he's single.

+1!

Sell what you can now, buy new furniture at the new home!

[FerrariEnzo]

theres also a toll fee you have to pay... if i remember its $15....

also, tell him to CHECK the weather before he sets out so he knows what he will be going into... tell him to get a map or a GPS if he doesnt know the way..

hes not going to drive straight there, i would say 2 stops are needed.. theres 1 timmys in kelowna near the hwy going up there.. his very first stop should be there.. second stop should be in jasper somewhere.. by then, he will need gas, if he didnt refuel in kelowna, he will be low at this point.... after that he can go straight into edmonton...


tell him to bring lots of red bull or something that will keep him awake.. i personally use the 5hr drink... i take one before i leave and 1 at my second stop



+1!

Sell what you can now, buy new furniture at the new home!
there isnt enought time to sell his stuff.. he leaves on the 15th.. hes prolly got lots to do.. even if he does sell, he wont get much if hes in a hurry to sell, better just to keep it...

[Anjew]

how much is storage rental for his stuff here in vancouver?

maybe better sell or trash whatever he does not really want/need and store the rest with family friends or public storage... bring his important items like clothes, computer, tv with him in the car... rent a furnished place there in edmonton and tough it out for the year...

maybe even put the extra items he wants like clothes but cant fit more in the car in a box and ship it to Edmonton.

[Anjew]

looked up craigslist for edmonton and theres a ton of places pre-furnished for rent for cheap.....

just an example but for 850 you get a 1brhttp://edmonton.en.craigslist.ca/apa/1930066167.html

http://images.craigslist.org/3n43m13o35Y05Q35S2a8v4e365f1c2b301aa5.jpghttp://images.craigslist.org/3k13mb3p25Z15T55U0a8ve5cb65cabb3511dd.jpghttp://images.craigslist.org/3n83m13l85O25X65R3a8va96a70fce98c11ab.jpg


thats good enough incase you have a lady friend

[FerrariEnzo]

^^ wowowo for $850.. really... thats cheap and looks nice..

also depends on the area of his work.. dont want to live too far.. driving can be a bitch in the winter time...

[MR_BIGGS]

Damn that's a nice place for 850!

Ya he's pretty set on driving there with all the stuff he will need and doesn't have much time to start selling and doesn't want to go different places to look for stuff there.

Once he gets there he gets 1 month free storage at the U-Haul storage place which is included in the $675 plus tax. He plans on storing the stuff until he finds a place. He will be staying with family for a few days while he looks at places.


He's thinking of not getting a car right away or at all. Loosely looking, he found a place that is a 8 minute walk to the LRT (Train) then a 6 minutes train ride and then another 8 minute walk to work. The place he wants to live would be downtown so he can walk everywhere he needs (I'm talking 5 mins away from groceries, entertainment, food etc). I say he should get a car, because when it gets cold, its going to be tough?

What do you guys think?

[MR_BIGGS]

^^ wowowo for $850.. really... thats cheap and looks nice..

also depends on the area of his work.. dont want to live too far.. driving can be a bitch in the winter time...

You've lived in Edmonton right?

Would not having a car but being close to everything be one way of doing things?

His commute to work as posted above doens't seem to bad? Or is it?

[supers7n]

just make sure you dont try to load a civic into the u-haul van

FUCK WHY DID YOU TURN?

On a more serious note, I'd say it's a better idea to rent a furnished home.

You say he doesn't have time to sell his things, well that's what friends are for right? :thumbsup:

[SkinnyPupp]

I hope your friend is getting paid a LOT to live in that shithole

[MR_BIGGS]

just make sure you dont try to load a civic into the u-haul van

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_t8lVDt2RM

[Lomac]

theres also a toll fee you have to pay... if i remember its $15....

There's a toll? Drove there (well, Calgary) a couple years ago and I didn't have to pay a toll anywhere...?

As for living downtown and walking everywhere... well, during the summer time it's fine, but when you have to haul half a dozen grocery bags through all the snow they get, you start seriously thinking about getting a car.

[FerrariEnzo]

There's a toll? Drove there (well, Calgary) a couple years ago and I didn't have to pay a toll anywhere...?

As for living downtown and walking everywhere... well, during the summer time it's fine, but when you have to haul half a dozen grocery bags through all the snow they get, you start seriously thinking about getting a car.

acutally.. now that i try to remeber, the fee i think is for the Jasper National Park.. haha... crap...

[MR_BIGGS]

In terms of directions my friend got these off Google. Any suggestions in terms of where to make pitstops and how many? Obviously, if you feel tired pull over, but he could prob do it with 2 or 3 quick stops??

Are these directions good? or are there better ones??



BURNABY:

4. Turn left onto the Trans Canada Highway/BC-1 E ramp 650 m
5. Merge onto BC-1 E 144 km
6. Continue onto BC-3 E 6.6 km
7. Continue onto BC-5 N 197 km
8. Take exit 374 to merge onto Southern Yellowhead Hwy/BC-5 N toward Jasper 339 km
9. Continue onto Trans-Canada Hwy/Yellowhead Hwy E/BC-16 E
Continue to follow Trans-Canada Hwy/Yellowhead Hwy E
Entering Alberta 267 km
10. Slight right at Trans-Canada Hwy/Yellowhead Hwy E/AB-16 E (signs for Trans Canada Highway) 196 km
11. Take the AB-28 N/97 Street ramp 500 m
12. Turn left at 97 St NW/AB-28 N
Continue to follow AB-28 N 5.2 km
13. Turn right at 167 Ave NW 2.1 km
14. Turn left at 76 St NW 91 m
15. Take the 1st right onto 168 Ave NW

Destination will be on the left 36 m

Anyone got a better route or have suggestions as to where to make pit stops?

[Blah_Teggie]

acutally.. now that i try to remeber, the fee i think is for the Jasper National Park.. haha... crap...

You only pay that toll if you tell the park ranger you're planning on stopping in Jasper. If you tell them you're going to Edmonton, it's free. You can still stop in Jasper without paying tho.

[Blah_Teggie]

In terms of directions my friend got these off Google. Any suggestions in terms of where to make pitstops and how many? Obviously, if you feel tired pull over, but he could prob do it with 2 or 3 quick stops??

Are these directions good? or are there better ones??



BURNABY:

4. Turn left onto the Trans Canada Highway/BC-1 E ramp 650 m
5. Merge onto BC-1 E 144 km
6. Continue onto BC-3 E 6.6 km
7. Continue onto BC-5 N 197 km
8. Take exit 374 to merge onto Southern Yellowhead Hwy/BC-5 N toward Jasper 339 km
9. Continue onto Trans-Canada Hwy/Yellowhead Hwy E/BC-16 E
Continue to follow Trans-Canada Hwy/Yellowhead Hwy E
Entering Alberta 267 km
10. Slight right at Trans-Canada Hwy/Yellowhead Hwy E/AB-16 E (signs for Trans Canada Highway) 196 km
11. Take the AB-28 N/97 Street ramp 500 m
12. Turn left at 97 St NW/AB-28 N
Continue to follow AB-28 N 5.2 km
13. Turn right at 167 Ave NW 2.1 km
14. Turn left at 76 St NW 91 m
15. Take the 1st right onto 168 Ave NW

Destination will be on the left 36 m

Anyone got a better route or have suggestions as to where to make pit stops?

It really depends if he's driving by himself or he has relief drivers. I've made the drive to Edmonton 4 times and I usually stop in Merrit (usually for gas), in Kamloops for lunch, then in one of the small towns like Blue Water or Valemount for gas and a quick snack, then stop in Jasper for gas, then Edson for a quick stretch and then onto Edmonton. As for directions it's really simple. Take Hwy 1 EB, then Hwy 5 N Coquihalla and then the Hwy 16 E Yellowhead. The drive is VERY long and painful. Esp after Kamloops when it's only one lane going each way all the way until you're past Jasper. Make sure you have lots of music in the car and remember there is no cell phone signal for a big part of your trip.

[MR_BIGGS]

He's driving by himself. He has a GPS which should help him along the way if needed and a map. He prob will have to fill up for gas more.

What's the speed limits like along the way? He will be in a UHaul truck.. Those one way roads are going to suck for drivers behind him, because he isn't going to want to speed, but stay the limit or just over.

[turb0fr3ak]

Well I have moved to Calgary for a job 2 years ago. And I was not sure if I would like to stay, and I did not want to part out with my stuff or even think of moving all of it to Calgary. So I looked at a place with everything included in the rent TV, sofa, bed, etc.

It was a great job, pay was really good but if I had stayed longer I would have to commit suicide cus it was shit hole and boring as hell.

[Blah_Teggie]

He's driving by himself. He has a GPS which should help him along the way if needed and a map. He prob will have to fill up for gas more.

What's the speed limits like along the way? He will be in a UHaul truck.. Those one way roads are going to suck for drivers behind him, because he isn't going to want to speed, but stay the limit or just over.

For the most part, the speed limit is 110 except when you hit towns then it goes down to about 70. On my 4 trips to Edmonton, I've only seen 2 cop cars in BC. They usually hang out near a town so you're pretty safe to speed when you're out in the middle of nowhere. Speeding in Alberta is not advised tho. As you get past Jasper, you'll be driving in a divided highway with a field that divides between lanes with many dirt roads and I've seen cops hide there. I usually go 10 over in Alberta. As for others being stuck behind him, cars can always pass on the opposite lane or every 20-30kms or so, they have passing lanes.