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More and more families from the USA, Canada, Australia, UK, etc are importing windows and doors from China, so I would like to share some information with the first-time buyers.
What is the import cost for aluminum windows and doors would be the most asked questions, the import cost includes 4 parts:
Sea freight
Sea shipping is still the most common transportation method for construction materials. Sea freight is up to the destination port which is the closest port to your home, and the volume of the goods.
The shipping company is able to offer shipping service for most ports around the world, but sometimes the shipping service can be influenced by ports condition or other situations, so you can have your supplier check the shipping cost based on your address and find out the shipping time at the same time.
The goods volume can be divided into 2 types which comes with 2 types of shipping method too:
Below 20 cubic meters is suggested to do less than full container shipping(LCL). LCL shipping is charged based on the package volume size, if you have a package at 60’’*40’’40’’, then the volume of the goods is 1.5, if the shipping cost from Shanghai to Los Angeles is $300 per cubic meter, so the shipping cost is at 1.5$300=$450.
Around 28 cubic meters is suggested to do Full container shipping(FCL) in 20ft
Around 58 cubic meters is suggested to do FCL in 40ft
The FLC shipping cost is not charged by volume, it is charged by the container type, 20ft, 40ft, you can check this cost with your supplier.
The above-suggested volume with its corresponding suggested container type is just theoretical, sometimes, 15 cubic meters would need a 20ft container, 50 cubic meters is ok for the 40ft, so you should check with your supplier on the shipping suggestion.
Custom clearance cost, duties, delivery to door cost, these costs will generate after the container arrives at your port, there is no fixed rate for this part, this can be found out with a detailed door address, goods package volume, goods HS code. Some people pick up the goods at the port by themself with a truck if the port is not far from their home, so the delivery charge can be saved.
How to make the procedure easier?
You can either get a customs broker or have your supplier deal with this for you, you only need to offer them some information when needed and the whole thing will be taken care of by them. If you don’t know any broker, you can ask your supplier to give you some contact, it can be easily done.
The import producer is not as difficult as you think, there is already a very mature service system for this. And remember to have your supplier buy the insurance before the shipping, it can be very helpful when you need it.
