Buying drywall in U.S to take home to Canada

12 years ago

Hi all, I did try to search this topic on GW first but the results I got here lead me nowhere. Very strange lol!

I'm hoping someone who lives close to a Canada/U.S border and has experience with this can help me.

Husband saw drywall prices on HD U.S site that are half the cost of what we'd pay here in Canada. He wants to rent a truck, drive over there(half hour away) and pick up enough drywall to complete our home-alot o' drywall.

Apparently, drywall is okay to purchase if it's made in Canada or the U.S. Is this feasible?-we realize we'd have to pay duty on it since we're driving there and back, not spending any time there-just don't know if it's worth it financially. I checked out the Canadian Gov. site which is confusing and not terribly helpful.

If I have to, I will contact a broker and find out what items we can purchase and what to expect in terms of duty.

Have any of you bought construction materials(not wood)and brought them back across the border?

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Comments (5)

Billl
12 years ago
I haven't tried it, but if you drive a truck across the boarder and tell the border guards that you are making an international drywall run..... I'd bet a strip search is in your future.

I do know there are restrictions on most rental vehicles in terms of taking them across borders. You'll probably need to check on that.

I'm sure you have to declare any purchase at the border and there will be a tax bill for any large purchases. I'm a US citizen, so I have no idea what the tax would be in canada.

Unless you need a LOT of drywall, I can't imagine the numbers working out in your favor, but you never know.
renovator8
12 years ago
It would have to be large house to save enough to justify the effort.
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worthy
12 years ago
I build in the Toronto GTA and when the price is right have occasionally bought quantities of plumbing fixtures, tin cornice mouldings and door hardware sufficient for a large home at great savings--up to half the price of buying them here. I've done it all on-line.

If you can calculate worthwhile savings, I don't see why you couldn't buy drywall too.

But as mentioned above, check on the policies on rented vehicles. And, of course, the customs duties. Contact theCanada Border Services Agency For tariff rates, see the contact numbers here.

I would be concerned about being considered an importer by CBSA. So ask on that specific point.

But before going through all that work, I would check prices again in Canada. Look for a local drywall supplier. No real builder in TO, for instance, buys drywall in quantity from the big boxes.
worthy
12 years ago
I build in the Toronto GTA and when the price is right have occasionally bought quantities of plumbing fixtures, tin cornice mouldings and door hardware sufficient for a large home at great savings--up to half the price of buying them here. I've done it all on-line.

If you can calculate worthwhile savings, I don't see why you couldn't buy drywall too.

But as mentioned above, check on the policies on rented vehicles. And, of course, the customs duties. Contact theCanada Border Services Agency For tariff rates, see the contact numbers here.

I would be concerned about being considered an importer by CBSA. So ask on that specific point.

But before going through all that work, I would check prices again in Canada. Look for a local drywall supplier. No real builder in TO, for instance, buys drywall in quantity from the big boxes.
brickeyee
12 years ago
Watch out for import duty also.

The Queen (or Prime Minister) want a cut.