How We Lost Our New [Big Island] Home To Trump's Illegal Tariffs

[Moderator 2]

didn't Will and Mrs. Bailey, residents of East Hawaii, lose 1/3 of their New [Big Island] home to "Trumps Illegal Tariffs" and 2/3 of their "New [Big Island] Home" to Biden's "Illegal Legal Tariffs"?

Will Bailey, who wrote the article, is probably the only person who can break down the exact cost details for you. There’s a comment section after his article, you could ask him there?

https://www.civilbeat.org/2026/02/will-b...al-tariffs

[Punatang]

didn't Will and Mrs. Bailey, residents of East Hawaii, lose 1/3 of their New [Big Island] home to "Trumps Illegal Tariffs" and 2/3 of their "New [Big Island] Home" to Biden's "Illegal Legal Tariffs"?

Will Bailey, who wrote the article, is probably the only person who can break down the exact cost details for you.  There’s a comment section after his article, you could ask him there?

https://www.civilbeat.org/2026/02/will-b...al-tariffs

Too lazy but it's a great idea for someone who can handle.

[Moderator 2]

Too lazy but it's a great idea for someone who can handle.

So you didn’t want answers to your questions?
You just wanted to argue for three pages?

[Punatang]

Sigh...

[ironyak]

Tang - Too lazy but it's a great idea for someone who can handle.
Can't be bothered to comment on CB or even shoot Will an email, but plenty of time and energy to keep making up stuff on Punaweb - how "convenient".

It would help if Durian Fiend would link to whatever he's basing his numbers on (Google is not a source of course) as tariffs on China have ranged from ~20% to ~135% to ~45% on a shifting set of goods over the course of 2025, with the actual rate constantly changing and never being known till your stuff shows up at the Hilo docks. Who needs a shady bayfront pachinko parlor when you can lose it all on random and illegal Government fees levied last minute on your purchases? Unlike "The Company" or Hawai'i Triads, at least you can try to sue the current Federal Administration, but be prepared to take a number...

https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2026/02/24...ed-injury/
"More than 1,000 companies have filed suit in the U.S. Court of International Trade in efforts to recoup costs from the illegal tariffs, including large U.S. corporations like Costco and Revlon. Most of the lawsuits were already in process ahead of the Supreme Court decision Friday." (more at link)

[Durian Fiend]

In the article Will said that the tariff rate applicable to his shipment was 30%.

According to the internet, an applicable section 301 tariff with China was in effect since 2018 when DJT initiated it.

We're not sure what the rate was at the time they bought their pre fab home. It looks to me like the rate was either 20 or 25%.

So, a relatively modest increase to 30% would only add hundreds of dollars to their final bill, not ten thousand! Even if the tariff rate with China at the time was zero, which of course it wasn't, zero to 30% would add 6K to their final bill.

Clearly it's the other fees that really whacked them. Those would be the port storage and clearance fees, targeting ships made in China and operated by the Chinese. Again, the brainchild of DJT but NOT considered illegal at this time.

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Sorry, DF, the comparison is exactly the same thing, just expressed in a different way. It's the un-stability of the financial markets being "yanked around like a yo-yo" that is the issue...

OK, guess I see what you're saying now.  Still,  it seems highly improbable that anyone entering in an construction agreement with a local contractor has seen their bill jump by 50% in the matter of less than a year, either recently or at any time in the past.

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ETA:  Given that the 20% rate was a known quantity at the time of purchase, that number would  have been built into the price, right? - Durian Fiend

No Sir I do not believe that is "right".  It could be right but that depends on the contract - a complex legal device that importers of expensive stuff who know what they are getting into, and what risks they are willing to take, enter into...

Poor choice of words on my part.  Quite possibly not built into the price given by the seller, but by all means built into into their budget for the final price upon delivery in the US. Or at least it should have been.  Otherwise it'd be gross negligence on their part.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

So, a relatively modest increase to 30% would only add hundreds of dollars to their final bill,

I don’t know whether that number is in the ballpark, but I find it hard to imagine Will would give up on his project over a few hundred dollars. He’s not likely to find anything else close to that rock bottom price.

[Durian Fiend]

So, a relatively modest increase to 30% would only add hundreds of dollars to their final bill,

I don’t know whether that number is in the ballpark, but I find it hard to imagine Will would give up on his project over a few hundred dollars.  He’s not likely to find anything else close to that rock bottom price.

No, I believe his word that they got socked with $10K of unexpected fees at port, rendering the home unaffordable for him. It’s just unclear to me how exactly this whopping add on came about.

[ironyak]

@DF - thanks for the numbers breakdown. Given a comparable model as the one shown starts at ~$4k in China (see pic #2), the $20k figure quoted seems like it would have needed to include shipping, contractor markup, possibly some of the import fees, etc. (there's also setup costs as these things require a crane and crew to fold out, bolt together, waterproof, and do the interior finishing - not a one man job, or even husband and wife team job, FYI to the DIY Punatics).

Given that Will also was not the Importer of Record and on the hook to the Government for the $10k (the contractor seemed to have paid it and found someone able to cover the additional cost?) it seems like he got caught out by the additional/illegal fees resulting in a 50% price hike outside his contract or control.

[HiloJulie]

...a purported resident of Puna, the illegal tariffs rose by 10% after The Orange He'e (local gals know what I'm sayin') started his Ali'i reign...

Incorrect. 

First, The tariffs enacted under "The Orange He'e (local gals know what I'm sayin') started his Ali'i reign" that were recently ruled illegal were not "plus 10%" to existing tariffs, they were "on top of" any existing tariff. More commonly known as a "punitive tariff."

Second, as per the handy Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) code 9406, which covers prefabricated buildings of all materials, including fully assembled, unassembled, or incomplete structures that possess the essential character of a building built in China and imported into the U.S. is generally subject to tariffs on its entire declared value which is the cost, insurance, and freight price. This means the tariff covers the entire structure, not just individual components.

Now, lets assume the best with Will and his wife. Let's say the 20 grand price as stated in the Civil beat article was "all in" as outlined above, including "the other guy's" existing tariff. I don't think the 20 grand would have included any costs of transportation from Hilo dock to site nor any erection costs.

So the tariff Will was subsequently assessed would have been determined as of the day the pre-fab home hit the dock. Depending on what day of the week it was and/or if any TACO's were served recently during 2025, Will could have been subjected to an ADDITIONAL tariff from 10% up to 135.4%. And again, that's on top of "the other guy's" 20% existing tariff, which, we are assuming to be in the 20 grand.

As Will stated in the Civil Beat article, "When the ship arrived, the importer sent us the bill from U.S. Customs. A 30% duty plus port storage and clearance fees had been assessed under the new tariffs. The total owed was over $10,000, and it had to be paid before the container could clear the port."

Thus, again assuming the best, Will's ADDITIONAL tariff of 30% on 20 grand is is 6 grand. Add in a few more fees and per day storage fees, I can get to 10 grand real quick.

Help me out Punawebbers.  As a Puna person known for low IQ, extreme sloth, and advanced dyslexia, maff is extremely hard for me so please be kind. 

Truth be told, I find this to be as offensive as you can be. I highly doubt any of that is true, but, knowing the "cut of your jib" it's just another one of your veiled digs at someone less fortunate, or different than you. Anyone who could spin a yarn like the bananas and rice and then toss in the "performative" spritzing shtick is hardly handicapped in the ways you claim. 

It's an offensive insult to those who may be.