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

[kalakoa]

just the home as approximately $15.8K, and total after shipping, taxes and tariffs as over $28K


...and we still can't build them any cheaper domestically. I guess the joke is on us?

[Wao nahele kane]

Obie,
I saw your post and the attachment—big thumbs up! I've got a copy of it too, and it survives.

Durian Fiend,
Mrs. Kane forwarded me your latest post (the one above). Kudos to you for digging into the original post's claims and showing they don't hold up—they fail the smell test. This opens the door to meaningful dialog, as verified by Kalakoas reply.

Kalakoa,
Yeah, you can find starter prefab packages in the US starting around $30k (think basic single-wides or tiny homes), but they add up fast once you include upgrades, foundation, utilities, and delivery. A big reason is the heavy regulations on the prefab industry here—HUD codes, local zoning, energy standards, etc.—which apply to both manufactured and modular homes (and even site-built ones). Those rules ensure better quality and safety but definitely make affordability tougher.

[HiloJulie]

One of the reasons why I was quite successful in my 30 plus year career was "paying attention to detail."

If we look at the YouTube video posted by DF, which spawned more commentary about how Will's story is all made up "fake news" by a bunch of TDS sufferers, etc., all one needs to do is queue up the video to the 2 minute mark, where the lady says, and I quote, "Today is Wednesday, May 14th, 2025 and we have something very exciting happening today, we are getting our container home delivered."

So, just searching the YouTubes for the first video one can find does not answer any questions relative to Will's story, as the date the container house is being delivered would never have been impacted by the specific April 2, 2025 Liberation Day tariffs issued under 2 Executive Order decrees using the laws implied under the IEEPA, as well as within the "on the water clause" that ended on May 27, 2025 and trying to be very clear here, but these are the SAME tariffs later just recently ruled illegal by the SCOTUS and is the main, entire and whole issue of discussion relative to Will's issues.

So, while Will's article is admittedly absent of some key specific facts, making up facts or playing "gotcha" games with outdated similar information will never get to the bottom of the reality Will's article suggests that happened.

[Durian Fiend]

One of the reasons why I was quite successful in my 30 plus year career was "paying attention to detail."

If we look at the YouTube video posted by DF, which spawned more commentary about how Will's story is all made up "fake news" by a bunch of TDS sufferers, etc., all one needs to do is queue up the video to the 2 minute mark, where the lady says, and I quote, "Today is Wednesday, May 14th, 2025 and we have something very exciting happening today, we are getting our container home delivered."

So, just searching the YouTubes for the first video one can find does not answer any questions relative to Will's story, as the date the container house is being delivered would never have been impacted by the specific April 2, 2025 Liberation Day tariffs issued under 2 Executive Order decrees using the laws implied under the IEEPA, as well as within the "on the water clause" that ended on May 27, 2025 and trying to be very clear here, but these are the SAME tariffs later just recently ruled illegal by the SCOTUS and is the main, entire and whole issue of discussion relative to Will's issues.

So, while Will's article is admittedly absent of some key specific facts, making up facts or playing "gotcha" games with outdated similar information will never get to the bottom of the reality Will's article suggests that happened.

It's not clear to me how you've come to ANY of your conclusions in the above passage. Using phrases like "Gotcha games" and "first video one can find" is just silly argumentative.  

The point of my posting the video was simply to note the relative costs of shipping and tariffs vs. the initial house cost in getting a prefab from China, from someone who bothered to share this basic information.

Also note that the man I quoted in the text above said nothing about any surprise costs incurred during the past two years he's been buying and selling tiny homes in Hawaii. I had asked him if he thought the story was legitimate, but he either overlooked this or chose not to respond.

[HiloJulie]

Pay attention to the DATES of your YouTube video and Will's story. Pay attention to the terms being used with respect to tariffs. The whole confusion here has been and is the apparent attempt to marry the pre-existing tariffs that indeed go back several years to the ADDITIONAL Liberation Day tariffs that were announced April 2, 2025. Or in some cases, just ignore those Liberation Day tariffs altogether.

So, therefore the dates mentioned in the YouTube video had the pre-fabbed house delivered BEFORE any of the post April 2, 2025 tariffs took effect and thus is irrelevant to the issues as written in the article by Will.

With respect to the cost of the house as mentioned in the YouTube video, was $15,800. Then all the add ons of door to door shipping, applicable tariffs in effect at that time, taxes and all fees it was a total of $28,689. 

What would the cost have been if the house was delivered a month later on June 14th, 2025? It was $28,689 delivered on May 14th, 2025. 

If it had hit the dock on June 14th, 2025, it would have been subjected to an additional tariff of 30% on the total "declared landed value" of the $28,689. However, to the best of my knowledge, the dock to site shipping is NOT included in the declared landed value number, but the over the water costs, and all other add ons are in the declared landed value amount. Thus, the cost would have been the $28,689 minus dock to site shipping/trucking costs equals declared landed value times 30%. What Will says is exactly what happened to him.

Now Will's story does not enumerate if it included door to door shipping, and further the house in the YT video takes place in the Pacific Northwest, which would change shipping costs. Also, the YouTube video depicts a 40 foot home, Will does not mention the size of his home.

The whole point I am making here is it seems to me that the chance of Will's story being true, while admittedly short on specifics, is very much believable to me understanding the reality of all the known facts as it relates to tariffs. Adding in the PunaWeb motto of assuming the best, I'd assume the best in that Will's article is based on facts he incurred and as mentioned by others Civil Beat does do a fairly rigorous fact check before publishing.

And again while Will could have admittedly included much more specific information, I don't think throwing stuff at the wall to see if it sticks is ever going to answer the question as to the truth or lack thereof of Will's article. I find it more plausible to believe Will and his article than to find it plausible to believe he wrote a negligent, lying TDS suffering, smell test failing piece for a rag of a news outlet.

[ChunksterK]

I went back and reread the original piece by Will Bailey, and two things stood out.

First, Civil Beat clearly categorized it as "commentary" and not a news article. Another way of putting that would be opinion.

Second, at least one commentator asked in a polite and non-judgemental way for a breakdown of the shipping and customs charges for clarification. A Punaweb poster sent Mr. Bailey an email asking for the same information. There has been no response on Civil Beat and no report of one here.

So based on all that, I have to say what we have here on Punaweb and there on Civli Beat is a lot of opinion and not many facts.

[Durian Fiend]

I went back and reread the original piece by Will Bailey, and two things stood out.

First, Civil Beat clearly categorized it as "commentary" and not a news article.  Another way of putting that would be opinion. 

Second, at least one commentator asked in a polite and non-judgemental way for a breakdown of the shipping and customs charges for clarification.  A Punaweb poster sent Mr. Bailey an email asking for the same information.  There has been no response on Civil Beat and no report of one here.

So based on all that, I have to say what we have here on Punaweb and there on Civli Beat is a lot of opinion and not many facts.

Yup.  We have no idea when his house arrived at port in the US, assuming it did arrive and the shipper found someone else to buy it at the last minute as Will has claimed.  Has anyone else found evidence online of a prefab house coming from China in the past couple years for the price of $20K when all is said and done?   I haven't.  

Another strange facet of his story is his claim it took them 8 months to build it in China.  Say what?  They can build an entire city in 8 months over there.   In the video link I posted earlier, those people had theirs shipped within 30 days.

Civil Beat:  "Will Bailey is a veteran who was born on Kauaʻi, served two tours in Iraq, and now lives on Hawaiʻi island. He attended University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa, UH Hilo and Hawaiʻi Community College. You can reach him by email at columnists@civilbeat.org..."

Well no, I can't.  

---

just the home as approximately $15.8K, and total after shipping, taxes and tariffs as over $28K


...and we still can't build them any cheaper domestically. I guess the joke is on us?

It's the huge discrepancy in the price of labor.  The local prefab businessman I quoted earlier also has business interests in Philippines.  He says the price for a skilled, productive worker there is $5 a day.

[Moderator 2]

How many of you have read the short biographical blurb at the end of Will’s article?

Will Bailey is a veteran who was born on Kauaʻi, served two tours in Iraq, and now lives on Hawaiʻi island. He attended University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa, UH Hilo and Hawaiʻi Community College.

He’s Hawaii born and raised, served his country, has a disability (no your not entitled or required to know the details to form your opinion) and pursued an education.  He’s a neighbor in Puna, just trying to get by like so many here.  Did he order a house from China?  Was he unable to complete transaction?  Does anyone here actually know the details?  Are your assumptions, which require a leap from one guess to another guess likely to be more, or less accurate than the details that are provided from the man with the facts?

Have you ever seen a movie that opens with “Based On A True Story?”  Do you grouse and grumble all the way through over a few elements of the plot and ruin the film for everyone around you?  Or do accept some small modifications, gradations of the exact truth to move the story along? 

As Chunkster suggested Will’s story is closer to an opinion piece.  It’s one man’s story and where it took him.  It’s not a DIY guide, or a step by step tutorial. 

Any personal attacks from here on will be deleted in their entirety, with no explanation.  Show some respect.

[HiloJulie]

So based on all that, I have to say what we have here on Punaweb and there on Civli Beat is a lot of opinion and not many facts. 

Could not agree any more ChunksterK.

As for why Will has not responded to what sounds like numerous requests for more additional information I would not hazard a guess, except I do note that the article does not provide a direct email address to Will, but a general delivery type email address, but having said that, I see absolutely no motivation, or reason whatsoever for Civil Beat and/or Will Bailey to put their individual and collective reputations on the line to publish some phony made up opinion piece in an attempt to own the "righties" and trash the POTUS.

Admittedly, I could be wrong, but I just don't see it as reality.

ETA: To Moderator 2, I say "Amen my brother or sister!"

[TomK]

How many of you have read the short biographical blurb at the end of Will’s article?

Will Bailey is a veteran who was born on Kauaʻi, served two tours in Iraq, and now lives on Hawaiʻi island. He attended University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa, UH Hilo and Hawaiʻi Community College.

He’s Hawaii born and raised, served his country, has a disability (no your not entitled or required to know the details to form your opinion) and pursued an education.  He’s a neighbor in Puna, just trying to get by like so many here.  Did he order a house from China?  Was he unable to complete transaction?  Does anyone here actually know the details?  Are your assumptions, which require a leap from one guess to another guess likely to be more, or less accurate than the details that are provided from the man with the facts?

Have you ever seen a movie that opens with “Based On A True Story?”  Do you grouse and grumble all the way through over a few elements of the plot and ruin the film for everyone around you?  Or do accept some small modifications, gradations of the exact truth to move the story along? 

As Chunkster suggested Will’s story is closer to an opinion piece.  It’s one man’s story and where it took him.  It’s not a DIY guide, or a step by step tutorial. 

Any personal attacks from here on will be deleted in their entirety, with no explanation.  Show some respect.

I'm curious to see if you uphold this policy for others. I suspect you won't because you already haven't.

PS. Have you ever watched the movie "Fargo"? It's one of the best movies ever. The opening credits say it's based on real events. In fact, it goes further and tells us it's a true story. It isn't. Instead, it's made up, but a brilliant movie nevertheless.