to import or not to import?

[windeguy]

The cost of shipping (determined by weight and size) is expensive as you will soon find out. It may be cheaper to get new local appliances. Parts for local appliances may be easier to source if service is needed. Most NA stoves do not fit in the allocated space for such an appliance in Dominican Kitchens. 220V appliances such as stoves/ovens, clothes driers may not have a 220V power source where you want to place these. After paying a premium to ship your whiz-bang KitcheAid electric range here, it can be a tad disappointing when the ants eat through the wire insulation shorting out the control board. A replacement board to restore functionality to the appliance will not be cheap or conveniently available.

The humidity and insects are murder on NA fabrics and wood products. Everything molds up and deteriorates quickly in the tropics. It is often more practical to furnish using local materials that have been shown to last longer than paying to ship your favorite couch from home. One will be able to sell their good furniture at home for far more $$$ than they would be able to get here. Use this money to offset the replacement costs here after your arrival.

Just my opinion offered solely as something to consider. As always people a free to do whatever they want. Most will not think to consider what happens to that nice teak dinning room table when it goes from 30% humidity to a place where the humidity is always north of 80%. When it splits down the middle, the wood worms will thank you.

If I had it to do again, I would import more large items including appliances and TVs. I moved a 40 foot container and did so primarily because of my music related equipment.

I recently purchased a new refrigerator and saved hundreds by using a door to door shipper over purchasing the exact same model here. A couple of years ago, I had the same situation when I imported a back up generator. If I need parts I cannot get here, I order them. Parts availability and local "service" are hard to come by for many products that are sold here. So if you thnk you are secure by purchasing locally, that would be naive.

Teak, by the way, is a wood known for its durability and water resistance. If I had a teak table I would definitely include it in a move here. Teak is also resistant to insects.

The Teak Tree, or Tectona, is one of the tropical hardwood birches, included in the family Verbenaceae. This tree is originally from the plantations of South East Asia, and can grow to a height of 30 - 40 m. As part of its life cycle, this tree sheds its leaves every year at dry season. Its longevity is very great, the Teak tree often living to an age of 100 years. Teak is especially noted for its capacity to withstand changes in the weather and season. One of the reasons for this is the ability of the Teak to bend, but not break, in the face of high winds.

Also, the Teak tree resin typically has an oil in its Galih (Cambium/heartwood) that is highly water resistant. This content alone can protect the Teak from decay, insects, and bacteria. At the same time, the combination of unique Teak tree content and thick fibers make it easier to cut and then later sculpt into pleasing forms. Because of this special characteristic, not found in other trees, there has always been interest in using Teak wood for various types of furniture. The teak trees found in South-East Asia forests reach a height of up to 150 feet, have reddish-green leaves with rough skin, and heartwood that is brown to dark gold in color. Of the main teak producers in the area, Indonesia, India, Myanmar, Philippine, and Malaysia, Indonesia's teak is considered of the highest quality in the world.

 

[william webster]

here's what I did..

my price included the container coming to me for 2 hrs to pack

I called the local mover -
the day before they came and boxed , like any other move
moving day, they came and packed the container, like any other move

the car drives straight in... you chock the wheels and strap it down

they seal the container and drive away, next to meet at Caucedo

hear that? Caucedo..... no other port... wait for a sailing date to there
Not Haina, not Pto Plata.... two notoriously corrupt places...... and that criticism came from the Aduana !!!

 

[william webster]

Windy... you and I live the same way it seems....

I import all the big stuff........ better and cheaper, IMO

 

[windeguy]

The container is the fixed price part. It's the cost of transporting your goods from your home to the container, packing the container, transporting the container to a port and of course getting your stuff from the port to your new home that is variable based on weight and volume.

I had a fixed price Door to Door.

 

[windeguy]

Windy... you and I live the same way it seems....

I import all the big stuff........ better and cheaper, IMO

Even importing GE CFL bulbs is cheaper than buying them here.

 

[william webster]

agreed -
I may crack soon and get the Inverter Fridge.
need to buy that here......NoAmerica hasn't embraced them yet

 

[donP]

It was long ago.

I shipped a 40-footer from Germany and I would do it again. It is not much more than a 20-ft-container, thus really worth it.
We loaded a fully equipped stainless steel professional kitchen, antique furniture, carpets, tables, beds, a workbench, tools, etc.
I had packed everything in wooden crates, which had lists of contents in and on them. When they were checking the boxes and realized that the lists were complete and accurate, they soon lost interest and and gave it up. Nothing was broken, nothing stolen.

How people arrive here with only 2 suit cases is beyond me.

Oh, BTW, that was 19 years ago and things are probably much different now....

donP

 

[LTSteve]

Thanks for your skepticism Don P!!..... AND YES Der fish we have been there 7 time and methe many cdn expats there. We have done alot of homework. .. just waiting till we were ready. We wou not be selling ou r home and uprooting our child on a whim. Thank you for your welcome to the newbie on the site. I understand you see people come and go frequently but you don't need to be an ass!. I'm not willing to spend 1000th shipping all my crap there for 2 months! I simply want to know I'll actually get it when I get there!

Yes you can send a container of things down and they will arrive ok but without residency you will probably pay taxes on it. If I were you I would try to rent a condo that is furnish with most of what you will need. I would not bring furniture from North America. It probably will not fit the "island" life style. You will find people on this website to be straight forward and very direct in their feelings. It is nothing personal but we have heard your story or a similar version many times and many of the people have lived in the DR for years. Personally I don't find Sosua to be a family oriented place. It is a "party" place and if it was my choice I would not move there with a 7 year old. Also you need to realize that if you rent a free standing house outside of a gated community there are many security issues to consider. You may think you have done a lot of homework by vacationing here but I came to the DR for 20-25 years before I bought anything and there were no children involved. Can you do it yes but be sure you have a large budget to make the change. I am a little bit scared that you have said nothing about residency in your posts. That is the first thing you need to start. Do you have a reliable real estate agent, in the DR, who can answer a lot of your questions. If not I would try to find one. This is a very difficult thing to move and leave what is familiar behind. Good luck

 

[donP]

No Dog Place

Personally I don't find Sosua to be a family oriented place.

I am always amazed that newcomers choose 'Sosewer' for their place to settle.

Probably so, because they do not speak Spanish and they feel more at home (!) among more English speaking residents.
I for one would not have my dog live there. But then he doesn't speak English...

donP

 

[windeguy]

donP, tell him what you really think about Sosua!

 

[donP]

He Knows

donP, tell him what you really think about Sosua!

I talked to him, but he had made up his mind already...

donP

 

[the gorgon]

gorgon,

FO. Don't you have a car to sell on commission?

my , my. we are a little testy today, it seems.

incidentally, the suggestion to FO is returned to you as a reciprocity of duty. when you take time out from your self appointed role as the authority of all things Dominican, we can arrange to get you a car, on commision. i think the term used to characterize you by a fellow poster was know it all, if i am not mistaken.

 

[the gorgon]

Windy... you and I live the same way it seems....

I import all the big stuff........ better and cheaper, IMO

william, it is almost tautological. you can bring in a convection oven from the US, and with shipping and taxes it will cost you 60 thousand pesos. the same thing in a store here would be 85 thousand. i fail to see how it can be a bad idea to bring in refrigerators and stoves, and such large items.

 

[windeguy]

william, it is almost tautological. you can bring in a convection oven from the US, and with shipping and taxes it will cost you 60 thousand pesos. the same thing in a store here would be 85 thousand. i fail to see how it can be a bad idea to bring in refrigerators and stoves, and such large items.

As WW and I have verified personally many times, it is almost always better to import electronics, appliances, generators, auto parts, perfumes, even light bulbs than to purchase locally unless there is something very specific you can only find here in the DR.

The only big items I have not personally imported when needed are motor vehicles.

When in doubt, research what you need, get door to door quotes from a few companies and see if the risk/reward is with it.

 

[the gorgon]

As WW and I have verified personally many times, it is almost always better to import electronics, appliances, generators, auto parts, perfumes, even light bulbs than to purchase locally unless there is something very specific you can only find here in the DR.

The only big items I have not personally imported when needed are motor vehicles.

When in doubt, research what you need, get door to door quotes from a few companies and see if the risk/reward is with it.

and you and WW have been here for many years, and know a heck of a lot about this country, i believe...

 

[donP]

Convection Heat

you can bring in a convection oven from the US...

Huh?
A good number of newcomers want to embrace the "awesome culture" here.
That's good. :bunny:

donP

 

[santa110xyz]

amazing! the son of your dog, i bought from you, looks exactly the same
Impressive dog, huge, very eager to learn...
Sorry to have changed the topic on discussion.... it was just such a positive surprise.

I talked to him, but he had made up his mind already...

donP

 

[donP]

Saludos de Dino

amazing! the son of your dog, i bought from you, looks exactly the same
Impressive dog, huge, very eager to learn...

Glad to hear that.
Dino send his regards. :bunny:

donP

 

[Maco]

I'm hoping to move to the North Coast as soon as I can see my property. I was wondering what the costs are for shipping a car over and if its worth it? I do understand the 5 year rule. It is a 2011 so still ok to ship.

 

[the gorgon]

Like Canadian Gringo stated, what good is your fancy convection oven, knowing you have no 220 volt source to plug it in?

i hardly recall saying the word fancy in my posting. secondly, my friend has an LG convection oven at his house in Torre Alta, and it runs on plain old 115 volts. i have no idea where you get it from that 220v is necessary.