Pendraken Miniatures Forum

Wider Wargaming => General Discussion => Topic started by: Last Hussar on 21 January 2021, 12:06:43 AM

Title: Paper buildings UK source/cost of imports?
Post by: Last Hussar on 21 January 2021, 12:06:43 AM
I was looking at 'Paper Terrain'. What import costs could I be looking at from the US?

Alternatively is there anything similar in the UK?
Title: Re: Paper buildings UK source/cost of imports?
Post by: John Cook on 21 January 2021, 01:06:25 AM
Quote from: Last Hussar on 21 January 2021, 12:06:43 AM
I was looking at 'Paper Terrain'. What import costs could I be looking at from the US?

Alternatively is there anything similar in the UK?

These two sites provide all the information you need for importing goods from the US (and any other  countries outside the EU). 

https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad
https://www.royalmail.com/sites/default/files/International-customs-charges-leaflet-Jan-2017.pdf

In brief you will pay:

1.  UK VAT at 20% on any goods and services valued by the sender at more £15 but you'd pay that in the UK anyway. 
2.  Customs Duty on any goods valued by the sender at more than £135. 
3.  A Royal Mail charge of £8 to collect any VAT or Customs Duty due on behalf of HMRC.

I get stuff from the US two or three times a years and have yet to attract Customs Duty but usually have to pay VAT and the Royal Mail charge to collect it. 

Note that almost all US states levy a Sales Tax on goods but it should not be payable if they're being exported. 
Title: Re: Paper buildings UK source/cost of imports?
Post by: Techno II on 21 January 2021, 07:30:46 AM
Quote from: John Cook on 21 January 2021, 01:06:25 AM
3.  A Royal Mail charge of £8 to collect any VAT or Customs Duty due on behalf of HMRC.

That really peed me off one when I was making some soldiers for a US company, a few years ago.

I had to pay something like one pound 'VAT' and eight s*dding pounds to the Royal Mail.  >:( >:( >:(

Cheers - Phil
Title: Re: Paper buildings UK source/cost of imports?
Post by: Chad on 21 January 2021, 09:18:23 AM
I may be wrong but I thought these paper buildings were supplied to be downloaded via the internet.
Title: Re: Paper buildings UK source/cost of imports?
Post by: Leon on 21 January 2021, 09:25:14 AM
Under the new UK VAT rules the US seller should be charging the UK VAT on the purchase (under £135) and then there is no import VAT or handling charges to pay when it gets here.  If the order is over £135 then it goes as normal and UK customs will charge you the VAT + handling fee on it.
Title: Re: Paper buildings UK source/cost of imports?
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 21 January 2021, 10:00:50 AM
They do make things simple don't they
Title: Re: Paper buildings UK source/cost of imports?
Post by: sultanbev on 21 January 2021, 10:06:38 AM
For alternatives:
For 10mm buildings have a google around for n gauge model railway buildings, plenty out there in card. I have some of the German Shreiber-Bogen Kartonmodellbau range which are great for NW Europe Napoleonic and WW2 town buildings. I've managed to get some from Ebay, although most are in Germany so your import costs might not be any less.

There are a couple of ebay sellers doing n guage card buildings, but they are more English style as you'd expect for model railways.
Etsy too has a few sellers of n guage buildings.
Another option is to print your own, there are many sellers on the Wargames Vault doing mostly 28mm buildings, but these can be rescaled before printing out at whatever scale you want.
One of those on Wargames Vault is Dave Graffam models have a good selection. often with multiple skins within the pdf so you can three different styles of brick and tile colours.

Mark
Title: Re: Paper buildings UK source/cost of imports?
Post by: Raider4 on 21 January 2021, 10:21:08 AM
Quote from: Chad on 21 January 2021, 09:18:23 AM
I may be wrong but I thought these paper buildings were supplied to be downloaded via the internet.

Paper Terrain (https://www.paperterrain.com/) specifically are supplied as pre-printed cardboard.

There are plenty of other sources of PDF buildings for you to print yourself, lots are free.
Title: Re: Paper buildings UK source/cost of imports?
Post by: Orcs on 21 January 2021, 10:25:48 AM
I have PM'ed you with an optiom
Title: Re: Paper buildings UK source/cost of imports?
Post by: Raider4 on 21 January 2021, 10:26:53 AM
Quote from: Leon on 21 January 2021, 09:25:14 AM
Under the new UK VAT rules the US seller should be charging the UK VAT on the purchase . . .

Yeah, not everybody abroad is happy about having to do the UK's tax collection for them - link (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55530721).
Title: Re: Paper buildings UK source/cost of imports?
Post by: John Cook on 21 January 2021, 10:35:47 AM
Quote from: Raider4 on 21 January 2021, 10:26:53 AM
Yeah, not everybody abroad is happy about having to do the UK's tax collection for them - link (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55530721).


I've just been looking at the new rules.  If it was 1st April I'd think it was just a joke.  As I understand it foreign companies that want to send goods to customers in the UK are expected to register with HMRC, collect UK VAT on the value of the goods, packaging and postage, in £UK, at the point of sale, on behalf of HMRC.  I can see the hobby companies that I deal with in the US just not bothering to sell to UK customers.
Title: Re: Paper buildings UK source/cost of imports?
Post by: Leon on 21 January 2021, 10:36:56 AM
Quote from: Raider4 on 21 January 2021, 10:26:53 AM
Yeah, not everybody abroad is happy about having to do the UK's tax collection for them - link (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55530721).

I saw that article and had to chuckle a bit.  The new UK tax rules are a big shift, but the EU are doing exactly the same themselves on July 1st, so we're only getting stick now because we've done it first.  We'll see those complaints ramp up significantly in July when every company/business in the world has to register and pay EU VAT as well.

Quote from: John Cook on 21 January 2021, 10:35:47 AM
As I understand it foreign companies that want to send goods to customers in the UK are expected to register with HMRC, collect UK VAT on the value of the goods, packaging and postage, in £UK, at the point of sale, on behalf of HMRC.  I can see the hobby companies that I deal with in the US just not bothering to sell to UK customers.

Yep, it's a crazy system and I'd love to see the governments estimates on compliance.  But as I say, the EU are doing the same from July 1st, so Pendraken will have to register in an EU country and start collecting VAT based on the customers locations, then paying that VAT to the EU.  It's one of the reasons that we're shifting to a new website, as the off-the-shelf ones will have this all in-built and ready to go.
Title: Re: Paper buildings UK source/cost of imports?
Post by: Last Hussar on 21 January 2021, 06:38:01 PM
I'm specifically looking for pre-printed.

Forgot N gauge was an option, but its a limited range.
Title: Re: Paper buildings UK source/cost of imports?
Post by: Last Hussar on 22 January 2021, 12:55:06 AM
Further

N Gauge appears to be mostly North West England, and I'm looking for US Mid-West.
Title: Re: Paper buildings UK source/cost of imports?
Post by: Raider4 on 22 January 2021, 07:28:30 AM
Quote from: Last Hussar on 22 January 2021, 12:55:06 AM
N Gauge appears to be mostly North West England, and I'm looking for US Mid-West.

You want N Scale (US/RoW at 1/160) rather than N Gauge (UK at 1/148). A small but subtle difference.
Title: Re: Paper buildings UK source/cost of imports?
Post by: Raider4 on 22 January 2021, 07:44:59 AM
Quote from: Last Hussar on 22 January 2021, 12:55:06 AM
. . . and I'm looking for US Mid-West.

If you want urban, there's the Dropzone Commander (https://www.waylandgames.co.uk/dropzone-essentials/5605-dropzone-commander-cityscape-terrain-pack) set. Also avaialable to download (https://ttcombat.com/pages/dropzone-commander-buildings) and print and make yourself.

I've made a couple of these as supplied, and frankly the footprint is enormous as a gaming piece. So I've done a few more with cut-n-shut techniques. Less realistic probably, but more practical.
Title: Re: Paper buildings UK source/cost of imports?
Post by: sultanbev on 22 January 2021, 08:31:43 AM
This seller in Canada does some US buildings:
https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CustomZScales?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=480484413&page=2#items

He is also on ebay, and I have had no problem getting his stuff to the UK,

Mark
Title: Re: Paper buildings UK source/cost of imports?
Post by: Leman on 22 January 2021, 09:41:03 AM
Jesus - you were fecking warned but sailed on regardless.
Title: Re: Paper buildings UK source/cost of imports?
Post by: GrumpyOldMan on 22 January 2021, 07:49:01 PM
Quote from: Raider4 on 22 January 2021, 07:28:30 AM
You want N Scale (US/RoW at 1/160) rather than N Gauge (UK at 1/148). A small but subtle difference.

Apart from Japanese N Scale which is 1/150 (sigh)

Mid-West, try https://web.archive.org/web/20120327162316/http://www.illinoishistory.gov/ps/construct_mainstreet.htm (https://web.archive.org/web/20120327162316/http://www.illinoishistory.gov/ps/construct_mainstreet.htm)
Title: Re: Paper buildings UK source/cost of imports?
Post by: Raider4 on 22 January 2021, 08:54:58 PM
Quote from: GrumpyOldMan on 22 January 2021, 07:49:01 PM
Apart from Japanese N Scale which is 1/150 (sigh)

The Shinkensen are 1/160 . . .
Title: Re: Paper buildings UK source/cost of imports?
Post by: Last Hussar on 23 January 2021, 12:07:24 AM
Nah, don't care - Its for if I ever take the plunge and buy the stuff for the Alien attack on Biddlibong, Idaho.