Compare landed to landed, not sticker to sticker
The single most common mistake is comparing an overseas factory price to a domestic distributor price. They are not the same thing. The honest comparison is landed cost versus landed cost: the overseas unit plus freight, insurance, duty, GST, any surtax, and brokerage, against the domestic price delivered to your site. Do that math first, and the real gap becomes clear.
Where overseas usually wins
Overseas sourcing tends to win on high-value, engineered items where the manufacturing cost difference is large enough to easily absorb freight and duty: switchgear, transformers, large HVAC equipment, generators. It wins hardest when domestic lead times are long (sourcing direct restores schedule control) and on large, repeatable quantities where the per-unit saving multiplies.
Where domestic can win
Overseas is not always the answer. For small orders, the fixed costs of freight and customs can erode the saving. For genuinely urgent needs, domestic stock you can pick up this week beats a 12-to-24-week ocean shipment. And for heavy, low-value items, freight can eat most of the margin. A good sourcing partner will tell you honestly when domestic is the better call.
Price is not the only variable
Even when the numbers favor overseas, the decision is also about risk and certainty: certification handled, landed cost locked before you commit, and a delivery window you can plan around. That is the difference between a cheaper number on paper and a saving you actually realize. Kelck's estimate breaks the landed cost down so you can make the call with real figures, not guesses.
Sourcing equipment for a Canadian project?
Kelck sources it overseas with certification verified and your engineer of record signing off. Get a free, no-obligation landed-cost estimate on your equipment list.
Get a Free EstimateFrequently asked questions
- How much can I save sourcing MEP equipment overseas?
- It varies by item and quantity, but the reason to source overseas is a lower landed cost on high-value equipment. The only honest way to know your number is to price the full landed cost and compare it to your domestic delivered quote. A free estimate does exactly that.
- Is overseas equipment always cheaper?
- No. On small orders, urgent timelines, or heavy low-value items, domestic can be the better choice once freight, duty, and time are counted. The win is clearest on high-value engineered items and larger quantities.
- What about lead times versus buying domestically?
- Overseas typically runs 12 to 24 weeks factory-to-site, but domestic lead times on major electrical and mechanical equipment have stretched significantly too. Sourcing direct can actually restore schedule control, and Express Guarantee commits to a window with a refund if missed.