Proposed window and door duties could add up to $26,500 to a new home

Aluminium windows and doors made in China now attract interim anti-dumping charges of up to 73.3%. One window supplier estimates that in a worst case, that could add about $26,500 to the cost of a typical new house.

On 14 October, the Australian Trade Remedies Commission (formerly the Anti-Dumping Commission) published a preliminary finding in Investigation 691. It found that aluminium windows and doors from China had been "dumped" in Australia, meaning sold here below their normal value. According to the Commission's notice, the imports caused "material injury" to local manufacturers.

The finding isn't final yet. But from 15 October, importers have had to lodge securities when these goods arrive. Securities are financial guarantees against duties that may be imposed later. The ABC reports that Chinese-made aluminium windows and doors currently attract no tariffs under the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement.

Windows wrapped and stacked on site, waiting to be installed. Photo: Shixart1985 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

How much are the charges?

The rate depends on the exporter. According to the Commission's notice, the rates are:

• 5.3% for Foshan AMJ
• 12.1% for Guangdong Kete
• 24.4% for Broad, and for other cooperating "residual" exporters
• 34.8% for Yuanjiang
• 51.6% for Zhuhai Yipeng
• 73.3% for uncooperative and all other exporters (70.4% dumping plus 2.9% subsidy)

One exporter, Altop, is exempt. The charges cover aluminium windows up to 3 metres high and 4 metres wide, and doors up to 3 metres high and 7 metres wide.

The ABC reports that the Commission valued the local aluminium window and door market at about $2.8 billion, with Chinese imports making up 19% of sales.

What could it cost a new-home buyer?

The $26,500 figure comes from Melbourne window and door supplier ProCon Materials, in sponsored content published by Business News Australia. ProCon says windows and doors make up 5 to 7% of the cost of a typical three-to-four-bedroom home. It then applies that share to the ABS average value of a new house approved in 2025-26, which was $517,430.

At 7%, that comes to about $36,200 of windows and doors. On ProCon's figures: