Established 1893 | BS 460:2002 Certified | UK & International Supply | Expert Technical Support | 0333 987 4452
Established 1893 | BS 460:2002 Certified | UK & International Supply | Expert Technical Support | 0333 987 4452
Heritage cast iron rainwater goods, manufactured to BS 460 and shipped to historic building projects worldwide. Every international order is quoted individually, with goods and freight priced together so there are no surprises.
We supply cast iron gutters, downpipes, rainwater heads and fittings to projects outside the UK, including the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Denmark and across Europe. International orders are handled by quotation rather than online checkout, so that freight, packing and delivery terms can be set correctly for each project.
Much of the world’s nineteenth-century cast iron rainwater goods were designed in Britain or cast to British patterns. Victorian and Edwardian buildings in Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland, Boston and Charleston often carry profiles, rainwater heads and fittings that match patterns still made in the UK today. Where they do not, we can copy cast from photographs, drawings or a surviving sample.
Our customers overseas are the same as at home: preservation and conservation architects, general contractors and specialist subcontractors, and owners of historic houses and public buildings.
The same component goes by different names in different countries. A UK hopper head is a leader head or conductor head in the USA and a rainwater head in Australia. A downpipe is a downspout or leader in America, and in New Zealand gutters are usually called spouting. Our country guides set out the terms specifiers and contractors use, so that schedules and drawings translate cleanly.
| UK term | USA | Australia | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gutter | Gutter (Canada: eavestrough) | Gutter / guttering | Spouting |
| Downpipe | Downspout, leader | Downpipe | Downpipe |
| Hopper head | Leader head, conductor head | Rainwater head, rainhead | Rainwater head |
| Main contractor | General contractor (GC) | Head contractor, builder | Main contractor, builder |
| Client | Owner | Client, owner | Client, owner |
For American period houses, see also our guide to cast iron gutters and leader heads for older American properties.
An international order follows six steps, from enquiry to delivery. The main difference from a UK order is that we quote freight separately and agree the delivery terms before production starts.
| Step | What happens | Who |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Enquiry | Send us your schedule, drawings or photographs, quantities, finish and full delivery address. | You |
| 2. Specification check | We confirm profiles, sizes, connections and finish, and flag anything that needs a new pattern or a measured check. | Us |
| 3. Quotation | Goods and freight quoted separately, with lead time and delivery terms stated. | Us |
| 4. Pro forma and payment | On acceptance we issue a pro forma invoice. Production is scheduled once payment is received. | Both |
| 5. Production and packing | Items are cast or picked, finished, interleaved with wax paper and packed for containerised shipping. | Us |
| 6. Freight and delivery | Outside Europe, full lengths travel by containerised sea freight, door-to-door or port-to-port as requested. Ireland and mainland Europe are served by pallet road freight. Small items can go by courier. Import clearance and local duties are handled at destination. | Freight agent / you |
Production lead times are the same as for UK orders; freight transit is added on top — up to three months by sea outside Europe, and much less by road to Ireland and mainland Europe. A bespoke order shipped by sea can therefore take six months or more from pattern approval to arrival, so we recommend ordering early. We give an honest lead time with every quotation and do not promise delivery dates we cannot control.
| Item type | Typical production lead time |
|---|---|
| Stock items | 5–7 working days |
| Non-stock standard profiles | 7–10 working days |
| Bespoke and copy-cast items | Typically 12–14 weeks from pattern approval |
| Radius (curved) gutters | Typically 12–14 weeks |
| Linseed oil paint finish | Adds 6–7 weeks for the finish |
| Sea freight transit, outside Europe (added to the above) | Allow up to 3 months, depending on destination and routing |
| Road freight transit, Ireland and Europe (added to the above) | Confirmed with the freight quotation |
| Courier (small items only) | Quoted per consignment |
Outside Europe, full lengths of gutter and pipe travel by containerised sea freight; Ireland and mainland Europe are served by pallet road freight; smaller items can go by courier. Freight is quoted per order because weight, volume and destination vary so much. Sea freight can be arranged door-to-door, delivered to site, or port-to-port, where your own agent collects from the destination port — whichever you prefer.
UK delivery rates and terms are on our delivery information page.
Import duties, local taxes and customs clearance charges are the buyer’s responsibility unless we agree otherwise in writing. Rates and rules differ by country and change over time, so we recommend checking the current position with a local customs broker or freight agent before you order.
Goods exported outside the UK are normally zero-rated for UK VAT, subject to proof of export. Your quotation and pro forma invoice will show how VAT has been treated. We supply a commercial invoice and packing list with every export consignment.
Orders to Ireland and mainland Europe travel by pallet road freight, with courier for small items, and are quoted with each order. Deliveries to the Republic of Ireland and the EU go through customs; deliveries to Northern Ireland stay within the UK.
| Republic of Ireland and EU | Northern Ireland | |
|---|---|---|
| Freight | Pallet road freight; courier for small items | Pallet road freight via ferry; courier for small items |
| UK VAT | Zero-rated as an export, with proof of export | Charged as a UK sale |
| Customs | Customs declaration required; local import VAT and clearance charges usually apply | No customs clearance for a UK delivery; the carrier will advise on any movement paperwork |
| Duty | Goods meeting the UK–EU rules of origin enter free of customs duty | Not applicable |
On most continental buildings, gutters and upper downpipes are zinc or copper, and cast iron is used for the bottom section of the downpipe: the dauphin in France and Belgium, the gietijzeren ondereind in the Netherlands, the Standrohr in Germany, the terminale in Italy and the bottom 2 m in Denmark. We copy cast these sections to order; our country guides above explain the local terms and consent routes.
Tell us whether the site can take a pallet from a tail-lift vehicle and about any street restrictions. Our guide to heritage cast iron in Ireland covers local terms, consent on protected structures and listed buildings, and delivery in more detail.
Our cast iron rainwater goods are made to BS 460:2002, the British Standard for cast iron rainwater goods. Overseas, rainwater goods may be covered by local building codes, preservation guidance or the project specification, so tell us what your project requires.
Overseas sites are often more demanding than a typical UK site, from salt air on the coast of New England or New Zealand to strong UV in Australia. The finish should suit the exposure.
Copy casting works well at a distance. Most overseas commissions start from clear photographs, measured drawings, or a surviving component shipped to us. From these we make a pattern, cast the new component and match the original detail. Bespoke work is typically 12–14 weeks from pattern approval, plus up to three months for sea freight. Pattern costs are one-off, and we keep the pattern, so future orders for the same building cost less.
For complex projects, a measured survey by a local surveyor or architect, supported by our checklist, gives us what we need to specify accurately. If a site visit is needed, we can discuss it for your project.
Yes. We supply cast iron rainwater goods to projects in the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Denmark and across Europe. International orders are handled by quotation rather than online checkout, so that freight can be priced correctly for each destination and order.
Not through the website checkout, which is set up for UK delivery only. Send us your schedule of items, quantities and delivery address and we will quote the goods and the freight together.
We do not publish international freight rates because they depend on weight, volume, destination and delivery method. Freight is quoted separately from the goods, once we have a confirmed delivery address and quantities.
Production lead times are the same as for a UK order: stock items are typically ready in 5–7 working days, and bespoke or copy-cast items take typically 12–14 weeks from pattern approval. Sea freight transit is added on top — allow up to three months, depending on destination and routing.
Local import duties, taxes and customs clearance charges are the buyer’s responsibility unless we have agreed otherwise in writing. We recommend checking the position with a local customs broker or freight agent before ordering.
Goods exported outside the UK are normally zero-rated for UK VAT, subject to proof of export. Your quotation will show how VAT has been treated for your order.
Yes. Our cast iron rainwater goods are manufactured to BS 460:2002, the British Standard for cast iron rainwater goods. Where your project is governed by local codes or a project specification, we can supply product information to support your submittal or approval process.
Often, but not always. Pipe sizes and socket dimensions vary between countries and between historic manufacturers, so connections to existing below-ground drainage or cast iron boots should be checked with measured dimensions before ordering.
Yes. Copy casting works internationally from photographs, measured drawings or a physical sample shipped to us. Bespoke and copy-cast work is typically 12–14 weeks from pattern approval, plus up to three months for sea freight.
For exposed coastal sites we recommend our coastal specification, with enhanced preparation and a robust paint build. Linseed oil paint remains the heritage-appropriate topcoat for historic buildings and is easy to maintain in the long term. We will advise on the right system for your site.
By pallet road freight, with courier for small items. Deliveries to the Republic of Ireland and the EU go through customs, and local import VAT and clearance charges usually apply. Deliveries to Northern Ireland are UK deliveries and are charged with UK VAT.
Yes, in most cases. Sample sections and finish swatches can be sent overseas; postage is quoted at cost. Ask us which profiles and finishes you would like to see.
Send your schedule, photographs or drawings to us through our contact page, or call +44 333 987 4452. We aim to respond to quotation requests within 3 working days; bespoke items that need pattern costing may take a little longer, and we will tell you at the outset.