I am very confused about the sales tax deduction.
During 2017, I purchased a shipping container and built a workshop and firewood shed around it, using additional materials that I purchased myself; I paid sales tax on these materials, at the same as my usual rate, and performed the work myself. However, the shipping container was bought in a different county with a lower sales tax rate.
I also purchased additional materials to complete a kitchen renovation that I mostly performed in 2016; again, I paid sales tax on these materials, at the same as my usual rate and performed the work myself.
I have records for all of these purchases. Can I deduct the sales taxes paid on these items (in addition to the amount that is computed based off my income) ? It seems to me that they qualify, since I "purchased the materials to build ... substantial addition or to perform a major renovation and paid the sales tax directly." But some of what I read suggests that they need to be big ticket items; certainly the kitchen renovation and workshop construction were each a big ticket item, collectively, but none of the individual purchases were (except for the shipping container). And, is there any way I can deduct the sales tax on the shipping container, since I paid a different rate ?; I'm thinking if I lived in that other county when I purchased it, I could deduct it; but of course I did not.
TIA !