Guide to Importing and Shipping Construction Products and Materials to China

As the world’s largest exporter, you may need to import construction products and materials from China. However, there are many issues that can arise during the construction of materials, which we will discuss in more detail in this article.

How to Import Construction Products and Materials from China

Importing construction products from China requires following standardized trade and customs procedures.

The first step is to identify a reliable supplier. We recommend conducting on-site inspections, online platform audits, and third-party inspections to ensure the manufacturer’s qualifications and product quality.

After signing the contract, you need to prepare the necessary trade documents, such as a commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, and inspection report. Certain specialized products, such as fireproofing materials or chemical coatings, may require additional safety certifications.

Importers should maintain close communication with freight forwarders and customs brokers to confirm the destination country’s customs clearance requirements and tariff policies in advance to avoid delays or additional costs due to incomplete documentation.

What types of Building Products and Materials can be imported from China?

China has a huge domestic industry producing every building material imaginable. China is certainly not a timber exporter, but you will find producers of:

From a professional point of view, the building materials industry is an industry classification. Generally we call it hardware building materials, building materials, and decorative materials. It covers a wide area, including electrical cables, power tools, construction machinery and electrical appliances, labor protection tools, various tools, Chemical raw materials, slabs, stones, ceramics, steel, and even lighting, kitchenware, fire-fighting equipment, etc.

Building materials product range:

1. Ceramics: exterior wall tiles; floor tiles/square tiles; ceramic tiles/interior wall tiles; mosaics.
2. Bathroom: toilet; shower; shower room; bathtub; washbasin; sink; faucet; bathroom accessories.
3. Kitchen: kitchen cabinets; kitchen utensils; kitchen appliances.
4. Hardware: architectural and decorative hardware; bathroom hardware; hardware accessories; hardware tools.
5. Lamps: indoor lighting fixtures; outdoor lighting fixtures; lighting accessories; special lighting fixtures.
6. Floors, carpets; ceilings; suspended ceilings; stairs.
7. Doors and windows; glass; locks.
8. Stone; plates; pipes; new building materials.
9. Paint; paint; wallpaper; curtain wall.

Why are the quality of building materials produced in China better than other countries?

China uses advanced technology to produce better building materials than other countries in the world. Chinese building material manufacturers have received a large number of orders, have mastered the production process of building materials, and are able to produce the best building materials.

Before proceeding with the manufacturing process, a Chinese building materials supplier makes samples and the products are checked for quality and safety by an international testing laboratory. Quality control checks are also performed before your order is shipped.

Construction material manufacturers and suppliers in China work with quality control companies for testing and inspection.

In China’s building materials industry, manufacturers are required to take administrative measures to ensure product quality. The production of building materials must go through licensing procedures.

The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) is the government agency responsible for product inspection. Regulations vary based on construction and building materials

Some Chinese cities with centers for sales and manufacturing of construction materials have instituted stricter local licensing requirements. These requirements typically include a list of building materials, a certificate of compliance from a reputable testing agency, product licenses (if required), documentation showing that the building materials are approved for use abroad, and product warranties.

Do these factors ensure that building materials produced in China are of better quality than those produced in other countries?

How can I find suppliers of construction materials in China?

Online platform
Alibaba is the largest platform for finding suppliers (in building materials) in China and other parts of Asia. However, there is no single category for specific building materials, but you must search for specific products to find suppliers.

Learn more: Top 10 Best Chinese Wholesale Websites in 2025

Offline platform
Cities such as Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Foshan are known for producing construction materials, which are exported to the United States and other parts of the world. Most of China’s building materials are produced in Foshan.

Today, Foshan has more than 30 towns specializing in the production of beverages, machinery and furniture. It has more than 3,000 factories focusing on furniture production. You’ll also find interior building materials for residential and commercial construction projects here. Foshan’s shopping malls house factories, suppliers and purchasing company showrooms. The building materials market is about 30 minutes away from the center of Foshan. Casa Sanitary Ware Mall and Huayi Building Materials Market are one such markets.

There are many other building materials markets in Foshan that sell home building materials, including doors, windows, floors, lighting, wallpaper, paint, etc. If you need construction and building materials for home, office, residential apartment, commercial premises, wholesale and any construction and home decoration requirements, Foshan is your target city.

Selection criteria

Here are some selection criteria Basenton Logistics considers when searching for building materials manufacturers:

Product areas: Do they match the right products and materials?
testing report
ISO 9001 certification
ISO 14001 certification
BSCI and Sedex*

Construction product CE marking

Construction products sold within the EU must bear the CE marking and meet all the resulting documentation requirements. CE marking alone is not enough, you must also ensure that:
Declaration of performance (equivalent to declaration of conformity)
testing report
Technical documents
instruct
Basically, however, products must meet harmonized EN standards that apply to a specific product or material. Before you start importing, the first step is to find out what standards apply. You can also find out more on the Housing Authority’s website.

Example
EN 14428 – Shower enclosures – Functional requirements and test methods
EN 14516 – Domestic bathrooms
EN 14229 – Structural timber – Timber poles for overhead lines
EN 14846 – Building hardware – Locks and latches – Electromechanically operated locks and lock plates
EN 54-16 – Fire detection and fire alarm systems

Importer’s Responsibilities

When you import from China or other countries outside the EU, you are actually responsible for ensuring that the building product has the correct CE marking, records and laboratory testing. Many people think this is the “manufacturer’s” responsibility, but consider the following:

1. If you sell building products and materials under your brand name, you will be considered a manufacturer
2. In fact, if the goods do not comply with CE requirements, you are still the one who is prohibited from selling them, and you will not receive any compensation from the Chinese manufacturer.

Chinese manufacturers are not experts in EU requirements. As an importer, it is your responsibility to provide clear instructions to factories on how to label construction products. You must then present a performance statement, technical documentation and order laboratory testing. If you are unwilling to do so, you should not consider importing building materials from China or anywhere outside the EU.

How to Ship Construction Products and Materials from China

Construction products and materials from China are mostly shipped by sea or rail. However, for products weighing around 100kg and requiring urgent delivery, air freight may be considered.

Air freight

Air freight is the fastest and safest way to transport goods. You can choose between regular or express shipping options, the latter being more expensive. Door to door shipping usually takes 3 to 5 business days. Standard air shipping time will not exceed 10 days.

Sea freight

Sea freight is the cheapest option but also takes longer. Shipping by sea is easy as there are major ports on both sides. Some of the most important ones in China are located in Ningbo, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Dalian.

Click to read: China’s 10 Most Important Shipping Ports in 2025

The biggest advantage of sea shipping is flexibility. You can ship PV products virtually by sea. The next big trend in ocean shipping is the LCL shipping model.

Rail transport

If your country is in Eurasia and has a railway connection with China, all kinds of products, large and small, can be transported from China to your country by railway. Therefore, it is cost-effective to transport various items. You can save time and effort by transporting goods from China to your country by rail.

Rail freight is 40% faster than sea freight and half the price of air freight. This makes it a cost-effective way to transport photovoltaic products from rail.

Rail freight allows you to make smaller, faster, more frequent shipments. Therefore, you can change your inventory to meet your customers’ changing needs.

Basenton Logistics can provide transportation from China to any country in the world. Below is information on shipping from China to various countries. If you’re interested, click on the link to read more:

Prices for shipping construction products from China will vary depending on the cost from country to country

Costs of Shipping Construction Products and Materials from China

Estimating construction products shipping costs requires considering a variety of factors. Size, weight, destination, shipping method, and additional services like insurance or expedited shipping all affect the final cost. It is crucial to get accurate shipping quotes from different carriers or shipping companies to compare prices and services.

In 2024, the sea freight from major ports in China (such as Shanghai and Tianjin) to the West Coast of the United States (such as Los Angeles) will be approximately US$100 to US$250/ton. For specific prices, please consult the Chinese freight forwarder Basenton Logistics.

As a rough estimate, shipping a 40-foot container from China to the U.S. West Coast costs between $2,500 and $4,000. For the U.S. East Coast, costs may increase by $3,000 to $4,500 due to longer shipping distances.

For more detailed information on the cost of shipping from China to the United States, please click on the link:

If you are shipping not to the United States, but to Germany, France, Spain, Romania, Turkey, Hungary or other countries, and want to know the cost of shipping from China to the destination country, you can read the following post.

Of course it is best to contact Basenton Logistics for your quote.

Duty and VAT on Shipping Construction Products and Materials from China

Construction products and materials shipped from China are subject to customs duties and VAT. These rates vary by country. For example, in the European Union, you can find the customs rates for nearly all types of construction products and materials on the customs administration website.

Here are some examples of relevant sectors:

• Article 9 – Wood and articles of wood; charcoal; cork and articles of cork; articles of straw, plaiting or other woven material; woven fabrics (Chapters 44-46)
• Part 13 – Articles of stone, plaster, cement, asbestos, mica or similar materials; ceramics; glass and glassware (Chapters 68-70)
• Chapter 15 – Base metals and articles of base metals (Chapters 72-83)
• Section 16 – Mechanical equipment and machine tools; electronic equipment; parts of such equipment; apparatus for recording or reproducing sound, apparatus for recording or reproducing television images and sound, and parts and accessories of such apparatus (Chapters 84-85)

Customs fees are calculated by multiplying the customs value by a percentage. The customs value is the sum of the cost of the goods, freight, and insurance.

Value Added Tax:

Products imported from countries outside the EU are subject to a 25% VAT.

Freight Forwarder for Shipping Construction Products from China

Exporting construction products and materials from China to global markets requires careful planning and professional execution. Choosing a reputable international freight forwarder can save time and money.

Basenton Logistics is a leading freight forwarder in China, specializing in ocean, air, and multimodal transport services from China to various countries worldwide. With extensive experience and a professional team, Basenton Logistics provides customized transportation solutions for clients in the construction industry, ensuring every shipment arrives safely and on time.

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