Buying tiles from China
Foshan supplies a large share of the world's porcelain. The saving per square metre is large, but tiles are heavy, so the container fills by weight, not volume.
What to spec
- Size, thickness, finish (matt, honed, polished, textured) and the slip rating for each area.
- One production batch for the whole project, with 10 percent spares.
- Shade and calibre codes on every carton.
- Rectified edges for tight joints on large formats.
- Matching trims and step treads, if you want them.
What it costs landed
Our model for one 20 ft container of 600 x 600 matt porcelain: $8,450 at the factory, $14,850 landed ex GST for about 1,000 m2.
Elje estimate, October 2026. Not yet from a delivered job; replaced with real landed numbers as jobs land.
| Item | Factory gate | Landed estimate |
|---|---|---|
| 600 x 600 matt porcelain, per m2 | About $8.45 per m2 | About $15 per m2 |
| Same tile, local trade | $25 to $45 per m2 | |
| Same tile, local retail | $35 to $60 per m2 |
What to check
- AS 4586 slip rating, published per product: P3 is the usual minimum for bathroom floors, P4 or P5 outdoors, on ramps and round pools.
- An asbestos-free test report on any new body. Asbestos import is prohibited.
- Batch and shade codes match the signed sample.
- Pallets ISPM 15.
Mistakes we have seen
- Ordering exactly the area. Breakage, cuts and future repairs need 10 percent more, and a second batch will not match.
- A slip rating tested on a different finish of the same tile.
- Assuming a container can be filled to volume. About 1,000 m2 of standard porcelain is the weight limit of a 20 ft.
Questions
Can one bathroom's tiles come from China?
Yes, in a shared container, but the fixed port and broker charges weigh more on a small order. Tiles make most sense with the rest of the house.