Buying Construction Materials in China (My First Trip)

I flew to Guangzhou so you don’t have to.

Everyone told me: “Go to the Canton Fair!” So I did. And honestly? It was overwhelming. But I learned a ton about where our “local” materials actually come from.

The “Price Shock”

I walked into a showroom in Foshan (the ceramic capital). Saw a 60x60 tile. Looked exactly like the one I saw in depot for 250 pesos. Price tag here? 45 pesos. (Of course, you have to ship it… but still).

Windows: The Real Discovery

I went looking for windows. Aluminum: Incredible. The stuff they sell as “premium” in Manila is “standard” here. They have 2.0mm thick frames, thermally broken, triple glass. For the price of the cheap jagged windows back home.

uPVC: Disappointing. The Chinese uPVC felt… plastic-y. Chalky. I’d stick to European brands or high-end Chinese aluminum.

The Markets

Guangzhou: Good for lights, furniture, clothes. Foshan: This is the construction mecca. Tiles, sanitary, windows. You need a fixer/translator if you go to the local markets. The showrooms speak English, but their prices are higher (still cheap though).

Do you need to go?

For one house? Probably not. Unless you are building a mansion (500sqm+). The shipping + customs + plane ticket eats the savings.

For a resort / apartments? ABSOLUTELY. You will save millions.

Tips

1. Download WeChat. You cannot survive without it.
2. Wear comfortable shoes. You will walk 20km a day.
3. Don’t buy the first thing you see.
4. Food is amazing. Eat the dim sum.