11 Tips on Purchasing Doors and Windows from China

Are you thinking of purchasing doors and windows from China? The problem is you have no idea how. But don’t worry. We wrote this guide according to our 12-year sourcing experiences on these products. Strongly we believe that you will benefit a lot after reading.

Widows and doors are among the most popular products bought from China to different parts of the world. As essential parts of a building’s construction, you want to buy only high-quality products. Moreover, it would be great if they will not cut down a big chunk of your money.

Importing goods from China is accompanied by some hassles, but they can be worth it. This article will guide you on how to buy doors and windows from China to help ease some of your troubles.

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1.Why Purchasing Doors and Windows from China?

Before the ‘how,’ let’s talk about the ‘why.’ What is so great about China that you would want to import goods from here? There are three reasons why:

1)Lower Cost with the Same Quality

China’s production processes are pretty advanced. It can produce doors and windows of the same quality as other countries. But because of its advanced production processes, you can get the products at a much lower cost.

2)Variety of Designs

China has a wide variety of designs with good quality and low cost, so you have plenty of options. No matter the style of a building, whether it is residential or commercial, China all kinds of designs available.

3)Quality Guarantee

When it comes to quality, China’s top manufacturers offer a guarantee to assure you. Knowing how nerve-wracking it is to buy goods online, manufacturers ease customer’s worries by providing Quality Guarantee on every product.

2.Where to Purchase Doors and Windows in China?

So, you know why it’s a good idea to buy your building products from China. Now, the question is where to buy them? There are three ways to that, and they are:

1) Foshan

The first place to check is Foshan City.Guangzhou’s little brother.An hour driving from Foshan to Guangzhou airport, Foshan offers the biggest marketplace for building materials. The city is famous for ceramics,sanitary wares and furniture, but they also have tiles and hardware.

It’s only possible, of course, if you can visit the country yourself. If you are a businessman looking for suppliers, going to Foshan is a worthwhile trip. Since you will be meeting the suppliers directly and have a face to face negotiation.

2) Canton Fair

One of the most anticipated trade events in China, visiting Canton Fair is a must if you want to find the highest quality windows and doors first hand. The event happens in Guangzhou, where suppliers from all over the country congregate.

With a complete exhibit variety inside, you have choices for all kinds of building materials. For hardware and building materials, you should attend the Phase 1 where they also showcase goods like electronics, machinery, and more.

3) Sourcing Agent

If you are reluctant to visit Foshan and Guangzhou yourself, hiring a sourcing agent is the next best idea. Most local suppliers can’t speak English, which means negotiating difficult.

A sourcing agent can take care of this for you. Besides acting as your interpreter, they can handle all matters regarding exportation. In exchange, they charge small rate of the purchase value.

We suggest reading this post – How to find a good sourcing agent in finding a sourcing agent. 

3.Which Materials are the Best for Making Door and Window?

Doors and windows can be constructed out of many different materials. It would be great to have all kinds of them in your store. No matter material you choose to buy, it is good to know their characteristics.

Material Choices for Doors and Windows:

• UPVC

UPVC or unplasticized polyvinyl chloride is a form of plastic used as a framing material. People know it as rigid PVC because it is hard and not flexible. It is an excellent material for window frames, offering durability and high performance. It also provides the benefits of sound insulation, thermal efficiency, and resistance to rust, rot, and warp.

• Aluminum

For those looking for strong, durable, lightweight, and affordable material for doors and windows, aluminum fits the bill. It is a highly recommended material, particularly for garage doors and security doors. The problem is aluminum is a poor insulator.

• Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is an iron allow made of nickel, chromium, and molybdenum. Doors and windows made of this material are highly sophisticated with minimalist elegance. Besides the aesthetic, stainless is resistant to corrosion and fire. Its strength is of a high standard and requires less maintenance.

• Wooden

Wooden doors and windows are highly popular because they are easy to customize in terms of size, shape, and style. This material also makes personalizing with transoms, glass accents, and sidelights easy. One thing to keep in mind is that wood warp up over time due to exposure to elements.

• Vinyl

Vinyl is made from polyvinyl chloride and has many advantages as frames for windows and doors. Such benefits include resistance to corrosion, durability, energy-efficiency, and is virtually maintenance-free. Not all vinyl doors and windows are the same, though.

4.Buying Process for Purchasing Doors and Windows from China

Here is a simplified purchase process that can help you in buying doors and windows from China:

1)Measure the Size

Start by measuring the size of doors and windows you need. Make sure it is an accurate size of what you need for your project. Knowing the size is crucial when you ask for a quotation of the price. Floor plan will be the best way to send to the supplier.

2）Determine the Design and Function

What do you need the window or door for? You must be specific in the function and design to find the right product. China has a wide variety of doors and windows. Having a definite idea of what you need helps shorten the process.

3）Confirm Materials and Quotations

If you’ve done the first two steps, you or your sourcing agent can now confirm the materials and other details with the supplier. Communicate all requirements and standards of the product to your manufacturer.

Providing your supplier with a specs sheet with every detail of the door or window you want greatly helps. When you are done, don’t forget to ask for a quotation so you have an idea of how much you’ll have to pay

4）Confirm 2D Design

Don’t forget to confirm the 2D design of your door/window based on the sizes, specs, terms, and drawings you mentioned. The manufacturer finalizes the design, giving you production-ready drawings to review and approve.

Make sure that you list down all the specific materials and details you want in this product on the contract. Be very specific; otherwise, you might have to deal with disputes, substitution, or wrong items sent.

5）Produce and Pay

Upon confirming the 2D design, you can give the sign to produce the door or window you ordered. The manufacturer likely won’t start if you hadn’t paid yet, so make sure to do your obligation.

5.Checking the Quality of Doors and Windows Importing from China

Qualities issues are the biggest problem when buying any product from China. To check that your doors and windows are not substandard, you can hire a quality inspector. They can do a visual inspection of the products you ordered, confirming they match what you asked.

Besides this, you must look for trusted sourcing companies to handle all concerns you have on quality control and trading. Also, only buy from manufacturers with a good reputation. Do extensive research of them and read up on reviews about their products and service.

6.Negotiating the Price

If meeting the manufacturers personally is not possible, you can work with a sourcing agent instead. Besides helping you source the doors and windows, as well as check their quality, sourcing agents can negotiate for you as well.

Acting as your representative in China, they can help you get the best possible price. What’s more, they will attend to the products you ordered until they are shipped to your address.

7.How to Pay China Suppliers?

There are many ways to pay your China suppliers. Some of the standard methods are:

8.How Do I Book, Load, and Ship Doors and Dindows that I Buy in China?

Here is how to get your doors and windows shipped:

1) Choose either a Full Cargo Load or Loose Cargo Load

Your items will most definitely be shipped via sea freight. They will be loaded on a 20 or 40 feet container. If you have ordered many products, the best option is to have them sent through full cargo load.

On the other hand, products in lesser volume may be shipped through loose cargo load or groupage. It means they will be transported with other cargoes. Still, shipping in full cargo load even if they’re small volume is a safer option.

2) Shipment Management

You can let your supplier take care of the shipping. However, it usually means you’ll have to pay more. In that case, you can choose from other options that can save you time and money, such as:

• Handling the Shipping Yourself

If you choose this, you’ll be directly booking the cargo space with the shipping company. You need to manage Customs Declarations in China and your country as well. You’ll have to monitor and deal with the cargo by yourself too.

• Letting a Freight Forwarder Handle Shipping

In this option, you can work with local agents to handle the shipping. The problem is your local shipping option may not have an office in China. If they don’t, they’ll have to work with agents in China, which is an additional fee.

• Letting a Freight Forwarder in China Handle the Shipping

The fastest way to receive your shipment, everything will be handled by the freight forwarder. They will be working side by side with your supplier and constantly inform you of the shipment’s status.

• Using China Sourcing Agent and Local Importing Agent

As to our past experience,many importers preferred to ask our company to handle all things until the containers arriving in their discharge port,which we always call CIF terms.Their local importing agents will take care of the importing customs clearance and delivery containers from discharge port to destination.This is quite a good way to save money and not bring them into troubles because they know how to leave it to the pros.

9.Transit Times

Consider the time the supplier takes to prepare your order and the transit time when you want to know how long it will be delivered.After all,not all suppliers will delivery the goods on time as promise.It is very important to tell the suppliers when you will need the goods,like in 2 month or 6 month.If the products are ready and you don’t load them on time,some suppliers will push you to pick up the goods and may ask warehouse storage charge from you if the goods stock in their factories too long time.

Production time for building materials normally don’t exceed 30days.For example,you are a U.S buyer and hope to receive the goods as soon as possible.As to our experience,transit time from China to the U.S. is around 50 days, excluding delays and other issues. Plus the production time,you will likely receive your shipment in about three months, give or take. If you can’t accept the delivery time,please think twice before placing orders.Note that air freight is faster shipping, but it also more expensive.

10.Problems You May Have When Importing door and window from China