PROJECT SUMMARY 

The Client

A young couple in Singapore had recently received the keys to their 4-room BTO flat in Bidadari. Like many new flats, it came with bare concrete floors — no finishes, no tiles, a blank canvas waiting to be transformed.

Rather than heading straight to a local tile showroom, they decided to explore sourcing options online. A search on Taobao led them to a Foshan supplier offering premium marble floor tiles at a fraction of the price available in Singapore — but with one challenge: how do you get 5 CBM of heavy marble from China to your flat in Bidadari?

That’s where Forwardier came in.

THE CHALLENGE 

What the Client Needed

This project had several moving parts that required careful coordination from the start:

• Sample shipment first — before committing to a full order of marble tiles, the client wanted to see and feel the samples in person. Marble varies significantly in quality, veining, and finish — something photos alone can’t fully convey.
• Full freight shipment — once satisfied with the samples, the client needed 5 CBM of marble tiles (3 pallets) shipped from Foshan to Singapore.
• Last-mile complexity — marble tiles are extremely heavy. The pallets could not be carried up a lift — they needed to be dismantled and every individual package carried up to the unit floor by floor.
• Cost sensitivity — the client chose to source from China specifically to save money. The final landed cost — including freight, labour, and GST — needed to be meaningfully cheaper than buying locally to make the effort worthwhile.

HOW FORWARDIER HANDLED IT 

Our Approach

Step 1 — Air Freight Samples

Before the client finalised their tile selection, Forwardier arranged an air freight shipment of tile samples from the Foshan supplier to Singapore. This allowed the client to physically evaluate the marble quality, check the colour consistency against their renovation concept, and confirm the finish before placing a full order.

This step saved the client from a costly mistake — ordering 5 CBM of tiles that might not match their vision once seen in person.

Step 2 — Coordinating the Full Sea Freight Shipment

Once the client confirmed their tile selection, Forwardier coordinated pickup from the Foshan supplier and consolidated the cargo for sea freight to Singapore. The full consignment comprised:

• Volume — 5 CBM
• Pallets — 3 standard pallets, professionally shrink-wrapped for transit
• Shipping mode — sea freight (LCL consolidation)
• Transit time — 15 days from China warehouse to Singapore

Throughout the transit, the client received updates via WhatsApp at key milestones — cargo departure, arrival at Singapore port, and clearance status.

Step 3 — Last-Mile Delivery and Manpower

Delivering marble tiles to a BTO flat presented a challenge that most freight forwarders don’t anticipate: pallets cannot fit into a standard HDB lift. The pallets had to be stopped at the nearest accessible point to the lift lobby.

Forwardier arranged a team of workers to:

• Dismantle all three pallets at the lift lobby level
• Individually carry every tile package from the lift lobby to the client’s unit
• Stack and organise the tiles neatly inside the flat, ready for the renovation team

This last-mile labour coordination was handled entirely by Forwardier — the client didn’t need to arrange additional movers or be on-site throughout the process.

THE OUTCOME 

Results

~20% cost saving vs. local suppliers

Despite including sea freight charges, import GST, and the additional labour cost to bring the tiles up to the unit, the total landed cost for the client came in approximately 20% lower than equivalent marble floor tiles available from Singapore tile showrooms. The savings were significant enough to offset the longer lead time and the added logistics coordination.

Beyond the cost saving, the client benefited from:

• Sample validation before committing — the air freight sample run eliminated the risk of ordering the wrong tile
• End-to-end coordination — one point of contact from supplier pickup in Foshan to delivery inside the Bidadari flat
• No logistics stress — the client didn’t need to arrange trucking, movers, or customs clearance separately — Forwardier handled everything
• WhatsApp updates throughout — the client always knew where their shipment was

LESSONS FROM THIS PROJECT 

What This Project Taught Us

Importing building materials like marble tiles from China to Singapore is becoming increasingly popular among Singapore homeowners — particularly those renovating new BTOs and condominiums. The quality of materials available from Foshan, Guangdong (one of China’s largest ceramics and stone manufacturing hubs) is comparable to premium products sold in Singapore, often at significantly lower unit prices.

The key to making it work is planning ahead:

• Request samples via air freight before placing a full order — especially for visual materials like tiles, stone, and flooring
• Factor in last-mile complexity for heavy or bulky goods — marble tiles in a high-rise building require specific manpower planning
• Include GST and labour costs in your total cost comparison against local suppliers — the savings are often still significant
• Allow 3–4 weeks total lead time for sea freight shipments of this type

SIMILAR PROJECTS WE HANDLE 

Other Building Materials We’ve Imported from China

This marble tiles project is one of several building materials shipments Forwardier has coordinated for Singapore homeowners and renovation contractors. If you’re planning something similar, we’ve handled:

• Vinyl flooring from China to Singapore
• Lighting fixtures from Zhongshan, Guangdong
• Vanity sets and bathroom fittings
• Furniture from Foshan
• Kitchen cabinets and fittings

Start importing your materials

Planning to Import Building Materials from China?

Whether you’re importing tiles, flooring, furniture, or fittings for a renovation project, Forwardier can manage the entire journey from your Chinese supplier to your Singapore address — including samples, sea freight, customs clearance, and last-mile delivery.

WhatsApp us your item list or supplier details and we’ll come back with a clear plan and a transparent quote.

WhatsApp: +65 9736 6507

Operating hours: Monday to Saturday, 9:00am – 6:00pm