How to Import Container Homes from China 2024
Discover the benefits of importing container homes from China. Explore our website for expert guidance and valuable insights on the process. Start building your dream home today!
How to Import Container Homes From China 2024
What is a Container House
Container house or shipping container homes in a more technical sense, are made from steel shipping containers. Lightweight, low-cost and sustainable, major world metropolises are now into building and shipping prefab container homes for modern, mobile living. They are also used in hotels or as office pods, among others.
As a residence, they are now effective and sustainable standalone homes and have become popular alternative building solutions compared to traditional large, multi-spaced homes.
Types of Container House
In the peak of its current popularity, there are various types of container houses nowadays. But in summary, there are three major types of container houses: single-wide, double-wide, and triple-wide.
Single-Wide Container House
As the term implies, this one is composed of just one free-standing unit which looks like a single, detached home. It is perfect as a standalone office, a bachelor’s pad, or a couple suite for modern hotels.
Double-Wide Container House
In contrast with the single wide, this one is made of two prefab container units that are connected together. If you need room annexes for your home office or an extra bedroom without adding a basement or attic room, this is a good choice for you.
Triple-Wide Container House
If you prefer large spaces for a multi-room container house for your large family, for friends, for a bed and breakfast business or alternative office space, you can join as many prefab container units as you can to create a triple-wide container house.
You have to note that there are different types of shipping containers used for different purposes. There are insulated ones, non-insulated ones, standard or general storage containers, vented, open top, double door, flat rack and refrigerated. All of these can be customized depending on what container house you need.
Container House: Where Can They Be Used
As people turn more and more to alternative building solutions, we have to square out the various applications of container houses. The following are some of the best applications of container houses.
Office
Standard single modular type of container homes are very much used as alternative office settings. They are mostly found in architectural and construction firms. In some cases, they are also used as temporary administrative rooms for office workers, for meetings, and other specialized work. The good thing is that they can be dismantled and transformed into another space for another function.
Hotel
Container hotels are now a thing around the world. They can be found in major tourist sites and metropolises as the shift to eco-friendly, repurposed architecture is becoming more emphasized. From casa types, dorm look, and suite furnished container hotels, you can expect insulated rooms, complete amenities, without compromising scenic views with container hotels.
Education
Container educational buildings are now well-accepted in educational settings especially in developing countries and even in the US. Classroom shortages led to the incorporation of container educational buildings and it was a success. Aside from good ventilation, they are also mobile. In impending natural calamities, container educational buildings set a good refuge.
Shops
The advantage of using containers as hops is that they can be easily moved to various suitable locations, allowing operators to place the shop according to the flow of people.
Container shops can be small and exquisite, or elegant and distinguished, the whole glass wall is high–end and classy, the hydraulic opening and closing system extends the available space, and extra stairs would convert the roof space into a 2nd-floor balcony space, more creative patterns and emerging in an endless stream.
Hospital
In the same way, container hospitals have also become a thing. This is a response to cramped-up hospitals and shortage of rooms. During the pandemic, the rise of container homes also proved to be beneficial especially in setting isolation rooms. Most importantly, container hospitals can be customized to medical-grade ones with complete medical features.
Residential
Built from the strongest shipping steels, container homes can withstand large weights, and are virtually resistant to elements including extreme winds and rains as well as hurricanes and severe storms.
The mobile ones are also beneficial in easy relocating and in avoiding other natural disasters. The smaller, pad-type ones can also be attached to RVs for outdoor activities.
You can also use container houses as reception hall,container mall,swimming pool,container showcase,container villa,etc. Contact us if you need any assistance when importing container houses from China.
Pros of Shipping Container Homes
At the outset, we can summarize the pros of shipping container homes into two: they are low-cost and they are sturdy. Nevertheless, here are the specific pros of shipping container homes:
Customized Design Diversity
You can purchase customized container homes according to practical use.Many Chinese container home manufacturers can customize for clients.Whatever you require,they will try the best to offer what you need.
Cost-effective
The smallest, fully-furnished container home costs a maximum of $10,000. Most importantly, the assembly can be done DIY as they are made only of fewer building materials.
Quick Construction
Depending on the size and dimension of your shipping container homes, they can only be assembled in a week up to less than a month. You can also purchase prefab container homes and just move-in right away.
Modular And Mobile
Being modular homes, they are so easy to modify. From a single unit, you can easily widen your home anytime, by adding more container units. And if you are tired of the scenes, and wish to relocate, you can just get a shipping service or attach the single unit to your RV and go.
Durability
As they are made of high quality, strong steel, they can withstand harsh environmental elements. And since they do not rust, you can depend on them to last for a very long time.
Cons of Shipping Container Homes
Container homes are not perfect. In some instances, they may not be the most preferred building solution alternatives. They also have their share of cons and they are the following:
Building Permits
Obtaining permits to build container homes can be difficult for certain regions, countries and US states. You need to ask the city planning office for the restrictions on shipping container homes.
Not 100% Eco-Friendly
While they are made of repurposed containers, some of the containers used to transport chemicals and other dangerous substances before they were converted into prefab homes.
Appliances Complexity
In building one, you need an expert and licensed electrician to install the appliances in your container home. Note that steel is still a conductor of electricity so you need an expert to install your appliances to make it safe.
Are Shipping Container Homes Safe
People always have below doubts about shipping container homes:
- Are Shipping Container Homes Safe To Live In?
- Do Shipping Containers Contain Harmful Chemicals?
- Will a Container Home Survive a Storm?
If they are safe to live in, yes. Container homes are generally made of impenetrable materials.
In the past years,we found that shipping container homes are as safe as traditional homes.
If you are willing to pay a little more to purchase and build your home with new shipping container homes,you don’t need to worry about harmful chemicals since you can choose the good container home manufacturers.
However, if you buy a second-hand container house,as we have previously mentioned, it is not always a 100% safe since they could still harbor remnants of dangerous substances from their previous container function.
A good shipping container can load at least 27000kgs products.A great deal of information indicates that, shipping containers are better positioned to withstand hurricanes than many other types of construction.
What Is the Standard Size of a Shipping Container Home
There are two standard sizes when it comes to shipping container homes:8 feet x20 feet covering a surface 0f 160sq.st. and 8 feet x40 feet with a surface of 320 sq. ft.
How Do You Insulate a Shipping Container Home
There are a lot of ways to insulate a shipping container home but they say that the best one would be through foam insulation. But since this is for you to decide, here is a video which you can check out to know the different ways to insulate a shipping container home.
Can You Add a Roof to a Shipping Container Home?
Yes, but it is not required. Adding a roof to a shipping container home is merely preferential. If you do so, note that it has its share of costs depending on the design you want to go for.
How Much Would Shipping Container Homes Cost
The average price range of shipping container homes is in between $10,000-45,000. Price varies in terms of space, dimension, size, number of containers to be joined, finishing, interior features, and others.Contact us if you would like to get an exact price for your designs.
How Long Does A Shipping Container Home Last
According to architectural and engineering reports, a shipping container home lasts at an average of 25 years. It is also said that even in extensive modifications, the longevity of shipping containers is not affected.
Do Shipping Container Homes Rust
It is made of steel, so normally, yes, shipping containers rust. Depending on your location, different climates affect container homes differently. This is the reason why there are different reinforcements available but of course, that would need more money.
Do Shipping Container Homes Hold Value
There are actually debates on this. Mobile shipping container homes are considered to be valueless because the basis for home appraisal would be the land value. Thus, only shipping container homes that are intact on a piece of land hold value, and thereby, may depreciate.
How to Import Container Homes from China
If you think it is time to invest in container homes and you are considering importing one from China, here are the things that you must know. This is quite important given that importing large products from China is more complex than usual, especially if it involves Western countries.
Make Sure The Enterprise Is Registered
The first thing that you must secure is the due registry of the Chinese enterprise you shall transact with. The best proof of registry is their EORI number so make sure that you ask them about this and validate it afterwards. If they fail to give you this basic information, do not engage transactions with them.
Waste Production Regulation
As soon as you have verified the enterprise registration, check if they follow international waste management protocols. For US and EU states, this certification is very important.
You must also note that alongside this are strict packaging requirements for different products. Hence, battery operated products might require other certifications like Battery Directive Certification and WEEE. Check if there are other packaging regulations for container homes.
Verify The Chinese Logistics Counterpart
One important thing to consider is their logistics counterpart. Aside from a detailed contract, they should give you free product samples upon request plus a breakdown of fees before the shipping.
If you do not have time for these specifics, you can always check B2B platforms or sourcing agencies like Foshan to do the job for you.
Shipping from china
There are also a series of inspections before the container homes are shipped. Depending on where they will be shipped, the level of inspection varies. For you to have a heads-up of what documents to prepare, here are some standard requirements:
- Pre-Shipment Inspection
- Container Loading Inspection
- Acceptance Quality Limit (Aql)
Documents Required
There are also a series of inspections before the container homes are shipped. Depending on where they will be shipped, the level of inspection varies. For you to have a heads-up of what documents to prepare, here are some standard requirements:
- Commercial invoice from the Chinese manufacturer
- Contracts for wholesale manufacturers
- Bill of Landing or Sea Waybill
Customs Clearance And Vat
Of course, there are also customs clearances, VAT to be paid and other miscellaneous fees. Depending on your shipping location, these fees may vary. Thus, you also have to check standard fees for your intended shipping location.
Sure, importing products from China involves a lot of work. If you can go through these, well and good.
How to Find the Right Container Home Manufacturers in china
Whatever the type or set-up of the container home you are eyeing for, you need to source them out from reliable manufacturers only. But how can you spot the best ones? In this section, we square out the green flags for you to find the right container home manufacturers.
Can They Customize Your Container Homes?
Container homes are highly customizable. From the frame, the design, the inside features, the theme, everything can be whatever you want them to be. As is the case, you have to know a manufacturer’s capability to customize and to what extent they could customize even on a tight budget.
Domestic or Overseas Container House?
For practicality and less hassle when it comes to shipping, domestic sourced container homes are commendable. Nevertheless, you can find more variety in terms of size, dimensions, designs and features among overseas container homes. They can also be cheaper by the bulk. You may find it cost-effective and multi-choice when buying container houses from Chinese manufacturers.
What is the Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ)?
You would benefit more with manufacturers offering a low MOQ. Thus, the one that could offer you the lowest possible MOQ is the one you should highly consider. Aside from saving time, you can also negotiate with them easier when it comes to supply and price range.As to our experience,almost all Chinese container home manufacturers ask MOQ only one set.Less than one container shipping from China is quite popular.
Can They Provide Container Home Sample?
When it comes to large products like container homes, it is not the whole container home per se that they will send. You can ask for free samples of the materials that they shall use, the small pieces that they will install or a prototype model of the design that you are considering. If they can give you these, that is a manufacturer to consider. Moreover,if you need have big orders,like 100 sets per design,it is necessary to ask factory to produce one full sample house for your confirmation before whole order production.It may take about 3 days to prepare one sample container house if it is urgently needed.
What Are Their Fees and Shipping Costs?
A reliable container home manufacturer should be able to give you a breakdown of the upfront cost of fees and shipping costs. In this sense, the manufacturer that could offer the lowest price range for shipping costs and miscellaneous fees for container homes, check them out immediately.
What Is Their Production Capacity?
Production capacity is a very important factor to consider. A reliable manufacturer can produce at least a million units per year. The number of their distribution lines both domestic and international are also good indicators of stable production capacity.
What Is Their Standard of Quality?
You will find the quality standard of a container home manufacturer on their website. They have online brochures, manuals, and certifications. If they have uploaded these in their online website, they are reliable since they are giving you a chance for quality verification. However,seeing is believing,it is better that you visit the supplier directly or ask Chinese agent to identify.Under on-site inspection,you can have high guarantee when buying from China.
What Other Brands Have They Worked With?
It is also imperative that you get to see the number of brands that they have worked with. This is the prime evidence of their quality standard and reliability. In terms of quality and quantity, this is a validating factor so make sure that you check their collabs with other brands.
Where to Find Reliable Container Home Manufacturers in China
Now that you have an idea as to what factors to consider when it comes to finding the most reliable container home manufacturers in China, it is high time to know where to find them. This saves you time and effort in searching and coming up with a list of which ones you should check out first.
Industry Meetups and Trade Shows
Only the most reliable manufacturers would take the time to set-up industry meet-ups and trade shows for their products. Thus, make the effort to check them out in business expos, pop-up stalls, satellite stalls in industry meet-ups. You may also avail of their free brochures and free prototype checking at malls.
Google Search
A simple Google Search, sometimes, would suffice. Container homes are very popular products nowadays so you can find a lot of reputable manufacturers on the net. If you use Google Search, make sure that you check trust ratings, brand reviews, and customer testimonies in online forums. List the best rated manufacturers and do some verification.
Online Marketplaces
Like in Google Search and actual trade meet-ups, online marketplaces are also gold mines. They work like virtual auction rooms where actual user experiences are exchanged. They can also serve as a product validation site thanks to user experiences.
Sourcing Agent
For your greatest convenience, you can always consider sourcing agent like RJ Freight Forwarder. Thesesourcing agents are helpful not only in facilitating hassle-free and easy shipping but also do the cross-checking, price adjustment and product validation for you.
Top 10 Container Home Manufacturers in China
Below lists the cities and provinces as the major industry regions of China.
- Guangdong
- Zhejiang
- Henan
- Shandong
- Jiangsu
- Shandong
- Hebei
- Shanghai
Sure, there are a multitude of container home manufacturers in China but not all of them could deliver as much as these top container home manufacturers would. In this case, we have listed in this section some of the best and most reliable Chinese container home manufacturers that you should check out.
| Rank | Container Home Manufacturers in China | Main Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Henan K-Home Steel Structure Co., Ltd | Modular buildings manufacturer on-site space solutions |
| 2 | Guangdong C.Box Co., Ltd. | Leading manufacturer of container house in China |
| 3 | Suzhou Tiandi Color Steel Manufacturing Co.,Ltd. | China’s leading professional manufacturers of container houses and prefab houses |
| 4 | Beijing GS Housing Co., Ltd. | Modular housing system service provider and camp construction expert |
| 5 | Shanghai Allstar Industrial Co., Ltd | Specialized in developing and manufacturing all sorts of container houses |
| 6 | Zhejiang Putian Integrated Housing Co., Ltd. | One-stop solution of low-rise prefabricated houses |
| 7 | Guangdong Aishang Guizu Modular House Co., Ltd | Has more than 90 container home branches in China |
| 8 | Suzhou Zhongnan Steel Structure Co., Ltd | Provided 1000 units of container house for FIFA Fan Village in 1 month |
| 9 | Henan Canglong Steel Structure Engineering Co., Ltd | Products have been exported to more than 120 countries in the world |
| 10 | Nantong Huasha Movable House Co.,Ltd. | Global pre-fab structure solution and infrastructure providers |
How We Can Help You Find the Best Container Home Manufacturers
We have already emphasized the convenience of getting the help of sourcing agents for convenience purposes.
Background Check
The most basic step that we thoroughly do for you is a complete background check, not only of the company but also their products and services. All products that make it to our platforms are cross-checked first when it comes to quality, product rating and price range.
Manufacturing Capabilities
Since manufacturing capability is one of the most important factors to consider, we also ensure that this is very much validated. We have our own measurement for this. Thus, through this, we can be sure that your demands are met wherever your shipping location is.
Quality System Auditing
We do not only validate company profiles and products. We also audit contract commitments and company policies of our manufacturer partners. Aside from these, regulatory compliance, standard procedures and operations manuals are also audited.
Best Product Price
As sourcing agents, we also facilitate healthy brand competition. In doing so, we negotiate the best possible price ranges for a win-win solution for our clients and our partner manufacturers.
Negotiation And Contracts
Sourcing agencies capitalize on trust. As such, through our quality mechanisms, we take the time to ensure that all contracts and negotiations are fool-proof and are all legitimate. For this, we have 24/7 customer service for clients and a direct communication system with our partner manufacturers.
Safe Payment
A part of this network of trust is making sure that we only offer safe payment methods for all transactions. Thus, we have set-up various payment methods that are guaranteed to be 100% Everything is also 100% legitimate too. You may also track shipping progress online through online receipts.
Best Logistics Solutions
Since shipping and logistics are the cornerstones of what we do, we offer you the best and most dependable logistics solution. Having been in the industry for a considerable period of time, we have already mastered an efficient logistics solution to make sure that all your shipments arrive at a good condition.
