Sourcing guide · 8 min read
How to import a prefab home, step by step
From deposit to a finished unit on your site, the full sequence, who does what, and where deals go wrong.
Importing a prefab home is a freight-and-paperwork project wrapped around a building. The unit is the easy part; the value is in running the sequence cleanly. Here is the path from first quote to a finished home on your site, and where deals usually slip.
1. Spec and quote
Pin down the model, layout, finish level and quantity, then get a written quote that states Incoterms (almost always FOBa named Chinese port), unit price, lead time, what's included (turnkey vs. shell), and how many units fit per container. Compare quotes on the same Incoterm: an “FOB” price and a “CIF” price are not the same number.
2. Contract and deposit
A typical contract takes a 30% deposit with the balance due before the goods leave the factory. Get the spec sheet, materials, and a production timeline written into the PI (proforma invoice). This is where to agree inspection rights and penalties for late delivery.
3. Production
Lead times run from a couple of weeks for simple expandables to two months-plus for finished modular houses, and stretch around Chinese New Year (late Jan–Feb). Ask for progress photos.
4. Inspection before you pay the balance
Book a third-party inspection (SGS, Intertek, or a local agent) while the unit is still in the factory and before you release the balance. Catching a wrong finish or a failed seal on the factory floor costs nothing; catching it on your site costs a container.
5. Balance, FOB and loading
You pay the balance, the factory trucks the unit to the port and loads it. From the moment it's on the vessel, freight, insurance and risk are yours (that's what FOB means).
6. Ocean freight
Standard units ship in 20ft/40ft containers; oversize units (wide capsules, two-storey builds) need a flat-rack or out-of-gauge slot, which costs more. Use a freight forwarder: they book the vessel, handle the bill of lading, and usually arrange customs too. See what a prefab home really costs for rate ballparks.
7. Customs clearance
Your broker files the entry under HS 9406 (prefabricated buildings), pays the duty and import taxes, and releases the container. Have the commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading and any certificate of origin ready. A cert of origin is what unlocks free-trade-agreement duty relief in markets like Australia. See import duties by country.
8. Delivery and assembly
The container is trucked to site. You'll need a prepared foundation (pad, piers or a slab) and, for most units, a crane or forklift to set them. Expandables unfold in hours; modular volumes are craned and joined in a day or two; flat-pack panels take longer. Then it's local hook-ups: water, power, waste. That is the one part you can't import.
The short version
- Quote on one Incoterm (FOB), in writing.
- 30% deposit, balance after a factory inspection. Never before.
- Forwarder handles freight + customs; you handle the foundation + hook-ups.
- Budget the landed cost, not the FOB price.
Frequently asked questions
How do I buy a prefab house from China?
Shortlist models from vetted factories, request an indicative factory quote (FOB price, lead time, container fit), pay a deposit to start production, arrange a pre-shipment inspection, then book ocean freight to your port. After customs clearance, the unit is trucked to site and assembled. The full cycle typically runs 8 to 16 weeks depending on the model and route.
Is it safe to buy a prefab home from a Chinese factory?
It can be, if you verify the factory (certifications, export history, real production photos), pay against documents rather than blind transfers, and use a third-party pre-shipment inspection. The most common failures are unverified suppliers and units shipped without inspection. Both are avoidable with proper due diligence.
How long does shipping a prefab home take?
Ocean freight is typically 3 to 6 weeks port-to-port depending on the route (for example, China to US West Coast is faster than East Coast or Europe), plus production time before it and customs clearance, trucking and assembly after it.
Do prefab homes from China meet local building codes?
The structure can be engineered to your market (wind/seismic ratings, certified materials), but code compliance and permits are always the buyer's responsibility. Check what your jurisdiction classifies the unit as — dwelling, ADU or temporary structure — before ordering, and ask the factory for engineering documents up front.
Indicative only
Figures here are planning ballparks, freight rates, duty schedules and lead times change. For a firm landed number on a specific model and destination, send a quote request and our sourcing team will confirm with the factory.
Request a quoteMore guides
What a prefab home really costs: FOB to landed
FOB is only the start. Here's how freight, duty and on-site costs stack into the number that actually matters.
Import duties on prefab homes by country
Prefab buildings fall under HS 9406. Indicative duty rates and the gotchas for the US, EU, UK, Australia, Canada and NZ.