Tiles for builders and contractors, including tiles for residential projects, are bought against a bill of quantities, delivered in phases and judged on consistency. The tile supplier for projects must hold the same shade and calibre from the first apartment to the last, deliver on time, and supply spare stock later.
A project buyer's main risk is not price. It is a mid-project shade change that leaves two floors that do not match.
How do you plan project volumes?
Start from the architect's schedule: each tile type, size and area, with a wastage allowance for cutting, usually a percentage added to the net area. Add a spare quantity for future repairs. Then group the order by container and by phase, so each phase is a whole number of full containers where possible. Square metres in a 20ft container helps with the maths.
Ask the factory how many square metres it can hold in one production run, since the size of a single batch sets how much you can order in one shade.
How do you keep shade consistent across phases?
Tiles from different production runs can differ slightly in shade and size. Control this in three ways. Order as much as possible in one run. Insist on one shade and one calibre per shipment, as explained in one shade, one calibre per shipment. Record the batch code of every delivery so the site team can check it against the previous one before laying.
If later phases must match earlier ones, hold a sealed reference sample from the first delivery and compare. Keeping spare tile stock in the same shade covers the spare-stock side.
What should a supply agreement cover?
For multi-phase projects, a written agreement avoids disputes:
- The tile specification, tolerances, test standards and the grade being supplied.
- A delivery schedule, with agreed lead times for each phase.
- Batch and shade controls, including reference samples and how mismatches are handled.
- Reorder terms, including how long the factory will hold the design and the shade.
- Payment terms linked to milestones, and a claim window.
How do you handle lead time risk?
Construction sites do not wait for tiles. Agree a buffer between production, shipping and the site date, and plan for factory shutdowns and fuel disruption; see planning around Morbi shutdowns. Consider a long-term agreement to secure capacity, as set out in the long-term tile supply agreement.
How should you handle site problems?
Agree a clear process before delivery. The site team checks each pallet against the delivery note, opens a sample of boxes, and records any breakage or shade mismatch with photographs the same day. Do not lay tiles from a disputed batch until the claim is resolved. Keep the contract claim window in mind and send your notice quickly. Builders value a supplier who responds to a site call within a day, so name one contact on your side and one at the factory or inspection partner who can confirm batch details.
Next step
Project buying rewards a supplier who controls batches. We find and audit manufacturers, supervise production and loading, and check documents and samples on each phase. Book a free sourcing review with your project schedule.