A vitrified tiles price per sq ft, an Indian tiles price per sqm and a tiles price in USD per sqm can describe the same quote, written in different units. Domestic Indian trade quotes per square foot or per box; export buyers usually think per square metre or per container. We do not publish prices, because they change and depend on your spec, but we can show you how to read a quote.
The first step in comparing quotes is to put them all in the same unit.
How do you convert between sq ft, sqm and boxes?
One square metre is about 10.76 square feet. To move from a per-sq-ft quote to a per-sqm quote, multiply the per-sq-ft figure by 10.76. To move the other way, divide.
A box quote needs the box coverage. Coverage is the number of square metres or square feet in one carton, which depends on size and the number of tiles per box, as listed in how many tiles are in one box for each size. Divide the box rate by the coverage to get a per-area figure. Always ask the factory to state the coverage, not just the piece count.
What is a quote built from?
A factory builds its quote from the cost of the body and glaze, firing fuel, print and finish, grading, packing, and its own margin. What decides the price of GVT and PGVT tiles and what affects tile prices explain each driver.
Grade matters as much as anything. A quote for first-grade tiles and a quote for mixed grades are different products, even if the size and design match.
What traps make quotes look cheaper than they are?
Check these before you read the number:
- Different grades or sorting standards behind the same product name.
- Different thickness or box weight, which changes both strength and freight.
- A rate quoted per piece or per box, with the area per box left unstated.
- Different Incoterms, for example FOB on one quote and CIF on another.
- Missing packing, marking or pallet costs that appear later.
- An expired validity date.
How should you ask for a quote you can compare?
Ask every factory to quote the same specification in one unit, with coverage per box, grade, thickness, packing, Incoterm and validity written on the quote. Then check the container loading: how many square metres fit in a container, covered in square metres of tiles in a 20 ft container.
A real quote comes from a sourcing review on your actual design list, not from a rate card.
How do you check a conversion on a quote?
Take a box of known coverage, divide the box rate by the coverage to get a per-area rate, then convert units. Do the same for each factory, in a spreadsheet with the same columns, so you can see any difference in grade, thickness or packing alongside the number.
Be careful with rounding. A tile quoted at a rounded box coverage can hide a difference once you multiply by thousands of boxes. Ask for the coverage to two decimal places and confirm it against the packing list.
Next step
We collect written quotes from audited plants and convert them into one unit so you compare like with like. Book a free sourcing review and send your specification.