When it comes to home renovations, homeowners are always on the lookout for budget-conscious purchases that don’t sacrifice style. Instead of sourcing locally, Taobao is an increasingly popular source of materials straight from China, often at a fraction of the cost.
Stephanie (@stefaloos on TikTok) did just that, sourcing sintered stone countertops for her new home from Taobao. She even flew to Foshan with her partner to pick out the stones personally—a decision that saved them around $10,000 for their home’s countertops.
Buying a countertop in China vs Singapore: 95% in savings
Image adapted from: @stefaloos on TikTok
While searching for sintered stones, Stephanie realised a huge price gap between shopping locally and on Taobao. From China, a whole stone slab measuring around 1.2m x 2.7m costs $75, while a foot run (~30.5cm) would cost $180-$200 in Singapore. After doing the math, they would enjoy 95% savings from the base materials alone.
Beyond price, the factories in China offered a wider variety of designs, which became the main reason for their purchase. After extensive research, she discovered that many stone slabs sold locally were the same ones imported from China with a markup.
As the countertops were meant to last for the next 15 years, Stephanie and her partner travelled to Foshan to select the stones in person and check the supplier’s legitimacy. She commented, “The small samples were helpful, but most sintered stone designs don’t really show up properly on tiny pieces—you have to see and feel the big slabs in person.”
Travelling to China to see the physical product
@stefaloos would you buy sintered stones from china 🇨🇳 ? #sgrenovation #sgreno #hdbrenovation #fyp #sg #sgfyp #sinteredstone #kitchendesign #diy
The entire process
1. Researching suppliers & travelling to Foshan
Stephanie and her partner searched extensively on Xiaohongshu and Taobao for the right supplier, getting hands-on to compare reviews and find reliable suppliers. After identifying the supplier, they flew to Foshan to view the slabs in the factory’s showroom for peace of mind.
2. Samples & matching
After bringing home samples, she matched them with the selected laminates to find the stones that worked best with their home theme.
3. Measurements & cutting
Image credit: Stephanie
With measurements from their carpenter, they told the factory in China exactly how to cut each slab for optimal use. Their carpenter and the factory team in China also advised on the selection of stone cuts and how to tweak the carpentry to fit the countertop with the mitered joints. A 3–5cm allowance was added on each side to create a buffer for any chips during shipping and account for any wall irregularities.
4. Shipping & installation
Once cut, the slabs were delivered by a third-party logistics company. Considering the precarious nature of international shipping, this stage was the most stressful part of the entire process. Thankfully, they planned for potential chips at the previous stage—20% of the slabs arrived with small chips along the edges.
They even measured and rendered the lift dimensions to ensure that the stone slabs could fit, since oversized sintered stones from local suppliers could also get stuck in the lift.
During installation, one small regret was starting with standard powder grout. They later upgraded to epoxy grout for around $500+, which Stephanie says was well worth it for improved durability and quality.
Saving a total of $9,900
Image credit: @stefaloos on Tiktok
Compared to her ID’s initial quote, they saved about $10,000 by skipping local suppliers. In hindsight, Stephanie believes the savings were likely even greater.
Going direct to China also freed up the budget to upgrade their countertop designs, including a matching backsplash, mitered edge joints, and even a waterfall design. The stones were used across the home, in areas such as the dry pantry, kitchen, and laundry area.
As part of the delivery costs, they paid $300 to ship the stones from China to Singapore, and an additional $400 for a larger truck delivery in Singapore, which took two hours to unload and move upstairs.
Tips for homeowners considering buying sintered stone from Taobao
@stefaloos our third part logistics company was damn plug bro 🔌 #sgreno #sgrenovation #hdbrenovation #sgfyp #fyp #diy #diyproject #plswatchimbroke #plswatch #sinteredstone #kitchendesign
For anyone tempted to DIY their countertops, Stephanie shared a list of practical tips for other homeowners who are thinking of a similar purchase:
- Don’t stress about origins: most slabs sold in Singapore are likely from similar sources in China.
- Find the right installer: look for carpenters and contractors familiar with sintered stone cutting; some Taobao suppliers have local contacts you can tap on.
- Plan ahead: Cutting and shipping can take over a month, so align carpentry works with the stone’s arrival.
- Don’t forget the details: if you’re choosing mitered joint, inform your carpenter about the thickness of your chosen stone, ensuring that they leave the right allowances.
Buying a sintered stone countertop from Taobao
Sourcing sintered stones from overseas might sound intimidating, with lots of hands-on involvement required, but Stephanie’s experience proves it can pay off with proper planning and huge savings.
For homeowners looking to elevate their home reno without breaking the bank, this is a route worth considering. Other than the huge savings, seeing it all come together yourself makes the result even more rewarding.
For more articles on Taobao shopping:
- 7 best Taobao third-party forwarders that won’t ghost you
- 5 designer-inspired chairs you can find on Taobao without the hefty price tag
- 11 best no-regret Taobao buys as told by Singaporeans
Cover image adapted from: @stefaloos on TikTok
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