What to Send Us: From FF&E Schedule to Quotation

A practical FF&E intake checklist for a comparable China furniture quotation: item schedule, drawings, finishes, approvals and destination.

An FF&E schedule is a useful starting point for a furniture quotation, but a line reading “guestroom chair, 120 pieces” cannot establish the construction, finish or approval reference. The project team can send an incomplete package: mark each open decision clearly so it can be resolved before prices are treated as comparable. This page sets out the information FBM Furniture asks for when reviewing a commercial furniture package from China.

Start with the latest item schedule, drawings and finish references. State the destination and how goods will be received. If an answer is still pending, write “pending” beside the item code. That is more useful than a guessed dimension or a generic certificate request.

1. Give every item a stable reference

Use one item code for one defined product variation. A dining chair in two fabrics should either have two codes or a finish matrix that maps each fabric to a room and quantity. List the intended room, quantity, unit, dimensions, drawing reference and revision date. Separate supply quantity from spare quantity if the latter is requested. A coded schedule lets drawings, material samples, packaging labels and quotations refer to the same item.

For repeat rooms, add a room type and a count of rooms. If the same-looking wardrobe differs between corner and standard rooms, make the difference explicit. A quotation based on one typical elevation may miss changes in depth, door swing or wall interface across the building.

Field	What to record	Why it matters
Item code and revision	CH-01, revision date	Keeps drawings and prices aligned
Location and quantity	Room type, area, count	Separates repeated and exceptional items
Size and drawing	Dimensioned reference or pending flag	Defines construction and fit
Finish	Approved reference or proposal requested	Prevents a generic finish allowance
Evidence	Project-specified reports, if any	Links requirements to the proposed item

The codes in this table illustrate a format; they are not a real project schedule. Your team should provide the project’s actual item names, quantities and approval record.

2. Attach the drawings that control price

For loose furniture, show overall size, critical clearances and relevant construction details. A photograph explains design intent but cannot settle the frame, upholstery build-up, leg fixing or exact size. For fitted furniture, attach plans and elevations and identify the wall, floor and ceiling interfaces. Note who measures the finished site, who prepares shop drawings and who installs the product. These boundaries affect what a supplier can price.

If the available drawing is conceptual, label it accordingly. We can identify the details needed for a production drawing, but a quotation against concept material should carry its assumptions and exclusions. Do not quietly treat a concept image as a fabrication approval. A revision register should record which drawing version each quoted line uses.

3. Describe materials and finish approvals

List the material family, exposed finish, colour reference and hardware for each item where specified. For upholstery, identify the cover material and any approved swatch; for casegoods, identify the face material, edge treatment and handle; for metalwork, identify the finish and visible joint treatment. If the designer wants alternatives, say which attributes may change and which must remain fixed.

Record the approval sequence. A finish chip can approve colour or texture, while a shop drawing approves dimensions and interfaces. A full-size sample can be useful where the team must assess comfort, movement, cleaning access or visual proportions. The supplier should identify any substitution by item code and resubmit the changed reference for approval.

4. Tell us the destination and receiving conditions

Provide destination country, project type, site receiving plan and packing preference. Identify the applicable product evidence in the project specification, including the model and configuration to which it must apply. Requirements vary by destination and use; a certificate for another item or material assembly should not be copied onto this schedule. The design or compliance team should make the final applicability decision.

For delivery planning, specify whether goods are received as assembled units, flat packs or marked components. State any loading-dock restrictions, room-by-room allocation or carton-label scheme that is known. These details help the quotation describe packing and handling consistently; they are not a promised freight schedule.

5. Mark open questions before requesting comparison

An incomplete FF&E schedule is workable if gaps are visible. A useful “open items” column can distinguish buyer decision pending, drawing pending, sample pending and supplier proposal requested. Send the latest package together rather than scattering later revisions across unrelated email threads. A single dated issue list helps everyone know which basis was priced.

Before comparing quotations, check that each one repeats the item code, revision, product description, unit and quantity. Record deviations next to the relevant line. An apparently lower price may reflect a changed material, omitted hardware or different packing. The comparison should show those differences in plain language.

How FBM Furniture reviews the package

A clear package also helps clarify scope ownership. Identify whether the buyer provides the design, whether the factory develops shop drawings from that design, and who checks measurements before production. For a fitted item, list the site dimensions that must be confirmed after finishes are installed. For a loose item, state whether assembly is done before packing or at the receiving site. These are project-specific choices; there is no safe universal assumption.

Keep a small decision log beside the schedule. One column can hold the date a finish was approved; another can identify an unresolved technical query. If the team changes a finish or dimension, revise the affected line and its drawing reference together. That way, a later quotation can show the impact of the change without relying on someone’s memory of an earlier email.

When a line is repeated at volume, ask what must be consistent across units and what may vary. The approved sample can act as a benchmark only for the defined construction and finish. Packing labels and inspection records should use the same item codes, so the project can trace a problem to the right product line.

We first sort the schedule by product family and identify the details that drive construction or pricing. We then clarify drawing and material gaps, route relevant lines to sources for comparable quotations, and bring proposed changes back against the item codes. A project may involve seating, tables, casegoods, fixed joinery and office products; each requires its own technical questions. This is a procurement workflow, not a claim that one factory makes every item.

FBM Furniture is the furniture-focused site of FBM Sourcing, a Guangzhou-based China sourcing and project procurement service. For suppliers you nominate, we charge a 5% commission; for products we source for you, we quote a direct price. All quotations, invoices and shipping documents are issued by FBM Sourcing — you deal with us, and we carry the responsibility.

For a broader project package that combines furniture with building materials, see FBM Sourcing’s project procurement page. If your package is furniture only, use the contact link below.

Quick check before sending

• Latest dated FF&E schedule with stable item codes and quantities
• Plans, elevations or sketches with drawing revision numbers
• Material and finish references, including “pending” labels
• Destination and project-specific evidence requirements
• Sample and shop-drawing approval responsibilities
• Receiving, packing and item-label information already known

Frequently asked questions

Can we send an incomplete FF&E schedule?

Yes. Mark unknown dimensions, finishes and approvals as pending. We can list the decisions required before a reliable comparison can be made.

Can an inspiration image replace a drawing?

It can show appearance. The team still needs dimensions, construction and interfaces for a controlled quotation and production review.

Should we send the applicable standards?

Send the project specification and identify who decides applicability. Any supplier report should match the proposed product or material configuration.

How should we manage revised quantities?

Issue a dated schedule revision. The quotation should state which revision it follows and identify changed item codes.

Can one package cover both loose and fitted furniture?

Yes. Separate those lines in the schedule and provide installation and site-measurement responsibilities for fitted work.

WhatsApp us