Ériu Modular Homes · Factory Visit Programme
See Your Home Built.
Before You Commit a Cent.
A 3-day guided visit to the factories that will build your unit. You walk the production floor, shake hands with the engineer, choose your finishes — and the entire trip cost is credited against your order.
Why the Factory Visit Changes Everything
Buying a modular home is a significant financial decision. Most buyers sign contracts based on renders, spec sheets, and promises. The clients who visit the factory make faster decisions, fewer change-order requests, and have more confidence throughout the build.
You See the Actual Build Quality
Walk the production floor while units similar to yours are being assembled. Inspect weld quality on the steel frame, check insulation panel thickness, examine window seals and roof drainage — not from a photo, but in your hand.
Spec Sign-Off at the Source
Change requests are free before production starts. After the first cut of steel, they cost time and money. Meeting the factory engineer on-site and signing off your exact specification eliminates the most common cause of delivery disappointment.
You Choose Your Finishes In Person
Floor tiles, wall cladding, window frame colour, bathroom fittings — see the physical samples, not a colour code on a PDF. On Day 3 we can visit finishing material suppliers in the same region to extend your options further.
The Factory Knows You
A client who has walked your floor gets different treatment. Questions are answered faster. Production updates are more reliable. When a shipping window tightens, your order is the one the factory prioritises.
Compare 2–3 Factories Side by Side
We select your itinerary from our vetted Henan supplier network based on your unit type and budget. You see multiple production environments in the same trip and can make a supplier decision based on direct observation.
The Cost Is Zero on Confirmation
The €1,800 programme fee is credited in full against your deposit. Bring a second person — their fee is also credited. If you come with your architect and a local builder, three sets of critical professional eyes are on the factory floor, all credited.
The Three-Day Programme
All in-China logistics are included. International flights from Ireland to Zhengzhou (CGO) are arranged separately — typically €650–€950 return via major hubs.
Day 1 — Arrival & Briefing · Zhengzhou
- Airport transfer from Zhengzhou Xinzheng International (CGO) to hotel
- Check-in at central Zhengzhou (4-star, twin-room option available)
- Evening briefing with Noel Murphy: factory itinerary, spec review, what to look for
- Dinner at a local restaurant — no factory visits on Day 1
Flight recommendation: morning departure from Dublin (DUB) via Amsterdam (AMS) or Frankfurt (FRA) arrives Zhengzhou same evening or following morning. We can advise on routing once you register.
Day 2 — Primary Factory · Full Day
- Depart hotel 08:30 — factory typically 45–90 mins outside Zhengzhou city
- Production floor walk with factory QC manager (2 hrs)
- Steel frame fabrication area: inspect weld quality and galvanisation
- Insulation panel station: check EPS/PU thickness and compression rating
- Window and door installation bay: seal quality and hardware review
- Spec sign-off session with factory engineer — your exact layout confirmed in writing
- Finish selection: flooring, wall panels, roof profile, window colour
- Lunch on-site with factory management
- Afternoon: completed unit inspection (walk through a finished unit if available)
- Return to Zhengzhou by 18:00
Day 3 — Secondary Factory · Morning + Options
- Second factory visit (morning, 3–4 hrs): comparable or complementary manufacturer
- Side-by-side build quality comparison from direct observation
- Supplier selection discussion with Noel on the return journey
- Option A: Afternoon free in Zhengzhou — depart Day 4 morning
- Option B: Afternoon train to Shenzhen finishing materials market (tiles, sanitary ware, fixtures) — adds one night, depart Day 5
- Option C: Extend stay for additional supplier meetings or a third factory
Most clients choose Option A or B. The Shenzhen extension adds €200–€350 in additional accommodation and rail but gives access to the largest building materials market in China.
What's Covered by the €1,800 Programme Fee
Included
- Airport transfers (arrival and departure)
- Hotel accommodation — 3 nights, central Zhengzhou
- All factory transportation (minibus)
- Full-time Mandarin interpretation throughout
- Meals on factory days (lunch + factory dinner Day 1)
- Spec sign-off documentation (English and Chinese)
- Factory due-diligence report after visit
- Post-visit supplier recommendation memo
- 90-day credit window against your order deposit
Not Included
- International flights (Dublin or Cork to Zhengzhou CGO)
- Travel insurance (required — arrange before departure)
- Chinese visa — only if you extend your stay beyond 30 days (visa-free entry covers the visit itself)
- Personal meals outside factory days
- Optional Shenzhen extension (approx. €200–€350 additional)
- Any purchasing at factories or markets
Who the Visit Is For
The factory visit is designed for serious buyers at the decision stage — people who have already shortlisted Ériu Modular Homes as a supplier and want to remove the last uncertainty before committing to a deposit.
It is particularly valuable for:
- Homeowners planning a back-garden unit — the €1,800 credit against a €40k–€80k purchase represents 2–4% of total cost for complete confidence in what you're buying
- Developers ordering 2+ units — factory relationship and spec alignment at this stage prevents expensive change orders across multiple units
- Architects and project managers — technical sign-off on-site removes liability exposure and gives direct access to factory engineering team
- Investors adding a rental unit — seeing the build quality first-hand makes the yield calculation real rather than theoretical
The visit is optional. The majority of our clients will order without visiting. But for every client who does visit, the transaction completes faster, with fewer queries, and with higher satisfaction at delivery.
Your guide in Henan
Zhengzhou Has Been My Office Since 2008
I moved to Zhengzhou in 2008 to work directly with Chinese manufacturers. Over 16 years I have built relationships with factory owners, QC managers, and freight partners across Henan Province — the same province that produces most of China's expandable container homes.
When you visit with Ériu, you are not being guided by a tour operator. You are walking factory floors with someone who knows the production manager by name, who has seen the factory's best work and its worst, and who will tell you honestly which supplier is right for your project.
I do not represent any factory. I represent the client — you. That is what sourcing agents do.
— Noel Murphy, Founder · Ériu Sourcing · Based in Zhengzhou since 2008Why Henan Province?
Henan Province is China's primary manufacturing hub for expandable container homes and modular steel-frame structures. The concentration of specialised manufacturers, steel suppliers, insulation panel producers, and component fabricators in one region creates a supply chain that produces cost advantages not replicable elsewhere in China — or anywhere in Europe.
The factories on our approved list have all:
- Held ISO 9001 quality management certification for ≥ 3 years
- Exported completed units to at least one EU country
- Passed our in-person due-diligence audit (production capacity, workforce stability, financial health indicators)
- Provided reference contacts from prior European clients
We do not work with every factory in Henan. We work with the subset whose quality, communication, and export compliance standards meet the bar for Irish construction projects.
Henan Modular Manufacturing — Key Facts
- Province population
- 99 million — largest in China by population
- Central China logistics hub
- Rail connection to Qingdao and Tianjin ports (3–4 days to port)
- Steel availability
- Multiple integrated steel mills within 200km — lower input cost vs coastal factories
- Expandable home manufacturers
- 40+ active manufacturers in the Zhengzhou–Xinxiang–Kaifeng corridor
- EU export experience
- Established shipping routes to Germany, Netherlands, UK — CE-certified components available
Register Your Interest
Factory visit dates are arranged around client availability — there is no fixed group departure. Fill in the form below and we will discuss your project timeline, unit requirements, and proposed travel dates.
There is no commitment required at this stage. We will send you a full programme outline including recommended flight routes, current China entry requirements, and factory shortlist once we understand your project brief.
Register Factory Visit InterestOr call to discuss: contact us for our number
Factory Visit — Frequently Asked Questions
Last reviewed: May 2026
How much does the factory visit cost?
The programme fee is €1,800 per person. This covers all in-China logistics: airport transfers, accommodation for 3 nights, factory transportation, meals during factory days, and translation. International flights from Ireland to Zhengzhou are arranged separately. The full €1,800 is credited against your confirmed order.
Is the €1,800 really fully credited against my order?
Yes, 100%. When you place a confirmed order within 90 days of completing the visit, the €1,800 programme fee is deducted from your first deposit. If you bring a second person, their €1,800 is also credited. The credit does not expire if a project timeline shifts — we simply carry it to the deposit stage whenever you're ready.
Which factories will I visit?
We select 2–3 factories from our vetted Henan supplier network based on your unit type, budget, and lead-time requirements. All factories on the itinerary manufacture expandable container homes or modular steel-frame units, hold ISO 9001 certification, and have exported to Europe. You will see at minimum one factory currently in active production.
Do I need to speak Mandarin?
No. Noel Murphy or a senior Ériu team member accompanies you throughout as resident interpreter and sourcing advisor. All factory meetings are conducted in Mandarin on your behalf. Written spec sheets and contracts are translated into English before signing.
Can I visit with a partner, architect, or builder?
Yes. Additional participants are welcome at the same €1,800 per person rate, each credit applicable to the same order. Many clients bring a spouse, a local builder for technical sign-off, or a project manager. The more eyes on the factory floor at spec stage, the fewer change orders during production.
What is the lead time after the factory visit?
Production lead time after deposit is 14–18 weeks for standard expandable models (20FT, 30FT, 40FT). Custom configurations or the 700Wide series may extend to 20 weeks. Sea freight from Zhengzhou port to Ireland (via rail to Qingdao or Tianjin, then vessel to Dublin or Cork) adds approximately 5–6 weeks. Total Ireland delivery: 19–24 weeks from deposit.
What if I visit but decide not to order?
There is no obligation to order. The €1,800 programme fee covers the cost of the visit itself — logistics, accommodation, translation, and our time. If you decide the product is not right for your project, you have lost nothing except the programme fee and the cost of your flights. Most clients find that seeing the factory and meeting the production team resolves the doubts that were stopping them from committing.
Do I need a visa to visit the factory in China?
For most clients, no. China's visa-free policy currently lets Irish passport holders — and ordinary passport holders from most EU countries — enter for up to 30 days for business or tourism with no visa required. The 3-day factory visit sits well inside that window: you travel on a valid passport, with no application, no fee and no Visa Application Centre appointment. The visa-free arrangement is a Chinese government measure that has been extended several times, so we confirm the current entry requirements with you before you book. If you intend to stay in China beyond 30 days, a business visa is still required — we provide a supporting letter confirming the purpose of your visit for that application.