For a 2,025 sq ft double-storey 5 Marla Lahore house, Zameen's model updated 9 September 2026 shows PKR 94.92 lakh complete and PKR 57.75 lakh for grey structure. A March 2026 Lahore guide places standard turnkey 5 Marla work at PKR 1.3–1.7 crore. Keep these as separate published models: their covered-area and specification assumptions do not support one PKR 95 lakh–1.70 crore market band.
Estimate the grey-structure portion
Grey structure and complete-house totals
The examples below use different published specifications. The site's calculator estimates the grey shell only; its result does not include a priced finish schedule or the cost of buying land.
Keep three costs separate
| Budget | Typical scope | Does this site calculate it? |
|---|---|---|
| Plot price | Land only, plus transfer and taxes | No |
| Grey structure | Structural shell and agreed rough works | Yes |
| Complete / turnkey | Grey structure plus specified finishes and fixtures | No; use a room-by-room specification and BOQ |
Key assumptions
- Zameen example: 2,025 sq ft, double storey, three bedrooms, four bathrooms, two kitchens, two living rooms and one drawing room.
- Website comparison: the same 2,025 sq ft entered as total covered area, standard quality, Lahore and two storeys.
- The 5 Marla label does not determine area: confirm 225 or 272.25 sq ft per Marla and measure each floor.
Worked grey-structure calculation
Website effective rate = PKR 3,350 × 1.00 Lahore × 1.06 double storey = PKR 3,551/sq ft
Grey estimate = 2,025 × PKR 3,551 = PKR 7,190,775 (PKR 71.91 lakh)
Why complete estimates differ by tens of lakhs
Turnkey prices react to tile allowance, doors and windows, kitchen and wardrobes, sanitary brands, electrical fixtures, paint system, ceiling, elevation, solar readiness, heating or cooling provision and contractor overhead. “A-grade” is not measurable until these items are written down.
| Source/model | Scope | Observed amount |
|---|---|---|
| Zameen, updated 9 Sep | Complete, stated 2,025 sq ft example | PKR 94.92 lakh |
| QualityGhar, 19 Mar | Standard turnkey; about 2,000 sq ft | PKR 1.3–1.7 crore |
| This site | Grey structure only; illustrative 2,025 sq ft input | PKR 71.91 lakh |
Scope matrix before comparing totals
| Item | Zameen complete model | QualityGhar turnkey guide | GreyStructureCalc model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Covered area | 2,025 sq ft | About 2,000 sq ft | 2,025 sq ft input |
| Foundation through plaster | Included through its grey component | Included | Intended core shell; no line-item BOQ |
| Rough electrical and plumbing | Included and itemized in the grey component | Turnkey description includes electrical and plumbing | Conditional on the project quotation |
| Doors, windows, flooring, paint, kitchen and bathroom finishes | Included to the model's stated specification | Included to the guide's stated standard specification | Excluded |
| Waterproofing, termite work and tanks | Some grey items are itemized; verify the exact complete-model schedule | Not fully normalized in the cited summary | No separate allocation |
| Taxes, approvals, utilities and external works | Not established as a common included package | Not established as a common included package | Excluded unless a project quotation says otherwise |
The Zameen and QualityGhar totals answer different complete-house specifications, while this site's output answers only an illustrative grey-shell question.
Budgeting checklist
- Freeze the approved plan and floor-by-floor covered area.
- Write a finish schedule with brand, model or allowance for every visible item.
- Price grey structure, finishes, design/approval, utilities and contingency separately.
- Ask whether tax, contractor fee, escalation and debris removal are included.
- Keep a contingency based on project risk; do not hide it inside a rate.
Do not use the grey calculator as a turnkey quote
The site's formula covers only the stated grey-structure rate. Adding an arbitrary percentage for finishing can be misleading because finish selections are not proportional to shell cost.
How a few finish choices add PKR 5 lakh
Use quantities and product allowances to understand a turnkey change. The following invented upgrades illustrate the method; the quantities are not a material schedule for every 5 Marla house.
| Change | Measured allowance | Extra amount |
|---|---|---|
| Floor-finish allowance increases PKR 150/sq ft | 1,200 sq ft | PKR 180,000 |
| Bathroom fixture allowance increases PKR 50,000 each | 4 bathrooms | PKR 200,000 |
| Window allowance increases PKR 400/sq ft | 300 sq ft | PKR 120,000 |
| Total allowance change | Before any separately charged fixing, freight or tax difference | PKR 500,000 / 5 lakh |
The building's covered area has not changed, but its budget has. Confirm whether each allowance covers supply alone or installed work. Also write down the credited amount if the owner supplies an item, and how unused allowances are settled.
Write down what “ready to live in” means
Walk through the plan room by room. For a bathroom, record the selected fixtures, taps, accessories and finishes. For a kitchen, record cabinetry dimensions, worktop, sink and any included appliances. For windows, specify the system, glazing, hardware and installation scope. A product schedule makes an offer easier to check than a quality label.
Then price items outside the rooms: gate and boundary work, external drains, water storage, utility connections, and any solar or cooling equipment you expect at handover. Some may be in the contractor's total and others may be owner purchases. Every item needs one budget home, not two.
Turn the budget into a payment plan
Separate the contracted shell, contracted finishes, owner purchases, professional and approval costs, and reserve for unresolved work. Link payments to the agreed progress and evidence in the contract. A large advance and a low headline total answer different questions: one concerns cash exposure, the other price.
Do not estimate finishing by subtracting this site's grey model from another publisher's complete-house figure. Unless the area and specification match, the remainder mixes two assumptions and has no dependable scope.
Questions people ask
How much will it cost to build a 5-Marla house in Lahore in 2026?
Two published sources show PKR 94.92 lakh for one stated 2,025 sq ft complete-house model and PKR 1.3–1.7 crore for a roughly 2,000 sq ft standard-turnkey guide. Because the specifications are not normalized, these are separate models rather than one market range.
How much is the grey structure only?
Zameen's 2,025 sq ft example is PKR 57.75 lakh; this site's illustrative standard model for the same area is PKR 71.91 lakh.
Is the plot included?
No. Land, transfer, taxes, design, approvals and many utility costs are outside construction unless explicitly added.
Can I estimate finishing by subtracting any grey cost from a turnkey total?
No. The area, specification and included work must match first. Build a finish schedule with quantities and supply-or-installation allowances; subtracting unrelated models produces an unreliable remainder.
Sources and limitations
- Zameen — 5 Marla complete construction cost, LahoreObserved 17 September 2026; source says prices updated 9 September 2026. It shows 2,025 sq ft and PKR 94.92 lakh for its stated specification.
- Zameen — 5 Marla grey construction cost, LahoreObserved 17 September 2026; source says prices updated 9 September 2026. It shows 2,025 sq ft, PKR 57.75 lakh and PKR 2,852/sq ft.
- QualityGhar — Lahore house construction cost guidePublished 19 March 2026; reports PKR 3,000–3,600/sq ft grey and PKR 6,500–8,500/sq ft standard turnkey, with a 5 Marla turnkey example of PKR 1.3–1.7 crore.
- Lahore Development Authority — building regulations and formsOfficial local-rule context. Coverage, setbacks, parking and permitted floors must be checked for the particular plot and society.
Prices are observations or published estimates, not guaranteed transaction values or quotations. Source scope and dates are stated so a reviewer can repeat the check.