There is no single official grey-structure rate for Pakistan. A Lahore Zameen model publishes PKR 2,852/sq ft for one 5 Marla specification, QualityGhar publishes a PKR 3,000–3,600/sq ft guide band, and this site's illustrative Lahore model uses PKR 3,551/sq ft for the stated two-storey assumptions. These are different-scope references, not one national market range.
Calculate from your covered area
What this estimate covers
The worked example is a two-storey Lahore shell with no basement. Its PKR 3,551/sq ft rate is a calculator assumption, not a Pakistan-wide market average. Other cities and specifications need a local quotation.
Key assumptions
- Example plot: 5 Marla at 225 sq ft per Marla = 1,125 sq ft.
- Planning coverage: 75% per floor; two storeys.
- Total covered area: 1,125 × 75% × 2 = 1,687.5 sq ft.
- Website model: standard quality, Lahore, double-storey factor; effective illustrative rate PKR 3,551/sq ft.
Area convention: 225 sq ft is common in many schemes, while 272.25 sq ft is the traditional Marla. Read the land document and calculate the floors; land area is not automatically constructed area.
Worked calculation
The website calculator follows one auditable rule:
Estimated grey-structure cost = total covered construction area × applicable cost per square foot
Plot area = 5 × 225 = 1,125 sq ft
Covered area = 1,125 × 0.75 × 2 = 1,687.5 sq ft
Estimate = 1,687.5 × PKR 3,551 = PKR 5,992,313 (about PKR 59.92 lakh)
What the dated evidence says
| Evidence | Date / scope | Observed amount |
|---|---|---|
| Zameen 5 Marla Lahore example | Updated 9 Sep 2026; 2,025 sq ft | PKR 57.75 lakh; PKR 2,852/sq ft |
| QualityGhar Lahore guide | 19 Mar 2026; stated grey-structure band | PKR 3,000–3,600/sq ft |
| This website model | Illustrative standard Lahore, two storeys | PKR 3,551/sq ft |
These are not interchangeable quotations. Differences can reflect area, structural design, specification and inclusions.
Inclusion evidence behind the rates
| Work item | Zameen 5 Marla model | QualityGhar grey guide | GreyStructureCalc model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation, RCC, brickwork, roof and plaster | Explicitly included | Explicitly included | Intended core shell; no line-item BOQ |
| Rough plumbing and electrical | Explicitly included and itemized | Not named in the cited grey-scope summary | Conditional on the project quotation |
| Waterproofing, termite work and tanks | Combined roof-insulation/termite/waterproofing item is disclosed; full tank scope is not established | Not established by the cited summary | No separate allocation |
| Labour, taxes and external works | Labour is itemized; taxes and external works are not established | Not normalized in this comparison | Labour is not split; taxes and external works are not established |
Normalize all of these rows before treating two rates as a defensible project range.
Set a written grey-structure boundary
A useful Pakistan-wide definition starts with excavation, foundations, RCC frame or slabs, masonry and agreed plaster. It may also include concealed conduits and rough plumbing, but only where the quotation names them. Record labour, plant, transport, wastage, contractor overhead and tax instead of assuming they sit inside “per sq ft”.
Keep finishing and site extras outside the shell rate
Land, design approvals, soil investigation, abnormal foundations, basement, boundary wall and utility connections need separate lines unless included. Tiles, paint, doors, windows, cabinetry, sanitary fittings, lights and switches are finishing items.
National quotation checklist
- Issue one drawing revision and covered-area schedule to all bidders.
- Ask for a measurable specification for cement, saria, masonry, concrete and testing.
- Separate labour-only from material-and-labour offers.
- Reconcile stairs, mumty, tanks, porch, plaster and service rough-ins.
- Compare total exclusions and commercial terms before comparing rates.
Use a local all-in rate once
The built-in figures demonstrate the method. A dated custom rate already reflecting the city and project should be entered directly; the calculator does not add its city or storey factors again.
What changes the local result
- City logistics, labour availability and supplier distance.
- Soil, excavation depth, basement or retaining requirements.
- Structural spans, storeys, seismic design and concrete placement method.
- Whether the quote includes plaster, tanks, waterproofing, boundary wall and service rough-ins.
A cheaper rate can produce the dearer contract
Consider two invented quotations for the same 1,800 sq ft house. These figures show the comparison method; they are not offers from contractors.
| Budget line | Offer A | Offer B |
|---|---|---|
| Headline shell amount | 1,800 × PKR 3,400 = PKR 61.20 lakh | 1,800 × PKR 3,650 = PKR 65.70 lakh |
| Matching rough-service work | Add PKR 4.50 lakh | Included |
| Matching delivery and unloading | Add PKR 1.20 lakh | Included |
| Comparable subtotal | PKR 66.90 lakh | PKR 65.70 lakh |
Offer A starts PKR 250/sq ft lower, yet costs PKR 1.20 lakh more after the two missing items are added. Taxes, payment terms and other exclusions still need to match. Request a revised written offer after resolving omissions; a spreadsheet adjustment is not a contractor's commitment.
Separate an area change from a rate change
At a fixed PKR 3,551/sq ft, another 100 sq ft adds PKR 355,100 to the example budget. At a fixed 1,687.5 sq ft, a PKR 100/sq ft rate increase adds PKR 168,750. This distinction is useful when a drawing revision and a supplier increase arrive together: record each change once, with the reason and date.
Once drawings are available, ask for a bill of quantities (BOQ), which lists measurable work and its price. It can reveal whether a large span, deeper foundation or extra bathroom is driving the cost. An area rate is a starting estimate; it cannot show those quantities.
When to refresh the estimate
Refresh the working budget when the floor schedule, specification or quotation validity changes. Keep the previous revision beside the new one, record which supplier or contractor supplied each rate, and state whether delivery and tax are included. A new publication date alone does not make an old rate current.
Questions people ask
How much does gray structure cost in Pakistan?
There is no verified national rate. The cited Lahore references publish PKR 2,852/sq ft for one Zameen model, PKR 3,000–3,600/sq ft in a separate QualityGhar guide and PKR 3,551/sq ft in this site's illustrative model. Compare scope before using any figure.
What is the grey structure of a house?
It is the structural shell and agreed rough works: typically foundations, RCC, masonry and plaster, plus only the service rough-ins specifically written into the contract. Finishes are separate.
Is plot price included?
No. Land price and construction cost are separate. Approval, design, utilities and taxes may also sit outside the contractor's grey-structure rate.
Can I use a Lahore rate elsewhere in Pakistan?
Only as a labelled comparison. A usable project estimate needs a rate for the actual location, drawing revision and scope, including delivery, labour and exclusions.
Sources and limitations
- 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.
- Pakistan Engineering Council — Building Code of PakistanOfficial technical context; a cost guide does not replace structural design or approval by the authority having jurisdiction.
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.