Quick answer, updated October 2026: Glorious Builders estimates grey structure construction in Lahore at roughly Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,250 per sq ft of covered area. A house with about 1,900 sq ft covered area therefore comes to around Rs 5.7 million to Rs 6.2 million for the grey structure. Finishing is priced separately from your BOQ, and rates in other cities differ.
Key points
- Cost follows covered area, not plot size. A Marla is 225 sq ft in some societies and 272.25 sq ft in others.
- The rate is an estimate. Steel, cement, brick and labour prices move it.
- Grey structure ends at plaster. Finishing is priced separately.
- City, site access and design complexity all change the total.
- Compare quotes by BOQ line items, not by one headline rate.
- Glorious Builders gives a 15 year structural guarantee.
What decides the cost of building a house in Pakistan
Four things explain most of the difference between one house and another: where it is built, what it is built from, how complicated the design is, and how the work is contracted.
City and location
Transport costs, labour availability and local material prices differ between Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Rawalpindi and smaller towns. Site access matters as well. A plot on a narrow street, or inside a society with delivery time limits, adds handling time. The estimate in this guide is for Lahore. For other cities, ask for a BOQ-based estimate instead of relying on a national average.
Materials
Steel, cement, bricks, sand and crush make up most of the grey structure cost, and their prices change often. Steel moves the most, so check the steel prices in Pakistan page before you fix a budget. Write the grade and brand of steel and cement into the BOQ so that two quotes can be compared fairly.
Size and design
Covered area drives the total, but design decides how efficiently that area is built. A simple rectangular plan costs less per sq ft than one with many corners, large cantilevers, double-height spaces or a basement. Changing the design after the foundation is poured is the most expensive kind of change.
How the work is contracted
A labour-only contractor charges for the work while you buy materials yourself. A material-and-labour contractor quotes the whole job. Neither is automatically cheaper. What protects you is a written scope, written material specifications and payment stages tied to completed work, all in a BOQ.
How a house construction estimate is built
A sound estimate moves through the same steps every time: plot size, covered area, an item-wise BOQ, a rate per sq ft, and a final check of the total against the BOQ. The rate alone is only a starting point.
Grey structure cost by house size
The table applies the estimated range of Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,250 per sq ft to three common sizes. The covered areas are examples for a two-floor house and depend on your design and society rules. This is arithmetic for orientation, not a quote.
| Plot | Example covered area | At Rs 3,000 per sq ft | At Rs 3,250 per sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Marla | about 1,900 sq ft | Rs 5.7 million | Rs 6.2 million |
| 10 Marla | about 4,000 sq ft | Rs 12.0 million | Rs 13.0 million |
| 1 Kanal | about 6,000 sq ft | Rs 18.0 million | Rs 19.5 million |
For plot-specific detail, see the guides for a 5 Marla house, a 10 Marla house and a 1 Kanal house.
Grey structure and finishing
Stages one to six make up the grey structure. Tiles, paint, woodwork, kitchens, bathrooms and fixtures come after. Finishing choices vary so widely that a single per sq ft figure would mislead, so we price finishing from your selections in the BOQ. For the full list of what is and is not part of grey structure, read what is included in grey structure.
Why a BOQ matters before you build
A BOQ, or bill of quantities, is the itemised list behind a construction estimate. It states each piece of work, the specification it must meet, the unit it is measured in, the quantity taken from your drawings and the rate agreed for it. The sum of those lines is the estimate.
It makes quotes comparable
Two contractors can quote very different totals for the same house because one counted an item the other left out. In a BOQ the gap shows up line by line, so you can ask the right question instead of guessing.
It controls changes
If you move a wall or upgrade a material, the change is priced against the lines it touches. Without a BOQ the same change is negotiated from scratch, usually when you have the least leverage.
It ties payment to progress
Stage payments can follow items that are finished, so you pay for work that exists. That is hard to do with a single lump-sum number.
What to check in a BOQ
- Material grades and brands are named, for example steel grade, cement type and brick class.
- Quantities match your approved drawings.
- Items such as excavation, curing, scaffolding and site clean-up are either included or clearly excluded.
- Provisional sums are marked as provisional.
- Units and rates are clear enough for you to check the arithmetic.
Glorious Builders works from a BOQ. See BOQ for house construction in Lahore for how the process runs, and send your plot size, floors and design on WhatsApp to get a BOQ-based estimate.
How to control cost without lowering quality
- Finalise the design and the approved map before the first day of work.
- Put material grades and brands in the BOQ so the quote is specific.
- Tie payments to completed stages, not to dates.
- Avoid changes once the structure is cast, because they cost the most.
- Compare quotes that cover the same scope, line by line.
The page on BOQ for house construction in Lahore shows how a clear BOQ is laid out, and grey structure cost in Lahore goes deeper on the city-wide rate.
House construction cost in Pakistan: common questions
How much does it cost to build a house in Pakistan in 2026?
It depends on the city, the covered area and the specification. For Lahore, Glorious Builders estimates grey structure at roughly Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,250 per sq ft of covered area, so a 1,900 sq ft house comes to about Rs 5.7 million to Rs 6.2 million for the grey structure. Finishing is priced separately from your BOQ.
What is the per sq ft rate for grey structure in Lahore?
Our estimated range is Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,250 per sq ft of covered area. It is approximate and moves with steel, cement, brick and labour prices, so the final figure comes from a BOQ for your design.
Is grey structure cost the same in every city of Pakistan?
No. Transport, labour availability and local material prices differ between cities and even between housing societies. Use a city-wide average only as a rough guide and ask for a BOQ-based estimate for your plot.
What does grey structure include?
Grey structure covers excavation, foundation, columns, slabs, brickwork, plumbing and electrical conduits, and plaster. Tiles, paint, woodwork, kitchens, bathrooms and fixtures belong to finishing.
How can I reduce construction cost without losing quality?
Finalise the design and approved map before work starts, write material grades into the BOQ, avoid changes after the structure is cast, and compare quotes that cover the same scope. Cutting steel or cement quality to save money costs far more later.
Can I get an estimate from Glorious Builders?
Yes. Send your plot size, number of floors and design on WhatsApp and the team prepares a BOQ-based estimate for your house. Rates are estimates and change with material prices.
Written by Hafiz Furqan Ahmad. Reviewed by Waqas Rana, Owner, Glorious Builders.
