House Construction Cost in Pakistan: Grey Structure vs Finished

The formula

Construction is priced by covered area (the built-up area of all floors), not by plot area. A two-floor house has far more built area than its plot, so the calculator first converts your plot into covered area, then multiplies by a per-square-foot rate:

1. Covered area ≈ plot area × 1.75. One marla equals 272.25 sq ft, and the 1.75 factor roughly accounts for two floors minus setbacks.
2. Total cost = covered area × rate per sq ft. The rate is different for grey structure and for a finished house.

Grey structure vs finishing

The grey structure is the skeleton of the house: foundation, brickwork, roof and basic concrete work. Finishing is everything that makes it livable: plaster, flooring, tiles, fittings, paint and doors. They are paid at different stages — grey structure typically consumes 40–50% of the budget — and finishing quality swings the total wildly, which is why the calculator prices them separately.

Worked examples (calculator's default example rates)

Using the calculator's default example rates of Rs 3,500 per sq ft for grey structure and Rs 6,500 per sq ft finished:

For reference, the finished 5 marla example works out to about Rs 3,096,844 per marla. The per-marla figure is identical for 6 marla because the calculation is linear — double the plot, double the cost, at the same rates.

Assumptions behind these figures

• 1 marla = 272.25 sq ft.
• Covered area ≈ 1.75 × plot area (two floors minus setbacks). Your housing society's bylaws and setbacks set the exact buildable area.
• Example rates: Rs 3,500 per sq ft grey, Rs 6,500 per sq ft finished. These are the calculator's default example rates, not live market rates.

Common mistakes

1. Using plot area instead of covered area. Pricing a 5 marla plot at 1,361 sq ft instead of about 2,382 sq ft of covered area underestimates the cost by almost half.
2. Budgeting only for grey structure. Finishing roughly doubles the grey cost — a budget that stops at the skeleton is only half a budget.
3. Ignoring city variation. Cement, steel, bricks and labour prices differ between Lahore, Karachi and smaller towns. Always set the rates to your city's current figures in the calculator.
4. Forgetting quality levels. Awwal bricks vs standard, imported fittings vs local — quality choices move the finishing cost more than any other factor.

Source and date note

The figures in this guide follow the Construction Cost Estimator's default example rates as of October 2026. Cement, steel, bricks and labour prices change by city and over time, so treat these as planning examples and set your city's current rates in the calculator before finalising a budget.