Grey Structure Cost Calculator Pakistan

Grey Structure in Pakistan: The Complete Guide

Grey structure (also called the "structure" or "dhancha" stage) is the part of a house that holds it up and closes it in: excavation, foundation, damp-proof course (DPC), columns, beams, roof slabs, brick walls and the staircase. Everything that makes the house liveable — plaster, flooring, paint, doors, windows, plumbing and electrical fittings — belongs to the finishing stage. At current calculator rates, grey structure costs about PKR 3,092 per sq ft in Lahore at standard quality, about 66% of a complete house.

What is included in grey structure?

• Excavation, plain cement concrete (PCC) under footings and the RCC or brick foundation
• Damp-proof course and back-filling with compaction
• RCC columns, beams, lintels and roof slabs, including shuttering and steel fixing
• Brick masonry for external and internal walls, and the staircase structure
• Conduit and pipe sleeves that must be placed before concrete is poured

What is usually excluded?

• Plaster (many contractors quote it separately), flooring, tiles and paint
• Doors, windows, grills, kitchen and bathroom fittings
• Electrical wiring and fittings, water tanks, gas connection
• Boundary wall, gate and map approval fees — add these in the calculator above

Always ask your contractor to write the scope in the agreement. Two "grey structure" quotes can differ by 15% simply because one includes plaster and water-proofing and the other does not.

Labour only vs with material: contractor rates

Contractors in Pakistan quote grey structure in two ways. A labour-only ("theka labour") rate covers masons, steel fixers and helpers while you buy every bag of cement and every bar of steel yourself. A with-material rate covers labour and materials together. The calculator's assumptions for Lahore are:

At standard quality, labour is about 22% of the grey structure cost and materials the remaining 78%. A labour-only contract gives you control over material quality and price, but you carry the risk of wastage and must be on site to receive deliveries. A with-material contract is simpler but hides the material margin, so ask for an itemized bill of quantities.

Worked examples: 5 Marla and 10 Marla

So the grey structure cost of a 5 Marla house is about PKR 29.6 lakh for a single storey, while a 10 Marla double storey grey structure comes to about PKR 1.07 crore. For a large plot, the 1 Kanal grey structure budget is about PKR 1.86 crore for a double storey. Double storey buildings cost a little more per sq ft because columns, steel and scaffolding increase with height.

Pre-calculated grey structure examples

Common grey structure mistakes that cost money

1. Starting without a structural drawing. Column sizes and steel are then decided on site, which usually means either over-use of steel or an unsafe structure.
2. Not curing concrete. Slabs and columns need to be kept wet for at least 7 days (longer in winter); skipping it weakens concrete you have already paid for.
3. Buying all cement at once. Cement loses strength in storage, especially in humid weather — buy in batches that match the work schedule.
4. Ignoring conduit and plumbing sleeves. Breaking a finished slab to pass a pipe costs more than planning the sleeve before the pour.
5. Comparing quotes with different scope. Check whether plaster, water-proofing, DPC and shuttering are included before choosing the cheapest rate.

For finishing costs, material prices and every other plot size, see all construction cost guides or check today's material rates.

Material rates used on this page

These are the default rates the calculator uses (editable in its "Advanced" panel). Market prices change weekly — always get a fresh quotation before buying. See construction material rates for notes on each material.