Grey structure cost per sq ft in Pakistan (2026): what's included and current rates by city

Grey structure cost per square foot in Pakistan is about Rs 2,762 to Rs 3,032 on Zameen’s calculator (updated 16 October 2026) for Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad, and Rs 2,800 to Rs 3,500 in Lahore builders’ own October 2026 rates. That is with material, for a double storey. No government body publishes an official rate.

The rates differ partly because builders put different work inside “grey structure”. Below are the rates by city and source, what each one includes, and what the bulk materials alone cost at official prices.

Grey structure cost per square foot by city in 2026

Zameen figures are per sq ft of covered area, “with material”, double storey. Avenir’s tiers in Lahore run from Rs 3,000 (“Essential”) to Rs 4,000 (“Luxury”), and in Islamabad and Rawalpindi from Rs 3,200 to Rs 4,200.

Zameen’s pages for Rawalpindi, Multan, Peshawar and Quetta showed the same fallback numbers with no labour cost when we checked on 18 October 2026, so we left them out. We found no named builder publishing a dated rate for those cities.

The cheaper end exists too. Elegant Properties says budget (C-grade) contractors in Lahore charge Rs 2,200 to Rs 2,500 and B-grade Rs 2,500 to Rs 2,875. The M Square’s May 2026 guide gives Rs 2,500 to Rs 2,800 for economy work, without saying whether that includes materials.

What does grey structure include?

There is no standard list. These are the three most detailed ones we found:

All three leave out tiles, paint, wiring, fittings, the kitchen and windows. Avenir also leaves out design fees, approval charges and utility connections. ACCO leaves out DHA and LDA fees.

A lower rate that leaves out plaster isn’t the same job. Avenir says curing is often dropped from low quotes, and tells you to confirm in writing whether scaffolding and shuttering are in the rate.

How much of the grey structure rate is materials?

The bulk materials (cement, sarya, bricks, sand and crush) are the biggest part. Our construction material calculator prices them at the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) city averages for September 2026:

Per sq ft of covered area, no wastage. These come from published rules of thumb (sources on the calculator page), not an engineer’s bill of quantities (BOQ).

The rest of the rate is labour, plumbing and electrical pipes, waterproofing, shuttering, transport and the contractor’s margin. In Zameen’s Lahore 10 marla estimate, labour is Rs 16.23 lakh of Rs 97 lakh. In its Karachi 10 marla breakdown, plumbing works add Rs 9.74 lakh and electrical works Rs 2.24 lakh.

For cities without a published rate, such as Multan or Peshawar, the table gives you a floor: a quote below the bulk materials cost can’t cover the materials. PBS’s daily wage for a mason in September 2026 was Rs 2,461 in Lahore, Rs 2,482 in Karachi, Rs 1,909 in Multan and Rs 2,421 in Peshawar.

Why is the rate higher for bigger houses?

Bigger houses need thicker slabs, deeper beams and more steel, Avenir says, so they cost more per sq ft. Zameen’s figures show this in all three cities: 1 kanal is Rs 103 to Rs 111 a sq ft dearer than 10 marla.

A basement is priced separately. Avenir charges Rs 4,300 a sq ft in Lahore and Rs 4,500 in Islamabad and Rawalpindi for a standard basement.

Is the grey structure rate going up?

Yes, slowly. PBS’s urban index of construction input items was 6.24% higher in September 2026 than a year earlier, and construction wages 9.69% higher. Avenir reviews its rates each quarter; the ones above are for Q4 2026.

For this month’s cement, sarya and brick prices by city, see construction material prices in Pakistan.

Plan the rest of the build

For the full cost with finishing, see house construction cost in Pakistan. Worked examples for two plot sizes are in 5 marla house construction cost and 10 marla house construction cost. How much of your plot you may cover is in covered area and setbacks in Lahore.

Deciding how to hire? Read contractor with material vs labour-only. For finishing, see which paint is best for a house.

More guides: building a house to rent out, marla to square feet, Property.