5 Marla Grey Structure Cost in Pakistan: Material Quantities & Labour

A 5 marla house is the sweet spot for a lot of Pakistani families: big enough for a proper double-storey home, small enough to finish without a lifetime of loans. But the moment you ask "what will the grey structure cost?", the answers start to disagree. One contractor says Rs 55 lakh, another says Rs 70 lakh, and an online calculator says something in between. Part of the confusion is that people compare totals without comparing quantities. How many cement bags, how many kilograms of steel and how many bricks does a 5 marla house actually need, and what do they cost today?

This guide breaks the 5 marla grey structure cost down the way a contractor's bill of quantities would, so you can test any quotation yourself. Before you read on, you can run your own plan through the Milkiyat Construction Cost Calculator for a quick baseline. Then use the sections below to understand the material quantities, the with-material and labour-only costs, and the differences between Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Lahore as of November 2026.

One honest note first. Material quantity estimates for a 5 marla house vary widely between sources, with published cement figures ranging from a few hundred bags to well over a thousand. The reason is that the numbers depend on the covered area, the number of storeys, wall thickness, slab design and whether a basement is included. We use planning bands based on a typical double-storey house with about 1,900 to 2,000 sq ft of covered area and explain how to adjust them. Your structural engineer's drawings and BOQ always overrule any general estimate.

5 Marla Grey Structure Cost in Pakistan 2026: Quick Answer

For comparison, builder-published figures in 2026 put the grey structure of a standard 5 marla double-storey house in the range of about Rs 56 to Rs 64 lakh in Lahore, and other 2026 guides give a practical planning range of Rs 60 to Rs 75 lakh depending on specification. Our range sits across these figures.

What Is a 5 Marla House? Plot Size and Covered Area

A 5 marla plot is not the same everywhere. The traditional marla is 272.25 sq ft, but many housing societies and development authorities, especially in Punjab, work with a 225 sq ft marla. That means a 5 marla plot is somewhere between roughly 1,125 and 1,361 sq ft depending on the society. If you are unsure which unit applies to your plot, check your documents and use the Milkiyat Area Unit Converter to avoid mistakes.

What you pay for is the covered area, not the plot area. In a double-storey 5 marla house, covered area typically falls between about 1,700 and 2,200 sq ft, because you are building on two floors and the first floor may include balconies and a staircase. Most published cost guides assume about 1,900 to 2,000 sq ft, and so do we. A basement, a third floor or a very high plot coverage will all push the numbers up.

If you are working with a different covered area, scale proportionally. Every additional 100 sq ft adds roughly Rs 3 to Rs 3.6 lakh with material at current rates.

What Is Included in the Grey Structure of a 5 Marla House?

The grey structure is the complete structural shell of the home. For a 5 marla house it normally includes:

• Site preparation, excavation, soil compaction and anti-termite treatment
• Foundations, plinth beams, damp-proof course and filling
• Columns, beams, lintels and RCC roof slabs on both floors
• Brick or block masonry for external and internal walls
• Staircase structure and parapet walls
• Internal and external plaster
• Rough electrical conduiting and plumbing pipes (confirm in writing, since some contractors price these separately)
• Curing and site supervision

Finishing work is not part of it. Tiles and flooring, paint, doors and windows, kitchen cabinets, wardrobes, false ceilings, switches and fixtures, sanitary fittings, the main gate and elevation work all come later. Many families underestimate this: finishing often costs as much as the shell, or more.

5 Marla Grey Structure Cost by City (2026)

Rates differ by city because of soil, labour supply, approvals and freight. The table applies current per-sq-ft market ranges to a covered area of 1,900 sq ft.

5 Marla Grey Structure Cost in Islamabad

Islamabad is the most expensive of the three. Standard A-grade work in Islamabad is being quoted at about Rs 3,200 to Rs 3,600 per sq ft with material in Q4 2026, which puts a 1,900 sq ft house at roughly Rs 61 to Rs 68 lakh. Subsoil in parts of the capital is mixed or rocky, which slows excavation and makes foundations work harder. Labour is also about Rs 150 per sq ft above Lahore, and society-level approvals and inspections add cost and time.

Where you build inside Islamabad matters. Gated societies such as Bahria Enclave, DHA Gandhara, Gulberg Greens and Margalla Enclave each apply their own building rules, approval fees and completion deadlines, so rates can shift by area. For the wider market, the Islamabad city page on Milkiyat shows what plots and homes are available.

5 Marla Grey Structure Cost in Rawalpindi

Rawalpindi generally follows Islamabad on contractor rates because the two cities share the same labour pool, similar subsoil and a similar supplier network. Expect quotes in the Rs 3,200 to Rs 3,600 range, with some variation between older neighbourhoods, where access for trucks and storage is difficult, and newer societies with wider roads. If you are comparing options in the garrison city, the Rawalpindi city page is a good starting point.

5 Marla Grey Structure Cost in Lahore

Lahore's rates are the most openly published. October 2026 builder rate cards cluster between about Rs 2,800 and Rs 3,500 per sq ft for grey structure with material, with a standard A-grade rate near Rs 3,300 and DHA Lahore around Rs 3,500. One Lahore contractor's October 2026 update estimates Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,250 per sq ft, which would be about Rs 57 to Rs 62 lakh for a 1,900 sq ft house. Society premiums apply: contractors report that DHA-type inspection and architect requirements can add roughly 15 to 18 percent over open LDA areas. For plot options and local context, see the Lahore city page.

5 Marla Grey Structure Material Quantity: What You Actually Need

This is the part most owners never see until the contractor sends a BOQ. The figures below are planning bands for a double-storey 5 marla house of about 1,900 to 2,000 sq ft. They are drawn from several 2026 estimates and rules of thumb, and they are meant to help you sense-check a quotation, not replace one.

How Many Cement Bags for a 5 Marla House?

Most 2026 planning guides land between about 700 and 950 bags of 50 kg cement for a double-storey 5 marla grey structure. A commonly used contractor rule of thumb is roughly 0.4 to 0.5 bags per sq ft of covered area, which gives about 760 to 950 bags for 1,900 sq ft. One builder calculator uses around 925 bags for a larger 2,648 sq ft G+1 project, and another planning tool shows about 930 bags for a typical Islamabad 5 marla house. Higher figures than that usually indicate thicker walls, heavier slabs or a basement. Figures far below 500 bags generally leave out plaster, masonry mortar or one of the floors.

Planning band: 750 to 950 bags.

Cement is used in four places: concrete for foundations, columns, beams and slabs; mortar for brick masonry; plaster on walls; and the plinth and floor base. Sulphate-resistant cement is often recommended for the substructure where soil salts are a concern. Ask your engineer, especially in low-lying or salty ground.

How Much Steel for a 5 Marla House?

Steel is the single most expensive material in the grey structure. Published 2026 estimates for a double-storey 5 marla house sit around 4,900 kg in one builder calculator, about 6,000 to 6,200 kg in other estimates and up to 7,500 kg in a heavier A-grade Lahore specification. A practical planning band is 4,500 to 6,500 kg of Grade 60 rebar, equal to about 2.5 to 3.5 kg per sq ft. Older guides that mention around 3 tonnes belong to smaller or lighter designs and should not be used for a modern double-storey build.

Steel quantity depends on column spacing, slab spans, number of floors and seismic detailing, so this is the number most affected by your structural design. Also budget about 100 to 150 kg of binding wire, which is a small cost but easy to forget.

How Many Bricks for a 5 Marla House?

Typical double-storey estimates are around 50,000 to 63,000 bricks, with some calculators using 56,000 and others using close to 79,000 for thicker walls, higher parapets and more internal partitions. Planning band: 50,000 to 65,000 first-class bricks, and allow for up to about 79,000 if your design uses 9-inch walls throughout with tall parapets and boundary elements included in the same contract.

Second-class (doum) bricks cost less than first-class (awwal) bricks, and a 5 marla house can save a few lakh rupees by using them for internal partitions. Use first-class bricks for external and load-bearing walls.

Sand, Crush, Binding Wire and Other Items

Sand and crush (coarse aggregate) are the bulk fillers in concrete, mortar and plaster. For a house of this size, plan roughly 2,800 to 3,500 cubic feet of sand and 1,800 to 2,600 cubic feet of crush, with larger numbers if your plan includes heavy slabs or a basement. In the twin cities, many contractors use Margalla crush, so rates differ from Lahore. Other consumables include binding wire, water, curing materials, damp-proof membranes, anti-termite treatment and shuttering consumables.

5 Marla Grey Structure Material Quantity: Summary Table

A sound quantity check is to compare your contractor's BOQ against these bands. If steel is far below 4,500 kg for a full double-storey, ask which structural drawing it is based on. If cement is far above 1,000 bags, ask whether a basement, retaining walls or boundary wall are included.

5 Marla Grey Structure Material Cost in 2026

Now we can put prices on those quantities. Recent market ranges are:

• Cement: about Rs 1,450 to Rs 1,550 per 50 kg bag in most cities, with the national retail range through mid-2026 running roughly Rs 1,375 to Rs 1,610 depending on brand and location.
• Steel (Grade 60): about Rs 255 to Rs 280 per kg. Mill rates through 2026 have mostly sat between Rs 250,000 and Rs 280,000 per tonne.
• Bricks: about Rs 18 to Rs 24 per first-class brick, depending on kiln and distance.
• Sand, crush and other items: highly local. Get a dealer quote for your site.

Putting these together for a double-storey house:

The sand, crush and miscellaneous line is an indicative allowance, so replace it with real dealer quotes for your site. Notice that cement, steel and bricks together make up most of the material bill, and that steel is the biggest swing factor. A Rs 15 per kg move in steel price changes the bill by about Rs 0.8 lakh on a 5,500 kg job.

5 Marla Grey Structure Labour Cost

Labour covers masonry, steel fixing, shuttering and centering, concreting, plastering and curing. In 2026, labour-only grey structure rates are quoted at about Rs 550 to Rs 850 per sq ft in Lahore, with some builder rate cards at Rs 650 to Rs 850, and about Rs 150 per sq ft more in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, which puts them at roughly Rs 700 to Rs 1,000. Public planning guides for a 5 marla house give grey structure labour at about Rs 10 to Rs 15 lakh, which matches our Lahore range.

Labour is roughly one-fifth of the full with-material rate. If someone quotes far below this band, ask who will supervise quality and what happens when the work needs rework. If someone quotes far above, ask what is included beyond standard grey structure work.

5 Marla Grey Structure With Material vs Labour-Only

You have two main ways to hire a contractor, and the right choice depends on your time and your ability to supervise.

Notice that labour plus materials in the mid case comes to roughly Rs 47.5 lakh plus about Rs 13 lakh, or around Rs 60 lakh, which is close to a with-material contract price. The savings in a labour-only contract come from your purchasing discipline and from removing the contractor's margin, not from any fundamental difference in the work. A hybrid approach is popular: buy steel and cement yourself against documented receipts, and let the contractor supply bricks, sand and crush.

5 Marla Double Storey Grey Structure Cost: Worked Example

Let us put it all together for a double-storey house of 1,900 sq ft in Islamabad, using mid-range assumptions.

Option A: with material. 1,900 sq ft × Rs 3,400 per sq ft = about Rs 64.6 lakh. Add a contingency of 10 percent (Rs 6.5 lakh) for price moves and changes, for a planning budget of roughly Rs 71 lakh.

Option B: labour-only. Labour at Rs 850 per sq ft = about Rs 16.2 lakh. Materials in the mid case = about Rs 47.5 lakh. Total about Rs 63.7 lakh, plus a 10 percent contingency (about Rs 6.4 lakh), for roughly Rs 70 lakh, with more work on your side.

Both options land in the same neighbourhood, which is a good sign: it means the market is pricing consistently. If a quote is far from this, find out which line differs.

Remember what is not included: finishing, boundary wall and gate, septic tank and water tank if they are priced separately, utility connections, architect and engineer fees, and society approval and inspection charges. If part of the budget will be financed, the Milkiyat Home Loan Calculator can show you the monthly impact.

Single Storey vs Double Storey: How the Cost Changes

A single-storey 5 marla house covers only the ground floor, roughly 900 to 1,100 sq ft depending on setbacks, so at Rs 3,300 per sq ft the grey structure would be in the region of Rs 30 to Rs 36 lakh. That is not half of a double-storey house, because the foundation, plinth and boundary-related work are fixed costs, while the first floor adds mostly columns, slab, masonry and staircase. In practice, adding a second storey at the start is more economical per sq ft than adding it later, because foundations and columns can be designed for it from day one and you avoid breaking into a finished home.

If you plan to add a floor in the future, tell your engineer now so the foundation and column design allow for it. This costs a little more upfront and saves a great deal later.

What Affects Your 5 Marla Grey Structure Cost?

Design and layout. Regular column grids and simple rectangular plans use less steel and shuttering than irregular layouts with large spans, cantilevers or double-height spaces.

Soil. Weak or rocky ground needs deeper or wider foundations and sometimes extra excavation. A soil test is a small expense compared to a foundation redesign.

Wall thickness. Nine-inch external walls use many more bricks than 4.5-inch partitions. Your brick count can swing by tens of thousands depending on this choice.

Steel and cement grade. Grade 60 rebar from a recognised mill and branded OPC cement cost more than unbranded options, but they come with documented quality.

Society rules. Approval fees, mandatory inspections and construction deadlines add cost in many societies.

Timing. Material prices moved sharply through 2026. Buying in the cooler, lower-demand months, roughly November to February, can help.

Contractor and supervision. A good crew with an engineer on site reduces wastage and rework, which saves money over the whole job.

How to Pay Your Contractor: Milestone Schedule

Pay for progress, not for dates. A simple milestone approach for a with-material contract might look like this, though you should agree final percentages in writing:

This split is a planning suggestion, so adapt it to your contract. Keep a written record of every payment, and never release the final retention until problems you have identified are fixed.

Ten Ways to Reduce Your 5 Marla Grey Structure Cost Without Cutting Quality

1. Freeze the design before you start. Changes after the slab is cast cost the most.
2. Keep the plan simple and the column grid regular.
3. Use second-class bricks for internal partitions where your engineer agrees.
4. Compare at least three written quotes with the same scope.
5. Buy steel and cement against documentation and keep all receipts.
6. Time large purchases for off-peak months.
7. Store material properly so cement does not harden and steel does not rust.
8. Cure the concrete properly, since it costs almost nothing and protects strength.
9. Hire a structural engineer for periodic supervision.
10. Avoid mid-project variations unless they are essential.

Common Mistakes With 5 Marla Grey Structure Budgets

• Using quantities from a different covered area. A figure for a 1,600 sq ft house is not valid for a 2,200 sq ft house.
• Comparing prices without comparing scope. A quote that excludes plumbing and electrical conduiting is not comparable to one that includes it.
• Forgetting contingency. Steel and cement moved noticeably during 2026, so a 10 percent buffer is sensible.
• Skipping the soil report and discovering foundation problems after excavation.
• Verbal contracts. Put the scope, payments and timeline in writing.
• Ignoring society requirements until work is held up by an inspection.

Build or Buy? Compare the Grey Structure Cost With Ready Homes

Once you know the grey structure cost, you can compare the full cost of building (plot, grey structure, finishing, contingency and time) with buying a ready home. For some families, building gives the exact layout they want. For others, a ready house or apartment is better value and avoids months of site management.

On Milkiyat you can explore houses for sale in Islamabad, apartments for sale in Islamabad and plots for sale in Islamabad, and then use the numbers in this guide to decide which route makes sense.

Housing societies make this comparison very practical. In Park View City Islamabad, for example, you can look at plots for sale, add the 5 marla grey structure and finishing budget from this article, and set the total against apartments for sale in the same society. If the total cost of building comes close to the price of a ready apartment, the time and effort you save may tip the decision. Whichever society you consider, confirm its building rules, approval process and any construction deadlines with the society management before you hire a contractor.

If you want local advice, browse verified property agents on Milkiyat or look at agencies. A good local agent can tell you which blocks have easier access for material trucks, what recent builders have paid and which contractors the neighbourhood trusts. For newly launched developments, check the new projects page as well.

Final Thoughts

In November 2026, a double-storey 5 marla grey structure costs roughly Rs 53 to Rs 68 lakh with material and about Rs 10 to Rs 19 lakh for labour only, with Islamabad and Rawalpindi at the higher end and Lahore slightly lower. A typical house needs around 750 to 950 bags of cement, 4,500 to 6,500 kg of steel and 50,000 to 65,000 bricks, though your drawings will decide the exact figures. Use the quantity bands in this guide to challenge vague quotations, insist on a written scope and milestone payments, keep a contingency, and re-check prices close to your start date.

Start with the Milkiyat Construction Cost Calculator for a quick estimate, then explore listings across Islamabad and talk to a local agent if you are still deciding between building and buying.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the 5 marla grey structure cost in Pakistan in 2026?

For a double-storey house with about 1,900 sq ft of covered area, the grey structure with material costs roughly Rs 53 to Rs 68 lakh in late 2026, or about Rs 2,800 to Rs 3,600 per sq ft depending on the city and specification.

What is the 5 marla grey structure cost in Islamabad?

In Islamabad, expect about Rs 3,200 to Rs 3,600 per sq ft with material, which is roughly Rs 61 to Rs 68 lakh for 1,900 sq ft. Labour-only is about Rs 13 to Rs 19 lakh.

What is the 5 marla grey structure cost in Rawalpindi?

Rawalpindi generally follows Islamabad, with quotes around Rs 3,200 to Rs 3,600 per sq ft with material, or roughly Rs 61 to Rs 68 lakh for a typical double-storey house.

What is the 5 marla grey structure cost in Lahore?

In Lahore, builder rates are about Rs 2,800 to Rs 3,500 per sq ft with material, which comes to about Rs 53 to Rs 66 lakh for 1,900 sq ft. DHA-type societies are at the higher end.

What is the 5 marla grey structure labour cost?

Labour-only grey structure costs about Rs 10.5 to Rs 16.2 lakh in Lahore and about Rs 13.3 to Rs 19 lakh in Islamabad and Rawalpindi for a 1,900 sq ft double-storey house.

What is the 5 marla grey structure material quantity?

A double-storey house typically needs about 750 to 950 bags of cement, 4,500 to 6,500 kg of Grade 60 steel, 50,000 to 65,000 bricks, 2,800 to 3,500 cft of sand and 1,800 to 2,600 cft of crush. Final quantities depend on your structural drawings.

How many bricks for a 5 marla house?

Plan for about 50,000 to 65,000 first-class bricks for a double-storey house, and up to roughly 79,000 if you have thick walls throughout and tall parapets.

How many cement bags for a 5 marla house?

About 750 to 950 bags of 50 kg cement for a double-storey grey structure of 1,900 to 2,000 sq ft, using a rule of thumb of roughly 0.4 to 0.5 bags per sq ft.

How much steel for a 5 marla house?

About 4,500 to 6,500 kg of Grade 60 rebar for a double-storey house, which is roughly 2.5 to 3.5 kg per sq ft of covered area, plus 100 to 150 kg of binding wire.

What is the 5 marla double storey grey structure cost?

It is about Rs 53 to Rs 68 lakh with material and Rs 10 to Rs 19 lakh for labour only. A single-storey house costs less in total but more per sq ft because foundation work is a fixed cost.

What does 5 marla grey structure with material include?

The contractor supplies cement, steel, bricks, sand, crush, shuttering and labour for foundations, columns, beams, slabs, masonry and plaster, and usually rough conduiting. Confirm in writing whether plumbing and electrical rough-in, septic tank and water tank are included.

How much contingency should I keep?

Most owners keep 10 to 15 percent above the quoted figure to cover price movement, design changes and site surprises.

Related Guides

• 5 Marla House Construction Cost in Islamabad, Pindi and Lahore
• 20 Marla House Construction Cost in Pakistan 2026: A Verified Budget Breakdown
• Pakistan's Construction Cost Crisis 2026: Cement, Steel and the Builder's Budget
• Milkiyat Construction Cost Calculator
• Milkiyat Area Unit Converter (Marla, Kanal, Sq Ft)

Sources & Verification

• Pakistan Bureau of Statistics
• Capital Development Authority (CDA)
• Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA)
• Lahore Development Authority (LDA)
• Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC)