Guide
Construction Cost in islamabad
Guide
How much does house finishing cost per sq ft in Pakistan in 2026? This guide compares A, B and C category rates item by item, covers Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Lahore, explains grey structure vs finishing cost, and gives finishing budgets for 5 marla, 10 marla and 1 kanal houses.
What does construction labour cost per sq ft in Pakistan in 2026? This guide covers theka rates for Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Lahore, mason and trade daily wages, finishing labour rates, labour cost for 5 marla, 10 marla and 1 kanal houses, and labour-only vs with-material contracts.
A double-storey 10 marla grey structure costs roughly Rs 92 lakh to Rs 1.19 crore with material in late 2026. See cement, steel and brick quantities, plus labour-only costs for Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Lahore.
A double-storey 5 marla grey structure costs roughly Rs 53–68 lakh with material in late 2026. See how many cement bags, bricks and kg of steel you need, plus labour-only costs for Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Lahore.
By Laraib Noor
Real Estate Analyst
13 min read
The construction cost in Islamabad in 2026 is about Rs 7,500 to Rs 8,900 per square foot of covered area for a standard (B-category) house, at November 2026 rates. Grey structure alone costs about Rs 3,700 to Rs 4,100 per sq ft. An economy build can come in near Rs 5,600 per sq ft, and a premium house can cost Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000. These rates cover construction only; land, approvals and furniture are extra.
This guide brings Islamabad's current rates together in one place: rates per sq ft, budgets by plot size, material and labour rates, and CDA map approval fees. All figures use one rate card from late October 2026. To work out a figure for your own design, enter your covered area in the Milkiyat construction cost calculator.
| Construction level | Grey structure | Finishing | Total (with material) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economy (C-category) | Rs 3,300 – 3,600 | Rs 2,300 – 2,800 | Rs 5,600 – 6,400 |
| Standard (B-category) | Rs 3,700 – 4,100 | Rs 3,800 – 4,800 | Rs 7,500 – 8,900 |
| Premium (A-category) | Rs 4,100 – 4,500 | Rs 5,900 – 7,500 | Rs 10,000 – 12,000 |
All rates are per sq ft of covered area: every floor added together, including the stair tower (mumty) and any basement. Rates are estimates; your final cost depends on your design, contractor and brands.
What changes between the levels:
These are standard (B-category) double-storey budgets with no basement. The 5, 8 and 10 marla and 1 kanal figures come from full material-by-material budgets. The 2 kanal figure is estimated from them.
| Plot size | Typical covered area | Rate per sq ft | Total construction cost | Construction cost per marla |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Marla | 2,000 sq ft | Rs 8,314 | Rs 1.66 crore | Rs 33.3 lakh |
| 8 Marla | 2,700 sq ft | Rs 8,137 | Rs 2.20 crore | Rs 27.5 lakh |
| 10 Marla | 3,400 sq ft | Rs 8,095 | Rs 2.75 crore | Rs 27.5 lakh |
| 1 Kanal | 5,200 sq ft | Rs 7,793 | Rs 4.05 crore | Rs 20.3 lakh |
| 2 Kanal | 9,500 sq ft | Rs 7,600 | Rs 7.22 crore | Rs 18.1 lakh |
Smaller houses cost more per sq ft, because kitchens, bathrooms and stairs take up a bigger share of a small floor area. That is also why the construction cost per marla in Islamabad falls as plots get bigger.
Full line-by-line budgets for each of these sizes are listed in the Related Guides section at the end of this page.
The grey structure (dhancha) is the shell of the house: foundation, columns, beams, roof slabs, brick walls, plaster, and the pipes and conduits inside them. In Islamabad it costs about Rs 3,700 to Rs 4,100 per sq ft with material at a standard specification.
Here is where the money goes on a standard 5 marla house of 2,000 sq ft:
| Item | Quantity | Rate | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cement | 840 bags | Rs 1,611 | Rs 1,353,240 |
| Steel, Grade 60 | 7.6 tons | Rs 277,000 | Rs 2,105,200 |
| Bricks | 44,000 | Rs 27 | Rs 1,188,000 |
| Sand (Lawrencepur) | 3,600 cft | Rs 110 | Rs 396,000 |
| Crush (Margalla) | 2,500 cft | Rs 130 | Rs 325,000 |
| Excavation, waterproofing, conduits, plumbing rough-in, shuttering, site costs | Allowances | Rs 1,320,000 | |
| Labour (theka) | 2,000 sq ft | Rs 750 | Rs 1,500,000 |
| Grey structure total | Rs 8,187,440 (Rs 4,094 per sq ft) |
Steel and cement make up about 42% of the grey structure cost, so they are the two rates to watch. On this house, a Rs 100 rise per cement bag adds about Rs 84,000, and Rs 10 more per kg of steel adds about Rs 76,000.
| Material | Rate used | Recent range | Basis and date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cement (50 kg bag) | Rs 1,611 | Rs 1,530 – 1,650 | PBS weekly average for Islamabad, 8 Oct 2026 |
| Steel, Grade 60 | Rs 277,000 per ton | Rs 260,000 – 277,000 | Leading mills' rates, Oct 2026 |
| Bricks (first class) | Rs 27 each | Rs 24 – 29 | PBS Islamabad average, Aug 2026 |
| Sand (Lawrencepur) | Rs 110 per cft | Rs 105 – 136 | Twin-city supplier quotes, Oct 2026 |
| Crush (Margalla) | Rs 130 per cft | Rs 115 – 130 | Twin-city supplier quotes, Oct 2026 |
Islamabad usually sits near the top of Pakistan's price table for bricks and sand, because kilns and riverbeds are far away and deliveries into sectors and societies add trolley charges. Cement in the capital climbed from about Rs 1,532 a bag in late August 2026 to Rs 1,611 by early October, as northern producers passed on higher coal and diesel costs.
Most houses in Islamabad are built on one of two contract types.
Labour-only contract (theka): the owner buys all the material, and the thekedar supplies masons, helpers and steel fixers. In late 2026 this costs about Rs 650 to Rs 850 per sq ft of covered area for grey structure work. A rate well below Rs 650 often means fewer workers, a slower schedule or weak supervision.
With-material (turnkey) contract: the contractor buys everything and quotes one all-in rate, usually adding a margin of 10% to 20% for buying, supervision and price risk. The rates per sq ft in this guide are with-material figures.
| Trade | Typical Islamabad rate (late 2026) |
|---|---|
| Mason (raj mistri) | Rs 2,400 – 3,000 per day |
| Grey structure theka | Rs 650 – 850 per sq ft |
| Finishing trades (tiles, paint, electrical, plumbing) | Usually charged per sq ft or per point, separately |
Government price data put the average mason wage in Islamabad at Rs 2,404 a day in January 2026, and market quotes have risen since then.
In CDA sectors, a building plan must be approved before excavation starts. The main official charge is a scrutiny fee, paid on the proposed covered area.
Private societies have their own fee schedules. DHA Islamabad, Bahria Town and others charge separate map approval, NOC and completion fees, usually per sq ft of covered area, and many charge extra for any covered area beyond the approved limit. Ask your society office for its current schedule before the drawings are made.
The approval fees themselves are small next to the build cost. The bigger costs come from architect and structural design fees, utility connections and any penalties for building beyond your approved plan.
Material and labour rates are much the same across Islamabad. What changes from area to area is how much you are allowed to build and what finish buyers there expect.
So two houses on the same plot size can end up with quite different budgets, even at identical material rates.
Add the land price to the construction cost for your plot size, then compare the total with ready houses of the same size in the same area. If ready houses cost less, buying may be the better deal. Before deciding, look at current houses for sale in G-13 or a sector near your plot.
Building makes most sense when you plan to live in the house for many years, want a layout that suits your family, or can supervise the work closely. Buying usually wins when you need to move in soon.
A standard house costs about Rs 7,500 to Rs 8,900 per sq ft of covered area at late-October 2026 rates. That works out to about Rs 1.66 crore for a 5 marla house and Rs 4.05 crore for a 1 kanal house.
About Rs 3,700 to Rs 4,100 per sq ft with material at a standard specification. Economy grey structure starts near Rs 3,300 per sq ft.
A labour-only (theka) contract for grey structure costs about Rs 650 to Rs 850 per sq ft of covered area. Masons earn about Rs 2,400 to Rs 3,000 a day.
CDA's procedures page lists a residential scrutiny fee of Rs 3 per sq ft of covered area, while its FAQ shows Rs 1 per sq ft. Confirm the current rate at the One Window counter. Fast-track approval has been reported at an extra Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000.
About Rs 33 lakh per marla at 5 marla, Rs 27.5 lakh at 8 and 10 marla, and Rs 20 lakh at 1 kanal, for a standard double-storey house.
It depends on the area. Compare the land price plus construction with ready houses in the same sector. If a full house is more than you need, also look at apartments for sale in Park View City Islamabad.
Construction in Islamabad costs about Rs 7,500 to Rs 8,900 per sq ft for a standard house at late-2026 rates, with grey structure at about Rs 3,700 to Rs 4,100. CDA's approval fees are small next to that. The figures that matter most are your covered area, your finish level, and the cement and steel prices on the day you buy. Confirm your covered area, get a bill of quantities (BOQ), compare contractors on the same scope, and keep a 10% contingency.
Disclaimer: All figures are estimates based on rates from late October 2026 and the stated assumptions. Fees and rates change; confirm them with CDA, your society and your contractor before committing any money.