Grey structure is the stage most clients price first, because it is the stage where the money is hardest to recover if something goes wrong. Getting a realistic rate early saves you from budgeting on a number that was never real.
What grey structure actually includes
Grey structure covers everything from excavation to the roof slab: foundations, reinforcement, brickwork or blockwork, columns and beams, slabs, plaster, and rough plumbing and electrical conduits. It stops before flooring, paint, kitchens, bathrooms and fittings.
- Foundations — excavation, PCC, footings, pedestal and tie beams
- Structure — columns, beams, slabs with Grade-60 reinforcement
- Envelope — external and internal brickwork plus plaster
- Rough MEP — electrical conduits and plumbing pipes embedded in the structure
- Roof slab — shuttering, reinforcement, pouring and curing
Current rates by city
For a standard residential specification, published grey structure rates in 2026 sit between PKR 2,850 and PKR 3,250 per sq. ft. depending on the city:
| City | Indicative grey structure rate |
|---|---|
| Lahore | PKR 3,000 / sq. ft. |
| Islamabad | PKR 3,250 / sq. ft. |
| Faisalabad | PKR 2,850 / sq. ft. |
| Multan | PKR 3,100 / sq. ft. |
| Sialkot | PKR 3,150 / sq. ft. |
Islamabad runs higher because of seismic detailing requirements and transport costs. Multan and Sialkot sit in the middle, reflecting longer material transport routes and seasonal demand peaks around wedding and harvest seasons.
What moves your number
Three factors change a grey structure quote more than anything else:
- Soil conditions. Soft or filled soil means deeper or raft foundations. A soil test before design usually costs a fraction of the correction it prevents.
- Soakage and height. Multi-storey buildings need heavier columns and beams; the jump from ground plus one to ground plus two is not linear.
- Specification. Steel brand, cement brand, brick grade and block type are named in the BOQ — a “grey structure rate” without a specification is just a guess.
How to compare quotes properly
Ask every contractor for the same three things: an itemised BOQ, the steel and cement brands specified, and the slab thickness and reinforcement design. Quotes that differ by more than 8% on identical specifications are usually hiding a scope difference — not a discount.
Our advice: fix the specification first, then compare prices. That is the only way the cheaper number is actually cheaper.
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