House design, DHA approval and construction in DHA Lahore
Avenir Developments designs houses, prepares DHA submission drawings and builds across DHA Lahore. Our office is at 139 CCA, DHA Phase 5 — inside DHA. Below is what the byelaws allow on your plot, how map approval really runs, who is permitted to sign your drawings, and what building costs. Every figure carries the regulation it comes from, so you can check it rather than take our word for it.
- Submission drawings signed by a registered architect, against the current DHA edition
- Grey structure to turnkey, on material-plus-labour and defined project terms
- Design + Build under one agreement, with the five DHA verification stages managed
Free preliminary assessment. Monday to Friday, 10:00–19:00 PKT.
Five services, delivered across DHA Lahore
Scope stated before you contact us, so there is nothing to discover later.
Architecture & DHA submission drawings
Brief, concept planning, 3D elevation, working drawings, structural coordination against your geotechnical report, MEP and fire protection drawings, and a coordinated submission set signed by a registered architect.
Construction
Grey structure through to turnkey handover: BOQ, procurement and material approvals, execution, the five DHA verification stages, snagging, and completion certificate support.
Design + Build
Architecture, approvals, engineering, BOQ and construction under one agreement and one accountable team.
Interior design & fit-out
Space planning, kitchens, wardrobes, bathroom detailing, ceiling and lighting layouts, material boards, execution drawings and BOQ.
Consultancy & supervision
For owners building with their own contractor: drawing review, BOQ, defined quality checkpoints and progress reporting.
Plot types we work on
- 5, 8 and 10 Marla, 1 Kanal and 2 Kanal residential
- 4 and 8 Marla commercial in CCA and Broadway locations
- Amalgamated 3 and 4 Kanal plots, which DHA permits only by amalgamating existing 1 and 2 Kanal plots
What we do not take on
- Labour-only contracts, where the owner buys material and a contractor supplies labour against a rate
- Minor renovation and repair work
- Plot buying, selling and estate agency
Where an enquiry would be better served by a different kind of firm, we say so rather than take the work.
A note on units, because the arithmetic below depends on it. One Marla is 225 square feet and one Kanal is 20 Marla, or 4,500 square feet. Some legacy Punjab land records use a 272.25 square foot Marla; every figure on this page uses the 225 square foot standard, which is the basis DHA plot dimensions follow.
What you can build on your DHA Lahore plot
DHA Lahore building control operates under the Defence Housing Authority Construction & Development Regulations 2014, as consolidated and reprinted in the Building Control 2026 edition. Before any construction you must obtain written approval of the building plan from the DHA Building Control Directorate. Construction without an approved plan is not permitted and is liable to demolition.
Regulations 1, 21 and 22, printed pages 5 and 21.
A clear space — the term the regulations use for what most owners call a setback — is the part of the plot that must be left completely open to sky, with no structure over it, even temporary.
| Plot size | Front | Rear | Side (each) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Kanal — 75′×120′ | 20′-9″ | 8′-4½″ | 5′-4½″ |
| 2 Kanal — 100′×90′ | 15′-9″ | 8′-4½″ | 5′-4½″ |
| 1 Kanal | 15′-9″ | 5′-4½″ | 5′-4½″ |
| 10 Marla | 10′-9″ | 5′-4½″ | 5′-4½″ |
| 8 Marla | 8′-0″ | 4′-0″ | 4′-0″ |
| 5 Marla | 5′-0″ | 3′-0″ | 3′-0″ |
Two things about that table decide designs. The dimensions include the thickness of the boundary wall, so the open ground between wall and building face is less than the headline figure. And on a corner plot where you keep the frontage on the longer side, the front clear space must be left on both road sides — which changes the entire envelope and has to be decided at concept stage.
An observation from our own submissions — not a DHA statement
The first floor percentage is not a discount. It is an instruction about massing, and the larger the plot the more ground floor roof it forces you to leave unbuilt. On a 1 Kanal plot that is roughly 540 square feet; on a 2 Kanal plot roughly 1,300 square feet. That area cannot become a balcony, because no balcony may be made over clear spaces. It has to be resolved as a terrace served from inside the first floor, a courtyard void, or a double-height volume — and each of those changes the ground floor plan beneath it. Decide it at concept. Discovering it when the first floor plan is drawn means replanning the ground floor.
Porch, basement, plinth, boundary wall, fire safety, privacy, solar and enforcement — every figure cited to its regulation number and printed page.
Read the full DHA Lahore byelaws →Under Regulation 70 the Executive Board may amend these regulations at any time. Confirm the current edition and any subsequent amendment with the DHA Building Control Directorate before you submit. Last reviewed against the source document: September 2026. Next review: December 2026.
How DHA Lahore map approval actually runs
21 working days — and the clock restarts
DHA scrutinises five sets together: building plans, structural drawings, fire protection drawings, MEP drawings and 3D views. If the file comes back with observations, the corrected resubmission is treated as a fresh application and a further 21 working days begins. That single clause is why a complete first submission is worth more than a fast one.
Regulation 16(a) and (d), printed page 19.
Drawings
Prepared and signed by a registered architect. Structural, MEP and fire protection sets coordinated with the architecture, and a schedule of open, covered and permissible areas reconciled to the plans. In Urdu, the naqsha.
Document set
Seventeen items under Regulation 14: the site plan in the current owner’s name, the original geotechnical report, engineer’s certificates, stability certificates, the paid scrutiny challan, an undertaking on Rs 300 stamp paper, and an AutoCAD soft copy with 3D views.
Scrutiny
21 working days. Approval, rejection, or a request for modification. On resubmission the 21 working days restart.
Collection and demarcation
Approved documents collected in person or through attorney. Demarcation — DHA marking your plot boundaries on the ground — applied for afterwards.
Construction and completion
Five mandatory verification stages during construction, then the completion certificate, normally issued within 20 days where no violation is found.
Where owners lose time — the three we see most
The soil report expires
It must be an original, valid one year, and it is required at submission — not at excavation. Commission it before the drawings are finished, or it is weeks added for no design reason.
The section stops at the roof slab
Drawings must show overall height including the overhead water tank, mumtee, lift machine room and parapet. The tank sits inside the 39 feet and is routinely sized after the section is drawn.
The area schedule does not reconcile
Where a porch, projection or sunken area is treated inconsistently between schedule and plan, the arithmetic fails on inspection even though the design would have complied.
| Deadline | What it requires |
|---|---|
| 3 years from possession | Commence construction within three years of the area being opened for possession, failing which a non-construction penalty is payable as prescribed. |
| 2 years from approval | Complete the building within two years of the date the drawing was approved. |
| 2 years drawing validity | The approved drawing is valid for two years. On lapse, fresh approval must be obtained. |
| 3 years to completion certificate | Obtain the completion certificate within three years of drawing approval, failing which a fine is levied monthly. |
Regulation 17(a) to (c), printed page 19. Regulation 48(e), printed page 34.
DHA inspects. DHA does not supervise.
Regulation 45 states that construction supervision and quality assurance are the sole responsibility of the member and their appointed architects and engineers. The note to Regulation 18 adds that permission granted after a stage inspection does not relieve anyone of responsibility for keeping construction free of violations. Regulation 16(f) states that an oversight at scrutiny does not entitle the applicant to violate the regulations or to claim damages.
Read together, those three clauses place the risk on the owner. DHA’s stage verifications are compliance checkpoints, not a quality service, and an approval stamp is not a defence. That is why an unsupervised contractor arrangement in DHA Lahore is a regulatory exposure and not only a quality risk: if a violation is built, the notice, the rectification cost and the demolition liability sit with the owner — not with the contractor who built it.
Regulation 45, printed page 32. Regulation 18 Note and Regulation 16(f), printed pages 19 to 20.
Who is allowed to sign your DHA Lahore drawings
Building plans submitted to DHA Lahore must be signed by a registered architect — which the regulations define as an architect registered with PCATP and also registered with the Authority. PCATP registration alone is not sufficient. Structural stability certification must come from a registered structural engineer.
Regulation 15 opening paragraph and 15(t), printed page 18. Definition 76, printed page 10.
This is the point at which a plot owner cannot proceed alone, and it is the point most often discovered late — usually at the counter. DHA publishes current lists of approved architect firms, structural engineers, MEP firms and registered contractors on its own website. Which means the single most important thing you need to know about any firm you are considering is something you can check yourself in a few minutes.
Five checks to make before you pay anyone a fee
Ask which enlisted architect and structural engineer will sign your drawings
By name and by firm. Then check both names against DHA’s current published lists yourself. A firm that answers this vaguely is telling you something.
Ask to see a recent MEP set, and look for the fire protection layout
Fire protection is one of the five sets DHA scrutinises. A drawing set without it is an incomplete application, and many sets in circulation still omit it.
Ask for the schedule of open, covered and permissible areas
Read it against the plan. That schedule is a Regulation 15 requirement, and it is where covered-area arithmetic quietly fails.
Ask for a bill of quantities, not a rate per square foot
A per-square-foot rate quoted before drawings exist describes nothing. Two firms quoting the same rate against different scopes are not quoting the same price.
Ask what happens if the submission is returned with observations
Who redraws, at whose cost, and within what period. That answer is worth more than any portfolio image, because a resubmission restarts the 21 working days.
Elevation style is the easiest thing to compare between firms — and the least predictive of how your project will actually run.
How Avenir answers those five questions
| The check | Our answer |
|---|---|
| Who signs | We name the registered architect and the registered structural engineer who will sign your drawings, in writing, before any fee is agreed — and we encourage you to check both names against DHA’s current published lists. Our PCATP and PEC registration details are provided in writing on request. |
| Fire protection on the MEP drawings | Every residential submission set we prepare includes a fire protection layout drawn against the Annex-C schedule for your plot size. Detectors are hard-wired in fire-resistant cable in separate conduits, because wireless detectors are not accepted and the conduit is cast into the structure. |
| Schedule of areas | Issued as part of the submission set and shared with you before the file is lodged, so the arithmetic is something you have seen rather than something you find out about. |
| Bill of quantities | Provided for every construction and Design + Build project before work starts. Scope and exclusions are written down; nothing is assumed to be included because it is customary. |
| If the submission is returned | We respond to the Authority’s observations, correct the drawings and resubmit. Where the observation relates to our drawing set, we do that at our cost. |
What we do not claim
- No guaranteed approval. The Authority may reject plans or suggest modifications even where a design does not contravene the regulations, under Regulation 16(c).
- No guaranteed timeline. The 21 working days are DHA’s, not ours, and they restart on resubmission.
- No influence with DHA. Our contribution is a complete and compliant set, submitted correctly the first time.
139 CCA, DHA Phase 5, Lahore 54000
Our office is inside DHA Lahore, which means a site visit, a counter submission or a returned file is a short drive rather than a day. Monday to Friday, 10:00 to 19:00 PKT.
how familiar are you with dha lahore byelaws
We believe in keeping our clients informed and educated about the entire process. Our scope of work is clear from the very begining so that you make informed decisions.
Who builds it, and who carries the risk
Avenir builds houses and commercial buildings across DHA Lahore on material-plus-labour and defined project terms. We do not take labour-only rate contracts. Scope runs from grey structure — the completed frame, blockwork, slabs, plaster and concealed services, before any finishes — through to turnkey handover.
| Arrangement | What it covers | Suited to |
|---|---|---|
| Grey structure | Excavation, foundations, RCC (reinforced cement concrete) frame, blockwork, slabs, stairs, plaster, electrical conduiting and concealed plumbing. No finishes. | Owners finishing separately who want the structure built under drawings and supervision. |
| Turnkey construction | Grey structure plus finishing, MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) second fix, joinery, sanitary, doors and windows, paint and external works to the boundary. | Owners who want one party accountable from excavation to handover. |
| Design + Build | Architecture, approvals, engineering, BOQ and construction under one agreement. | Owners who want cost input at design stage and one party answerable on site. |
| Consultancy & supervision | Drawing review, BOQ, quality checkpoints, progress reporting, attendance at the five DHA verification stages. | Owners already committed to their own contractor who want the design and compliance side held. |
Design + Build is not an automatic discount, and we do not present it as one. What it buys is earlier cost input at design stage, better buildability, fewer gaps between drawing sets, and — given what Regulation 45 says about who carries supervision — one party answerable, rather than an argument between an architect and a contractor while the owner stands in the middle.
Commercial plots
We design and build 4 and 8 Marla commercial buildings on CCA and Broadway locations in DHA Lahore. On a commercial plot, parking provision, vehicle egress, floor-plate efficiency and signage are what decide both the approval and, afterwards, whether the building lets. Those are drawing-stage decisions, not leasing-stage ones.
Scope and exclusions are confirmed in writing for each project before work starts.
What it costs to build in DHA Lahore
Cost is driven by covered area, foundation type after the soil report, specification level and site conditions — not by plot size. These are planning ranges for Lahore on a material-plus-labour basis, as at September 2026. A budgeting tool, not a quotation.
Grey structure
PKR 2,800 – 3,500+per sq ft of covered areaExcavation, foundations, RCC frame, blockwork, slabs, stairs, plaster, electrical conduiting and concealed plumbing lines. No finishes.
A-category turnkey
PKR 6,700 – 8,800+per sq ft of covered areaGrey structure plus standard finishing, MEP, joinery, sanitary, doors and windows, paint and basic external works.
Premium turnkey
PKR 10,000 – 15,000+per sq ft of covered areaHigher specification finishes, imported materials, HVAC, smart systems, feature elevations, detailed joinery and landscape.
Compare the covered area definition before you compare the rate. Whether basement, mumtee, porch and boundary wall sit inside or outside the measured area changes the total far more than a few hundred rupees on the rate does. Two firms quoting the same number on different definitions are not quoting the same price.
What moves the number in DHA Lahore specifically
- Foundation typeYour geotechnical report decides whether isolated footings suffice or a heavier system is required. The largest single variable a per-square-foot rate cannot carry.
- BasementExcavation to a maximum 12 feet including foundation, plus retaining, waterproofing, drainage and access. It also sets the ground floor plinth at 3′-6″ up to 10 Marla, which changes the entry steps and the ramp.
- Plinth and levelsUp to 5′-6″ on 1 Kanal and above. A higher plinth means more fill, more retaining and a longer ramp inside the 12-inch rule at the front road.
- Boundary wall and external worksHigher on a street where neighbouring plots are unbuilt — no common wall to build against, and no neighbour to share the cost with.
- Fire detection and CCTVBoth mandatory, both first-fix MEP items rather than optional extras. Ask for them as named BOQ lines and check they are there.
- Specification and MEPOn premium builds, glazing, kitchens, wardrobes, sanitary, HVAC and smart systems move the total more than the structure does.
For a project-specific figure the order is concept design, then outline specification, then BOQ. A rate quoted before drawings exist is an opening position, not a budget.
Building in DHA Lahore from the UK, US, Canada or the Gulf
You can have a house designed, approved and built without travelling, and the mechanism is in the regulations rather than in a service brochure. A registered person may execute a special power of attorney issued by the Authority, authorising another person to submit applications, receive or pay charges, and undertake construction on their behalf. Approved documents may also be collected in person or through attorney.
Regulation 63, printed page 40. Regulation 16(e), printed page 19.
Two things to plan around
The attorney takes time to arrange. It is issued by the Authority in the manner it specifies, so execution and attestation need arranging in advance — not in the week the drawings are ready.
Some documents must be physical originals. Tracing cloth prints, the paid challan, the original geotechnical report, the stamp-paper undertaking, a CD. Someone has to stand at the counter. Design approval, drawing review and decision-making are remote. Counter submission and collection are not.
How we structure a remote project
- One named authorised decision-maker in the contract, with a defined process for when they are unavailable
- Digital drawing approvals, every revision issued, approved and logged, so nobody builds from a superseded set
- Milestone-linked payments tied to verified stages, not to calendar dates
- Weekly photograph and video logs against a milestone checklist
- Documented material approvals, with specifications and photographs, and samples couriered where the decision warrants it
- A written variation record, priced and approved before anything is built — where most overseas overruns start
- Photographs and sign-off records at each of the five DHA verification stages
Where Avenir works in DHA Lahore
We work across DHA Lahore. Seven phases have a detailed page — go straight to whichever applies to your plot.
If you read one other page
- The DHA Lahore building byelaws page. Every figure summarised above, cited to its regulation number and printed page, plus porch, basement, plinth, boundary wall, fire safety, privacy, solar and enforcement.
- If your plot is in Phase 9 Prism, read the Prism page first — sector possession decides whether you can begin at all.
Know your plot size?
Frequently asked questions
Who is allowed to sign house drawings submitted to DHA Lahore?
A registered architect — which the regulations define as an architect registered with the Pakistan Council of Architects & Town Planners and also registered with the Authority. PCATP registration alone is not sufficient. The architect must additionally certify that all components of the building were designed by them, and the structural stability certificate must come from a registered structural engineer. DHA publishes current lists of approved architect firms and structural engineers, so you can check any name before you pay a fee. (Regulation 15, printed page 18; Definition 76, printed page 10.)
How long does DHA Lahore take to approve a house map?
The Authority scrutinises the drawings and documents within 21 working days, covering the building plans, structural drawings, fire protection drawings, MEP drawings and 3D views. That is a scrutiny period rather than a guaranteed approval date — the outcome may be approval, rejection, or a request for modification. If the file is returned and resubmitted, it is treated as a fresh application and a further 21 working days begins. (Regulation 16(a) and (d), printed page 19.)
What are the setbacks for a 1 Kanal plot in DHA Lahore?
For a 1 Kanal plot the minimum clear spaces, including boundary walls, are 15 feet 9 inches at the front and 5 feet 4½ inches at the rear and on each side. On a corner plot where the owner keeps the frontage on the longer side, the specified front clear space must be left on both road sides. No clear space on any side may be less than 3 feet 9 inches. (Regulation 22(a) and (c), printed page 21.)
How much of the first floor can I build in DHA Lahore?
The permitted first floor covered area is a percentage of the ground floor, set by plot size: 100% on 5 Marla, 82% on 7 to 10 Marla, 80% on 1 Kanal, and 78% on 2 Kanal. Three and four Kanal plots arise only through amalgamation, where a separate footprint cap of 65% and 63% of plot area also applies. (Regulation 27(a)(3), printed page 24.)
What is the maximum height of a house in DHA Lahore?
39 feet from the crown of the road, for a residential building of any type, in all phases. A building without mumtee and parapet is limited to 32 feet and may not have a second floor. Height is measured from the crown of the front road to the highest part of the roof, and the drawings must show the overall height including the overhead water tank, staircase, lift machine room and parapet walls. (Regulation 23(a), printed page 22; Regulation 15(m), printed page 18.)
Do I need a soil test before submitting a DHA Lahore house map?
Yes. An original soil testing or geotechnical report must accompany the application and its validity is one year. Because it is required at submission rather than at excavation, it needs to be commissioned early enough to be issued before the application is lodged — and it is also what determines your foundation design, and therefore a significant part of your structural budget. (Regulation 14(p), printed page 17.)
Can an overseas owner submit a DHA Lahore map through an attorney?
Yes. A registered person may execute a special power of attorney issued by the Authority, in the manner the Authority specifies, authorising another person to submit applications, receive or pay charges or penalties, and undertake construction on their behalf. Approved documents may also be collected in person or through attorney. Several submission documents are physical originals, so the attorney holder must attend the Building Control counter in person. (Regulation 63, printed page 40; Regulation 16(e), printed page 19.)
Does Avenir build in every phase of DHA Lahore, or only design?
Both, across DHA Lahore. Avenir provides architecture and DHA submission drawings, construction from grey structure to turnkey, Design + Build under one agreement, interior design, and consultancy and supervision for owners building with their own contractor. Seven phases have a dedicated page on this site; for the remainder, send your phase and plot details and we will answer directly. We do not take labour-only contracts, minor renovation work, or plot buying and selling.
Send five things, get a specific answer
- Plot size5 Marla, 8 Marla, 10 Marla, 1 Kanal, 2 Kanal or other.
- Phase and blockThe phase decides almost everything on this page.
- Plot dimensions in feetFor example 50 × 90.
- Corner or non-cornerIf corner, which side you intend to take as the frontage.
- Where you areNo drawings yet, drawings in progress, ready to submit, submission returned with observations, or a violation notice received.
What comes back
The clear spaces and permitted covered area for your plot. What the approval route looks like from where you are standing. And a fee structure for design, for construction, or for both.
If something about your situation means we are not the right firm for it, we will say so.
Typically replied to within working hours, Monday to Friday, 10:00 to 19:00 PKT.