Top Architects & Builders in DHA Phase 4 Islamabad | Avenir Developments
DHA Phase 4 is the terraced phase of DHA Islamabad-Rawalpindi: roughly 4,000 kanals of semi-hilly ground beside the Orchard Area of Phase I, along the Soan River. On contoured land the front road sets the rules, because DHA measures a house's height, its storeys and any basement from the crown of that road.
Avenir Developments designs houses for Phase 4 plots, including River View South, prepares the DHAI-R submission set with coordinated structural and MEP drawings, and builds them, working from its Islamabad office at 101 Luxus Mall, Gulberg Greens.
DHAI-R describes Phase IV as a semi-hilly site with contoured terraces, laid out so that the natural topography is respected as far as possible. Its spinal road links Phase I to the north with the Rawalpindi M2 Motorway link to the south. Listings use both names, DHA Phase 4 Islamabad and DHA Phase 4 Rawalpindi, for the same phase under the same regulations.
The terrain changes the design brief. Many Phase 4 plots do not sit level with the road in front of them, or with the plots behind and beside them. On a level plot the plinth, driveway and ground floor are routine; here they are decisions about how much of the level difference the house absorbs, whether a lower floor becomes a basement under DHA's definition, how the retaining walls are built and who drains water to whom.
DHAI-R's Price Valuation Benchmarking sheet for 16 to 30 September 2026 lists these Phase IV categories. We use it here only as the authority's own list of sectors and plot sizes.
Property listings describe River View North and River View South as separate pockets reached from Adyala Road rather than a continuation of Sectors A to D. We have not found a DHAI-R map that confirms this, so check access, levels and possession for your sector directly with DHAI-R. River View South is covered in the next section.
DHAI-R counts a marla as 25 sq yd (225 sq ft), so a 10 Marla plot is 250 sq yd (2,250 sq ft) and a 1 Kanal plot is 500 sq yd (4,500 sq ft) (regs 3.2, 3.4 and 6.10). Some online guides apply the 272.25 sq ft marla to DHA Islamabad, which overstates a 1 Kanal plot by about 21 per cent and every coverage figure calculated from it. The covered-area rules below are set in square yards, so the unit matters.
Several websites use "DHA Phase 4" in their names and write in DHA's voice. DHAI-R's official website is dhai-r.com.pk, which publishes the byelaws this page cites. Looking for DHA Phase 4 in Lahore? See our DHA Phase 4 Lahore page.
River View South (RVS) is a sector of DHA Phase 4 Islamabad, listed as a Phase IV sector on DHAI-R's valuation sheet for 16 to 30 September 2026. DHAI-R opened applications in July 2023 for 5, 7 and 10 Marla and 1 Kanal residential plots, allotted by computerised ballot (Zameen News, citing DHAI-R), and has since published the results of two ballots. The same sheet lists 8 Marla commercial plots in River View South. Houses there follow the same DHAI-R byelaws as the rest of Phase 4. River View South is a different sector from River View in DHA Phase 6.
| Your stage | Worth doing now | Wait for |
|---|---|---|
| Allotment, before possession | Write the brief: rooms, a basement or not, how the house will be used and a budget frame. Check how the rules below apply to your plot size. If you live abroad, arrange a power of attorney through DHAI-R (reg. 3.13). | Floor plans and submission drawings. They depend on the site plan's dimensions and levels, and on the gate, manhole and water point it fixes (reg. 6.3.2). |
| Possession and site plan issued | A level survey, at least two boreholes (reg. 8.4.1), the concept and levels strategy, then the DHAI-R submission set (reg. 8.6). | Excavation during the monsoon (reg. 8.19). |
| Approved drawings | Demarcation and a start within three months (reg. 8.9), with the road-side boundary wall to DPC before the main building (reg. 7.19). | Nothing: the three-year completion period runs from plan approval (reg. 8.31.1). |
DHAI-R sets ground-floor coverage by plot area in square yards (reg. 8.54). At DHAI-R's 225 sq ft marla, the four River View South residential sizes fall into three bands.
| Plot | Area | Ground floor, incl. car porch | Setbacks: front, rear, sides |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Marla | 125 sq yd (1,125 sq ft) | 85%: about 956 sq ft | 5 ft, 3 ft, none |
| 7 Marla | 175 sq yd (1,575 sq ft) | 85%: about 1,339 sq ft | 5 ft, 3 ft, none |
| 10 Marla | 250 sq yd (2,250 sq ft) | 70%: 1,575 sq ft | 10 ft, 3 ft, 3 ft each |
| 1 Kanal | 500 sq yd (4,500 sq ft) | 68%: 3,060 sq ft | 15 ft, 5 ft, 5 ft each |
A 7 Marla plot sits in the same band as a 5 Marla plot, so it keeps 85 per cent coverage with no side setbacks. Moving up to 10 Marla adds 675 sq ft of land but only about 236 sq ft of ground floor, because coverage drops to 70 per cent and side setbacks begin. On 5 and 7 Marla plots, daylight and ventilation come from the front, the rear and internal air wells (reg. 8.2.3), so the stair and light-well positions shape the plan. Every figure is tested against the plot's actual dimensions once the site plan is issued.
Own a plot in River View South? Tell us your plot size and stage. Before possession, the first conversation is about your brief and budget, and design can begin as soon as the site plan arrives.
Two common Phase 4 conditions, drawn to show where each rule is measured from. The numbers on the drawings match the notes beside them.
Source: DHA Islamabad and DHA Rawalpindi Revised Byelaws and Regulations 2022 (updated 2023), DHAI-R byelaws PDF. Drawings are diagrammatic and not to scale.
Phase 4 follows the same DHAI-R regulations as the rest of DHA Islamabad-Rawalpindi. Regulation 8.54 sets ground-floor coverage and compulsory open space, the setbacks, by plot area in square yards.
| Plot | Plot area band | Ground floor, incl. car porch | Front | Rear | Sides | Reg. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 to 8 Marla | Up to 200 sq yd | 85% | 5 ft | 3 ft | None | 8.54.1 |
| 10 Marla | 250 to 399 sq yd | 70% | 10 ft | 3 ft | 3 ft each | 8.54.3 |
| 1 Kanal | 400 to 600 sq yd | 68% | 15 ft | 5 ft | 5 ft each | 8.54.4 |
A 1 Kanal plot of 500 sq yd (4,500 sq ft) at 68 per cent allows 3,060 sq ft of ground floor including the car porch. If the plot measures 50 ft by 90 ft, the setbacks leave a building envelope of 40 ft by 70 ft, or 2,800 sq ft, so on that shape the setbacks, not the percentage, set the size of the ground floor. The 2 ft front relaxation adds 80 sq ft. On a terraced plot, retaining walls, a ramp or a change of level can take a further share of the envelope.
A 10 Marla plot of 250 sq yd (2,250 sq ft) at 70 per cent allows 1,575 sq ft of ground floor including the porch, before the 10 ft front, 3 ft rear and 3 ft side setbacks are tested against the plot's actual dimensions from its site plan.
Share your site plan and a few photos of the plot taken from the road. We can then talk through which of these rules will shape your house and what to survey first.
On a Phase 4 plot we settle the levels before the layout. These are the decisions, in the order we take them.
Height, storeys and plinth are all measured from the road that gives the plot its principal access (regs 1.2.35, 1.2.42 and 8.56.2). On a corner plot, or one that opens on two roads, confirm which road DHAI-R treats as the reference before any drawing starts; frontage follows the street number on the site plan (reg. 1.2.34).
A level survey across the plot and along its boundaries shows how far the ground rises or falls. DHAI-R requires at least two boreholes before structural design (reg. 8.4.1), tested through a DHA-approved laboratory (reg. 8.3). On terraced ground the report tells the structural engineer whether the foundations will sit on natural ground or on fill, and that answer can change the foundation design and its cost.
Where the plot falls away from the road, a lower level counts as a basement, with the limits shown above. Where it rises, the plinth climbs and uses up part of the 37 ft. Cutting, filling, stepping the ground floor or building a lower level each lead to different retaining walls, drainage and substructure costs, so the choice is made and priced at concept stage, before the layout is fixed. Split levels are shown on the submission drawings (reg. 8.6.9).
The gate position comes from the DHA site plan (reg. 6.5.1). Only a downward ramp is allowed within the setbacks (reg. 6.8.4), and ramps in the services area in front of the plot have their own rule (reg. 8.59). On a plot above its road, the driveway gradient is one of the first things we draw.
Where plots sit at different levels, seepage treatment is shown on the submission drawings (reg. 8.18), excavation keeps a 5 ft safety distance from a built house (reg. 8.21.1), and a lower plot takes a 6-inch pipe for water trapped on the higher plot behind it (reg. 8.20). Regulations 8.64 and 8.65 cover retaining walls and adjacent plots at different levels, and DHAI-R's illustrated byelaws show both cases.
DHAI-R describes the terraces as giving residents scenic views, and the same slopes put some houses above their neighbours' gardens. We orient living spaces toward the open side of the plot and keep upper-floor windows from looking straight down into lower gardens. Green roofs up to parapet height are permitted (reg. 8.43), and a standby generator can go in the basement, on the front of the roof or in the front lawn, but not in the rear or side spaces (reg. 8.42.1.3).
Roofs drain through concealed pipes, not spouts (reg. 8.19.5). DHAI-R's illustrated byelaws allow a rainwater harvesting tank and an extra small overhead tank of up to a quarter of the main tank's capacity for rainwater use. Solar panels need a structure stability certificate from a DHA-enlisted vendor.
The full approval route is set out on our DHA Islamabad page. On Phase 4 the sequence is the same, but the dates matter more than usual, because excavation on sloping plots is deeper and more sensitive to weather.
Once dues are cleared, DHAI-R issues a site plan showing the gate, manhole and water point (reg. 6.3.2). Possession documents follow a DPC-level check of the boundary wall (reg. 6.3.3).
Level survey, at least two boreholes (reg. 8.4.1), then concept, levels strategy, structure and services.
Three signed sets, the structural drawings, the soil report and the architect's and engineer's undertakings go to Building Control (reg. 8.6). Approved drawings or observations come back within 15 working days (regs 8.7.2 and 8.7.3).
Approved drawings are valid for three months; after that they must be revalidated (reg. 8.9). Demarcation follows DHAI-R's three-step SOP, with checks after boundary-wall excavation and at DPC level (reg. 8.13).
Materials are on site before excavation begins (reg. 7.7), and the main building cannot start until the road-side boundary wall reaches DPC and is checked (reg. 7.19).
Construction is completed within three years of plan approval, after which penalties apply (reg. 8.31.1). DHA's inspector signs the inspection chart at each stage (regs 8.13.4.3 and 8.30).
As-built drawings and the signed inspection chart go in with the completion application (reg. 8.34).
DHAI-R allows no excavation during the monsoon, halts demarcation about a week before it begins, around 15 July, and cancels demarcation on sites where work has not started (reg. 8.19). On a Phase 4 plot with a deep cut or a basement, we programme design and approval so that excavation and retaining walls are finished before mid-July, or begin after the rains.
You can appoint Avenir for design only, or for design and construction. When one team designs, documents and builds, the levels fixed at concept stage do not have to be handed between firms before they reach site.
| Stage | What you receive |
|---|---|
| Brief and plot review | A written brief and budget frame, a site-plan review, and coordination of the level survey and soil test |
| Concept and levels strategy | Floor plans, sections through the slope, elevations and 3D views |
| DHAI-R submission set | Drawings to reg. 8.6: plans of every level including the roof and mumty, the front elevation, a section through the stairs, boundary wall, gate and ramp details, levels to the reference point, and the isometric colour view |
| Structural and MEP drawings | Structural drawings that carry the retaining walls and foundations, with electrical, plumbing and drainage layouts |
| Construction | Grey structure, finishing or turnkey construction in Islamabad and Rawalpindi |
| Design + Build | Design and construction under one contract |
| Interior design | Interiors planned with the architecture, not after it |
Tell us your sector, your plot size and whether the plot sits above or below its road. We will set out the design stages and what we need from you to begin, or you can start with our residential project brief.
If you are managing a Phase 4 plot from outside Pakistan, the byelaws give you two independent records that do not depend on who you appoint.
Before work begins, put a general or special power of attorney in place through DHAI-R for whoever will act for you in Pakistan (reg. 3.13), and decide who signs off design stages, material selections and changes. Read how overseas clients work with Avenir.
DHAI-R decides who may sign drawings and who may build. Use this list with any firm you are considering, including us.
| Role | What the byelaws require | What to ask for |
|---|---|---|
| Architect who signs the submission set | Registered with PCATP and on DHAI-R's panel (regs 1.2.48 and 8.5) | The name of the signing architect and their DHAI-R panel status |
| Structural engineer | Registered with PEC, at least an MSc in Structures, and on DHAI-R's panel; certifies the structure (regs 1.2.61 and 8.6.22) | Panel status, and who designs the retaining walls |
| Soil testing firm | Report signed and stamped by a DHA-registered firm (reg. 8.6.22) | The firm's registration and the borehole locations |
| Contractor | Registered with DHA since 1 January 2022 and renewed every year (regs 8.11 and 7.27) | A current registration letter |
| Solar installer | A DHA-enlisted vendor, with a structure stability certificate | Proof of enlistment |
DHAI-R's website carries an Affiliates section, and its Building Control Directorate holds the approved lists (reg. 8.3). Avenir Developments is a PCATP-registered practice; ask us, as you would any firm, for the name and DHAI-R panel status of the architect and engineer who will sign your drawings.
Rates change from month to month, so this page does not publish one. Start with the construction cost calculators and our house construction cost guide, then allow for the Phase 4 factors below, which a flat-plot estimate leaves out.
Their height and length, and whether fill must be brought in or cut taken away.
Excavation, RCC retaining walls to the plot line, waterproofing and drainage (reg. 8.56.11).
Set by the soil report, not by plot size. Fill or variable ground can change the foundation type.
Seepage treatment and pipes through boundary and retaining walls (regs 8.18 and 8.20).
On a sloping plot the road-side and side walls step with the ground.
Missing the pre-monsoon excavation window can add months to the programme (reg. 8.19).
Scrutiny is charged per square foot, with site plan, completion and refundable security charges on top; DHAI-R updates them every year (regs 3.10 to 3.12, 3.20 and 3.22).
Share the site plan, how your plot sits against the road and the house you have in mind. We will outline the design scope, the Phase 4 cost factors that apply and the next steps.
37 ft, including the water tank, mumty and any other structure, measured from the crown of the front approach road. The house is limited to two storeys, ground and first, counted from the reference road, and DHAI-R can allow up to one extra foot in exceptional cases on payment and with approval (regs 1.2.35, 8.56.2 and 8.56.3). DHA Lahore is different: its April 2026 regulations allow 39 ft.
For plots of 400 to 600 sq yd, which includes a 1 Kanal plot of 500 sq yd, ground-floor coverage is 68 per cent including the car porch, with setbacks of 15 ft at the front, 5 ft at the rear and 5 ft on each side. For plots of 250 to 399 sq yd, which includes a 10 Marla plot of 250 sq yd, it is 70 per cent with 10 ft front, 3 ft rear and 3 ft side setbacks. Plots up to 200 sq yd, which covers 5 to 8 Marla, may cover 85 per cent with 5 ft front and 3 ft rear setbacks (reg. 8.54). On a 1 Kanal or larger plot the front setback can be relaxed by up to 2 ft on payment (reg. 8.54.7.2).
Yes, within DHAI-R's basement rules. Any floor wholly or partly below natural ground or approach-road level is a basement. It may stand no more than 4.5 ft above the crown of the abutting road, needs a clear height between 8 ft 6 in and 10 ft 6 in, must be waterproofed and needs an RCC retaining wall up to the plot line. The house must still read as two storeys and stay within 37 ft of the front road (regs 1.2.14 and 8.56.11). Excavation beside a built neighbour keeps a 5 ft safety distance (reg. 8.21.1).
DHAI-R counts a marla as 25 sq yd, or 225 sq ft, so a 10 Marla plot is 250 sq yd (2,250 sq ft) and a 1 Kanal plot is 500 sq yd (4,500 sq ft) (regs 3.2, 3.4 and 6.10). Guides that apply the 272.25 sq ft marla to DHA Islamabad overstate plot area by about 21 per cent, and every covered-area figure worked out from it.
Approved drawings are valid for three months, so demarcation and work should begin within that window or the drawings must be revalidated (reg. 8.9). No excavation is allowed during the monsoon, and demarcation stops about a week before it begins, around 15 July (reg. 8.19). The road-side boundary wall must reach DPC and be checked before the main building starts (reg. 7.19), and the house must be completed within three years of plan approval (reg. 8.31.1).
Yes. DHAI-R's price valuation sheet for 16 to 30 September 2026 lists River View South, and River View North, as Phase IV sectors. DHAI-R opened River View South applications for 5, 7 and 10 Marla and 1 Kanal plots in July 2023 and allotted them by ballot. Property listings place both River View sectors on Adyala Road, apart from Sectors A to D. The same DHAI-R byelaws apply across Phase 4.
You can settle the brief and budget now, but floor plans and submission drawings should wait for the site plan. The design depends on the plot's exact dimensions, its levels against the road and the gate, manhole and water point positions that the site plan fixes (reg. 6.3.2), and DHAI-R accepts a submission only with the possession form and site plan attached (reg. 8.6.19). We had not found a DHAI-R possession notice for River View South as of 25 September 2026.
A standard 7 Marla plot of 175 sq yd (1,575 sq ft) falls in DHAI-R's band for plots up to 200 sq yd, so the ground floor may cover 85 per cent including the car porch, about 1,339 sq ft, with a 5 ft front setback, a 3 ft rear setback and no side setbacks (reg. 8.54). The house is limited to ground and first floors within 37 ft of the front road crown (regs 8.56.2 and 8.56.3).
Yes. Avenir Developments provides architecture, DHAI-R submission drawings, structural and MEP drawings, construction and Design + Build for Phase 4 plots, managed from its Islamabad office at 101 Luxus Mall, Gulberg Greens. The scope of each project, including whether construction is part of it, is confirmed in writing before appointment.
The submission set is signed by an architect registered with PCATP and on DHAI-R's panel, with a structural engineer registered with PEC, holding at least an MSc in Structures and on the same panel. The soil report comes from a DHA-registered firm, and construction is carried out by a contractor registered with DHA and renewed every year (regs 1.2.48, 1.2.61, 8.5, 8.6.22, 8.11 and 7.27). Ask any firm you are considering for these documents in writing.
Put a general or special power of attorney in place through DHAI-R for whoever will act for you (reg. 3.13), then use the two records the byelaws create: the inspection chart that DHA's building inspector signs at each stage, and the approved drawings that must be kept on site (regs 8.13.4.3, 8.28 and 8.30). Ask for a photograph of every signed stage.
Whether you hold a site plan, possession or approved drawings, the first conversation is about your plot's levels and what the byelaws allow on it. The first consultation is free.