DHA Quetta
Architects in DHA Quetta for house design and interiors
House design, structural and services drawings, the DHA Quetta submission set and whole-house interiors, worked to the DHA Quetta Regulations 2024 and briefed on WhatsApp from wherever you live.
Every DHA Quetta rule on this page is read from DHA Quetta's own documents and cited to the page it sits on.
Design first. Build once.
- Projects
- 232projects
- Approvals
- 167approvals
- Authorities
- 23societies and authorities
Avenir record, Q4 2026.
Schematic. Two storeys and 37 ft overall, mumty and water tank included, measured from the plot's centre line at the road crown. (Regulations 2024, 7.55 and 7.60, pp.44 and 52)
What we design
One design team for the house, its structure and its interiors
For a DHA Quetta plot, Avenir is appointed for the design: architecture, structural and services drawings, the submission set, interiors and 3D views, coordinated by one team before anything reaches site.
2 Kanal house, DHA Multan3D render. Designed by Avenir for a DHA scheme outside the three cities where it builds. See the project
1 Kanal house, U Block, DHA Phase 8, Lahore3D render. Whole-house interiors, designed and built by Avenir. See the interiors
House design
Plans, elevations and sections for 5 Marla to 2 Kanal plots, worked to the DHA Quetta Regulations 2024 from the first sketch.
Structure and services
Structural design to the seismic provisions DHA Quetta names, by in-house and appointed PEC engineers, with electrical, plumbing and HVAC drawn alongside.
DHA Quetta submission set
The ammonia-print sets, soft copy, schedules, A3 structural set and isometric colour view that Building Control asks for.
Interiors
Whole-house or whole-floor interiors: layouts, joinery, lighting, finishes and the schedule of finishes.
3D visualisation
Renders and walkthroughs made in-house, so decisions are taken on screen before they reach site.
One coordinated set
Architecture, structure and services checked against each other in BIM. A typical house runs to more than 100 drawing sheets.
Commercial plots
Plazas to DHA Quetta's commercial standards: 71 ft for a basement, ground and four floors on main commercial plots, 60 ft on sector commercial (7.77, pp.61 to 62).
Not offered in Quetta: construction
Avenir builds in Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi. In Quetta the drawings go to a contractor registered with DHA Quetta, appointed by you.
Building calendar
In DHA Quetta, the calendar is part of the design brief
DHA Quetta stops all construction in December, January and February, halts demarcation before the monsoon and gives an approved drawing three months to start. Choose when you want to start on site to see when the approval should be dated.
DHA Quetta's clock, as written
| Step or rule | DHA Quetta | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Site plan | 20 working days, or 4 on the urgent track | Steps sheet, step 1 |
| Drawing approval | 15 working days; another 15 after observations are rectified | Regulations 7.7, p.25 |
| Drawing approval, Steps sheet | 20 working days for houses, 45 for commercial buildings | Steps sheet, step 2 |
| Approved drawing valid | 3 months to start work, then revalidation for a fee | Regulations 7.9, p.26 |
| Demarcation | Within 5 days of completing the requirements | Steps sheet, step 3 |
| Winter | No construction activity in December, January or February | Regulations 7.19, p.28 |
| Monsoon | No excavation; demarcation halted a week before the monsoon, which the Regulations put at about 15 July; unstarted demarcations and permissions cancelled; fresh demarcation after it | Regulations 7.19, p.28; 8.1, p.70 |
| Working hours | Until 7 pm in winter and 9 pm in summer | Regulations 8.1, p.68 |
| Construction period | Complete within 3 years of drawing approval | Regulations 7.31, p.30 |
| NOC for occupation | Within 10 days, once any violations are rectified | Regulations 7.33, p.31 |
| Completion certificate | Within 30 days, or 30 days after any violations are rectified | Steps sheet, step 5 |
The two approval times come from two DHA Quetta documents and do not agree; we plan on the longer one. Reading the three-month validity together with the winter stop is our interpretation; DHA Quetta's Building Control has the final word.
Plot allowance
What each DHA Quetta plot allows
Two storeys at most, ground and first. The ground floor may take a share of the plot that falls as plots grow, from 85% on 5 Marla to 60% on 2 Kanal, and never the clear spaces.
Schematic, not to scale. Side* is the side along the car porch; the table gives each clear space by plot size. (7.53, p.43)
Above ground, plot by plot
Ground floorFirst floorMumty
Ceilings from the percentages, each part rounded down, the first floor taken from the unrounded ground floor, mumty as printed in the Regulations' own table (7.56, p.50; its percentages and square feet disagree on some rows), at 225 sq ft a Marla (6.9, p.21). The first floor uses the 90% option; the footprint-less-porch option can be larger where the porch is small. A basement may add up to the whole area inside the clear spaces. On the plot itself the clear spaces can hold the ground floor below its percentage; the site plan settles it.
| Plot area | Ground floor, porch included | First floor | Front | Rear | Side* | Side |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,125 to 1,791 sq ft 5 to 7.96 Marla | 85% | Ground-floor footprint | 5 | 3 | Nil | Nil |
| Up to 1,800 sq ft 8 Marla | 85% | Ground-floor footprint | 5 | 3 | Nil | Nil |
| 1,809 to 2,241 sq ft 8.04 to 9.96 Marla | 75% | Ground-floor footprint | 7 | 3 | 3 | Nil |
| 2,250 to 3,591 sq ft 10 to 15.96 Marla | 70% | 90% of the ground floor with the porch, or the footprint less the porch | 10 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 3,600 to 5,400 sq ft 16 to 24 Marla | 68% | As above | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| 5,409 to 7,200 sq ft 24.04 to 32 Marla | 68% | As above | 18 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| 7,209 sq ft and above Above 32 Marla | 60% | As above | 20 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Front setback on plots of 1 Kanal and above can be reduced by up to 2 ft for a fee (7.53, p.43). Covered area counts the basement, both floors, the porch, verandahs and the mumty; a pergola counts at 25% and shades not at all; no house may be under 1,125 sq ft (7.55, p.44).
A 10 Marla plot allows less above ground than an 8 Marla one
On the Regulations' own table, 8 Marla reaches 3,305 sq ft above ground and 10 Marla 3,242 sq ft, because the ground floor drops from 85% to 70% and the first floor from the full footprint to 90% (on the 90% reading of the first-floor rule). Worth knowing before buying or joining plots.
Ground plus first, not ground plus two
Figures published online for DHA Quetta give houses a second floor and 55% cover on 1 Kanal. The Regulations 2024 allow two storeys only, and 68% on 1 Kanal: up to 3,060 sq ft of ground floor before the clear spaces are checked.
Corners, joins and big plots
Corner plots chamfer 6 by 6 ft above 1,800 sq ft and 4 by 4 ft up to 1,800 sq ft (7.62, p.53). Plots may be joined up to 8 Kanal (6.2, p.18); a 9,000 sq ft plot lying in line with 4,500 sq ft plots may be divided, but a planned 2 Kanal category plot may not (6.1, p.18).
Room for the house you need
Habitable rooms of at least 80 sq ft, a servant quarter of at least 80 sq ft, a bay window on plots from 2,250 sq ft, a green roof on 1 Kanal and above, and a pool with DHA Quetta's approval, out of sight from the street (7.43 to 7.71, pp.34 to 59). 1 Kanal house design
Heights and levels
37 ft, two storeys, measured from one point
On a sloping valley floor the reference point decides everything above it. The section below shows each limit the Regulations set, numbered to the list.
Schematic section. Heights are drawn to scale; plan depths are not.
Reference point. The plot's centre line at the crown of the reference road. Every height on the drawing is measured from here. (7.60, p.52)
Plinth. The finished ground floor sits no more than 4 ft 6 in above the reference point. (7.55, p.44)
Floor height. 8 ft 6 in to 16 ft. A 16 ft floor never earns an extra storey. (7.55, p.44)
Two storeys. Ground and first at most, counted from the reference road. (7.55, p.44)
Parapet. 2 ft 6 in to 5 ft. (7.55, p.48)
Mumty. Over the main or secondary stair, up to 11 ft above the first-floor roof slab, 12 ft for a fee, and no wider than half the plot's average width. (7.56, p.49)
37 ft overall. Mumty and water tank included; up to 1 ft more in exceptional cases where the site permits, for a fee. A lift well may reach 38 ft. (7.55, pp.44, 49)
Basement. Up to the whole area inside the clear spaces, no more than 4 ft 6 in above the road crown, clear height 8 ft 6 in to 10 ft 6 in, an RCC retaining wall to the plot line and an emergency exit of 3 by 3 ft. The house must still read as two storeys. (7.55, pp.44, 46 to 47)
Deeper than 12 ft. Below 12 ft from road level, RCC piling along all four sides at the plot line, designed from the soil report. (7.51, p.41)
Boundary wall. At most 8 ft 6 in from the road centre line and at least 5 ft 6 in from the clear-space level, with a safety grill of up to 2 ft 6 in. (7.61, p.52)
Overhead tank. One, in RCC, up to 8 ft above the roof: 900 gallons up to 1 Kanal, 1,200 above. (7.66, p.55)
Built for Quetta
Designed for an earthquake zone and a hard winter
DHA Quetta writes its climate and its ground into the Regulations. These are the rules a design has to carry from the first sketch.
Earthquake-resistant by regulation
Houses follow the Building Code of Pakistan, ACI or UBC, with soil investigation of at least two boreholes before structural design and bearing capacity tested by a DHA-approved laboratory. (7.3, 7.4 and 7.50, pp.23 and 39)
Schematic of the principle, numbered to the list. Calculations set the sizes for each house.
Strip foundation. RCC, at least 9 in thick under the walls; strip, raft or pile footing as the soil report decides, with pile caps of at least 15 in. (7.52, p.42)
Plinth band. At least 9 in deep, in every interior and exterior wall. (7.52, p.42)
Lintel band. At least 9 in deep and continuous over the openings on both floors, with every door and window lintel at one level. (7.52, p.42)
RCC columns. At least 9 by 9 in at wall corners and junctions, from the foundation concrete to the top slab. (7.52, p.42)
Materials. Bricks of at least 1,500 psi, concrete of at least 3,000 psi, steel of 60,000 psi yield. Hollow-block masonry only inside a frame structure. (7.52, pp.41 to 42)
The Building Code of Pakistan's 2007 seismic provisions list Quetta tehsil in Zone 3, peak ground acceleration 0.24 to 0.32 g. The Regulations take the zone factor from Balochistan's Seismic Provisions 2021 and mention zone 2B in a clause on large commercial buildings. (BCP SP-2007, Tables 2.1 and 2.2; Regulations 7.50, p.39; 7.98, p.67)
Our engineers state the zone factor and every seismic parameter they adopt on the structural drawings, as the Regulations require. (7.50, p.41)
Winter, sun and water
Quetta's winters shape the plan as much as its byelaws do. The Regulations allow for them in these provisions.
Sun roomOne room may be kept as a sun room, which the Regulations allow for the weather from December to February. (7.55, p.44)
Rain and roofNo spouts on the top roof: rainwater runs down concealed pipes. Only a removable or foldable shade may cover cars between the gate and the porch, against rain and hail. (7.19, p.28; 7.55, p.46)
Solar powerUp to 10 kW on houses to 1 Kanal and 20 kW above, panels with the lower edge at 5 ft and the upper edge at 10 ft at most, and the mumty placed with the sun's path in mind. (7.67, p.57)
Solar hot waterRecommended to supply 75% of hot water, with insulated tanks and pipes. (7.67, p.58)
Water storageOne underground RCC tank of up to 1,500 gallons to 1 Kanal and 2,000 above, filled by bowser from outside. A rainwater tank is optional from 10 Marla: 1,200 gallons on 1 Kanal, 1,800 on 2 Kanal. (7.66, pp.55 to 56)
GeneratorStandby only, soundproofed, up to 15 kVA on a house, and never in the rear clear space. (7.42, p.33)
Site plan in hand
Send the site plan with your brief
DHA Quetta's site plan fixes the gate, the manhole and the water point, and the design starts from it. We reply within one working day.
No site plan yet? Send the plot size and sector instead.
Sloping plots
Plots that sit above or below the road
DHA Quetta writes rules for level differences that flat schemes never need. Where a plot opens onto two roads at different levels, the drop decides how many floors may sit below the reference road.
Rear road 10 to 16 ft lower
One floor may be built from the lower road. It counts as a basement from the reference road, the covered area stays within the plot's standard allowance, and the mumty goes towards the higher road so the house reads as fewer storeys. (7.65, p.54)
Rear road 17 to 25 ft lower
Two floors may be built from the lower road, both counted as basements. The rear clear space grows to at least 10 ft for them and the ground floor, and 20 ft for the first floor. Beyond 25 ft, DHA Quetta decides storeys, setbacks and height case by case. (7.65, pp.54 to 55)
Back-to-back plots 5 ft or more apart in level. Whoever builds first builds an RCC retaining wall for their own house: on the lower plot up to the rear road level, on the upper plot from 2 ft below the lower road, each with an engineer's stability certificate. (7.64, p.53)
A house already standing above. Where it stands 5 ft or more higher, the RCC boundary wall is finished within 15 days of starting excavation. (7.61, p.53)
Split levels. Up to 3 ft, where the ground or hard strata make excavation difficult. (7.55, p.45)
Setback levels. No more than 2 ft above the reference; one raised area of up to 3 ft 6 in outside a side opening. (7.55, p.45)
Water from the plot behind. A lower plot takes trapped water from the higher plot through a 6 inch pipe, as a temporary arrangement noted on the drawing. (7.20, p.28)
Excavating beside a neighbour. Keep 5 ft from a built house when digging a basement or a level difference; any damage is the owner's to make good. Blasting is not allowed. (7.21 and 7.26, pp.28 to 29)
Inside the plot line. Retaining walls are the owner's work. DHA Quetta does not build them and takes no responsibility for ditches, mounds or seepage within the plot. (7.63, p.53; 7.17, p.28)
Plots on two roads. Opening on two roads carries a charge, and the second gate and second porch follow their own size limits. (6.4, pp.18 to 19; 7.55, p.45)
Possession to completion
From site plan to completion certificate
Eight steps, with the times DHA Quetta sets for itself where it sets one. Avenir's part is the design and the submission set; the dates are DHA Quetta's.
Possession and site plan
Clear the dues and apply. The site plan marks the gate, manhole and water point; possession papers follow a DPC-level check of the boundary wall. (6.3, p.18; Steps sheet)
20 working days, 4 urgentSoil investigation
At least two boreholes before structural design, and a bearing capacity report from a DHA-approved laboratory. (7.3 and 7.4, p.23)
Before design is fixedSubmission
Three ammonia-print sets stamped by an architect registered with DHA Quetta, a soft copy, an A3 structural set with the engineer's stability certificate, the soil report and an isometric colour view on A4 with a JPG. (7.6, pp.23 to 25)
30 by 40 in sheets, 1/8 in scale or largerApproval
Building Control approves or returns the set with its observations. A resubmission starts the clock again. (7.7, p.25; Steps sheet)
15 working days; 20 on the Steps sheetDemarcation
Pillars are set out by DHA's survey team, checked again after the boundary-wall excavation and once more at DPC level. Work must start within three months of approval, or the drawing needs revalidation. (7.9 and 7.13, pp.26 to 27; Steps sheet)
Within 5 daysConstruction and inspections
A contractor registered with DHA Quetta builds; each stage on the inspection chart is signed by DHA's inspector. No main building until the road-side boundary wall is checked at DPC level. (7.13, p.27; 7.30, p.30; 8.1, p.69)
Not in December to FebruaryNOC for occupation
Building Control and Transfer and Record inspect for building and property-line violations. (7.33, p.31)
Within 10 days of rectificationCompletion certificate
Two as-built sets stamped by the registered architect, the signed inspection chart and a soft copy. The house must be complete within three years of approval. (7.31 and 7.34, pp.30 to 31; Steps sheet)
Within 30 days, or 30 after rectification
Where possession stands
DHA Quetta has published possession lists for the Early Bird Sectors A-1, A-2 and A-3 in four phases. The second phase, on 21 May 2025, handed over 629 plots to start construction, with water supply through WASA. Its site also lists ballot results for sectors A-5 and A-6.
Who signs and who builds
DHA Quetta asks for a licensed architect and structural engineer on its panel, structural drawings by a PEC-licensed engineer who designs and stamps them himself, and contractor registration, mandatory since 1 July 2023. Owners may build with the Security Directorate's permission. (7.5, 7.11 and 7.48, pp.23 to 38; 8.1, p.70)
How we work
A Quetta house, designed from Lahore and Islamabad
The design team works from our Lahore and Islamabad offices; you take part from Quetta or from wherever you live.
Brief on WhatsApp
Send the plot size, the sector and the site plan if you have it. We reply within one working day.
Consultation
The first consultation is free: at our Lahore or Islamabad office, or on a video call on Google Meet or Zoom.
Fee proposal
We share our design brief form before the meeting, and a fee proposal within two working days after it.
Design
Concept, plans and elevations to the DHA Quetta Regulations. Drawn as many times as it needs.
Coordination
Structure and services checked against the architecture before the set is issued.
Submission set
The DHA Quetta set, with answers to Building Control's observations.
Interiors
Layouts, joinery, lighting and the schedule of finishes, for the whole house or a whole floor.
From abroad
Overseas enquiries are answered first on WhatsApp, then on a video call at a time that suits you. Drawings and 3D views are shared online, and DHA Quetta's forms provide for an attorney acting for the owner.
Our design process · Residential project brief · Architecture and design fee
Living abroad
Building in Quetta from another country? Start with a video call
We answer overseas enquiries first on WhatsApp, then set up a call on Google Meet or Zoom at a time that suits you.
The first consultation is free of charge.
Questions
Questions owners ask about DHA Quetta
Do you build houses in DHA Quetta?
No. In DHA Quetta, Avenir is appointed for design: architecture, structural and services drawings, the DHA Quetta submission set, interiors and 3D visualisation. Avenir builds in Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi only. DHA Quetta requires construction through a contractor registered with it, or by an owner with its permission.
How many storeys can I build in DHA Quetta?
Two: ground and first, counted from the reference road. The building may not exceed 37 ft from the reference point, including the mumty and the water tank, with up to 1 ft more in exceptional cases where the site permits, for a fee. A basement is allowed in addition, inside the clear spaces.
How much of my plot can I cover in DHA Quetta?
The ground floor may cover 85% of a 5 to 8 Marla plot, 75% from 8.04 to 9.96 Marla, 70% from 10 to 15.96 Marla, 68% from 16 to 32 Marla and 60% above 32 Marla, each including the car porch. The first floor may match the ground-floor footprint up to 9.96 Marla; from 10 Marla it may cover 90% of the ground floor including the porch area, or the footprint less the porch. The clear spaces stay open in every case.
What are the setbacks for a 1 Kanal or 10 Marla plot in DHA Quetta?
A 1 Kanal plot of 4,500 sq ft keeps 15 ft at the front and 5 ft at the rear and on each side. A 10 Marla plot of 2,250 sq ft keeps 10 ft at the front and 3 ft at the rear and on each side. A 2 Kanal plot keeps 20 ft at the front and 5 ft elsewhere. On plots of 1 Kanal and above the front setback can be reduced by up to 2 ft for a fee.
Can I build in DHA Quetta during the winter?
No. The Regulations allow no construction activity in December, January or February. An approved drawing is valid for three months to start work, so we plan the submission so that the approval falls within three months of the month you can start on site.
How long does DHA Quetta take to approve house drawings?
The Regulations give 15 working days for approval, and 15 working days again after any observations are rectified. DHA Quetta's Steps for Building Construction sheet gives 20 working days for houses and 45 for commercial buildings. The site plan, needed first, takes 20 working days, or 4 on the urgent track.
What does the DHA Quetta submission set include?
Three ammonia-print sets signed and stamped by an architect registered with DHA Quetta, with a soft copy, on 30 by 40 inch sheets at 1/8 inch scale or larger; plans, the front elevation, a section through the stair, the roof with mumty and tank, and schedules of areas, doors and windows; an A3 structural set with the engineer's stability certificate; the soil test report; and an isometric colour view on A4 with a JPG copy.
Which earthquake rules apply to houses in DHA Quetta?
The Regulations require earthquake-resistant design to the Building Code of Pakistan, ACI or UBC, with the seismic zone factor taken from Balochistan's Seismic Provisions 2021. The Building Code of Pakistan's 2007 seismic provisions list Quetta tehsil in Zone 3, peak ground acceleration 0.24 to 0.32 g. Houses carry RCC plinth and lintel bands at least 9 inches deep and RCC columns of at least 9 by 9 inches at wall corners and junctions.
Can I build a basement in DHA Quetta?
Yes, up to the whole area inside the clear spaces. It may rise no more than 4 ft 6 in above the road crown, its clear height is 8 ft 6 in to 10 ft 6 in, and it needs an emergency exit of 3 by 3 ft. Below 12 ft from road level, RCC piling along all four sides at the plot line is mandatory. Where 5 ft is not left from the neighbouring property, the neighbour's NOC or an affidavit is required.
My plot sits well below or above the road. What changes?
Where a plot opens onto two roads and the rear road is 10 to 16 ft lower, one floor may be built from the lower road, counted as a basement from the reference road. From 17 to 25 ft, two such floors are allowed, with a rear clear space of at least 10 ft for them and the ground floor and 20 ft for the first floor. Beyond 25 ft, DHA Quetta decides case by case. Retaining walls inside the plot are the owner's responsibility.
Can you design my DHA Quetta house while I live abroad?
Yes. Overseas enquiries are answered first on WhatsApp, then on a video call on Google Meet or Zoom at a time that suits you. Drawings and 3D views are shared online, and DHA Quetta's forms provide for an attorney acting for the owner.
Sources
Where every figure on this page comes from
Read from the primary documents in Q4 2026 and reviewed each quarter. Where two DHA Quetta documents disagree, both are shown.
Defence Housing Authority Quetta, Regulations 2024 (Bylaws and Regulations 2024)156 pages. DHA Quetta website, Downloads, Miscellaneous. Paragraph numbers restart on printed page 45, so this page cites the section number from the contents and the printed page.
DHA Quetta, Steps for Building Construction in DHA QuettaDownloads, Town Planning and Building Control Directorate. Site plan, submission, demarcation, NOC and completion times.
DHA Quetta, possession lists, Early Bird Sectors A-1, A-2 and A-3, phases 1 to 4Downloads, Town Planning and Building Control Directorate.
DHA Quetta news, Early Bird Sector possession ceremony, phase 2, 21 May 2025629 plots handed over; water supply through WASA.
Building Code of Pakistan, Seismic Provisions 2007 (BCP SP-2007)Table 2.1, printed page 2-2, and Table 2.2, printed page 2-4. Copy hosted by The Urban Unit.
If DHA Quetta issues a new edition, its figures replace these at the next quarterly review.
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