The most common question on the first call is: how long will it take? The honest answer depends on the plot size, the scope, and — more than most builders admit — how ready the paperwork is before the first shovel goes in.
The clock starts before construction starts
Most owners count the timeline from site clearance. The real clock starts with the DHA map approval. A clean file with all documents in order runs 18–22 working days — about four to five weeks. An incomplete file — a missing NDC, a soil report from a non-DHA-approved lab, or a setback error in the drawings — can add 30–60 days before the approval even moves. That delay ripples through every milestone that follows. The map approval checklist has the full document list in the correct submission order.
Typical timelines by plot size and scope
| Scope | Construction | Total from approval submission |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Marla grey structure | 4–5 months | 5–6 months |
| 5 Marla standard turnkey | 8–10 months | 9–11 months |
| 10 Marla grey structure | 5–7 months | 6–8 months |
| 10 Marla standard turnkey | 10–12 months | 11–13 months |
| 1 Kanal grey structure | 6–8 months | 7–9 months |
| 1 Kanal turnkey (standard) | 12–14 months | 13–15 months |
The lower end of each range assumes a clean approval, a single uninterrupted crew, a client who makes spec decisions promptly, and no material supply disruptions. The upper end is what a complicated site, an incomplete initial approval, or an overseas client with slow response times actually looks like in practice.
Month-by-month: 10 Marla grey structure
The most common commission is a 10 Marla grey structure, so this is the sequence we run most often:
- Month 0 — Map approval submission: Full file — allotment letter, NDC, soil report, architectural and structural drawings, fee challan — lodged at DHA. Approval typically issued in 18–22 working days. See what NDC actually means if yours isn't clear yet.
- Month 1 — Site clearance and foundation: Old structure demolished if needed. Excavation to the foundation pad; PCC poured; anti-termite treatment applied; foundation rebar placed and inspected; foundation concrete poured and cured a minimum of 7 days before the next pour.
- Month 2 — Ground-floor columns and first-floor slab: Columns cast in lifts; formwork set; first-floor slab poured. Concrete cured 14–21 days before formwork is struck. This is the step that separates serious builders from fast ones — slab curing time is non-negotiable.
- Month 3 — Ground-floor brickwork and first-floor columns and slab: Brickwork completed on the ground floor; repeat the column-and-slab sequence for the first floor.
- Month 4 — Second-floor columns and roof slab: Final structural pour. Roof slab cured. Waterproofing membrane applied within 48 hours of the slab reaching design strength.
- Month 5 — Plaster, rough-in, boundary wall: External and internal plaster; electrical conduit and sanitary rough-in; boundary wall and gate columns completed. Grey structure handed over with inspection record.
Finishing stage: how long turnkey takes after grey
Finishing runs in sequence — you cannot tile until the screed is cured, cannot fit joinery until the walls are painted, cannot commission electrics until the board is live. A standard turnkey on a 10 Marla adds 5–7 months to the grey structure handover. A premium turnkey (imported fittings, custom joinery, smart home) adds 7–9 months, partly because lead times on imported materials need to be booked at the design stage.
What adds time in practice
In over a decade of DHA construction, the delays we see most frequently:
- NDC clearance. If the NDC isn't confirmed before map submission, DHA won't log the file. A 5–10 day NDC delay at the start costs at least that much time everywhere downstream — usually more once the queue is re-joined.
- Rainy season. July and August in Lahore typically mean 3–4 lost working weeks on open-air concrete work. We do not pour slabs in rain regardless of schedule pressure. Build this into the project calendar, not around it.
- Spec decisions during turnkey. Tile, kitchen layout, door spec, and fixture choices have to be locked in before the relevant subcontractor mobilises. Changing them mid-work adds 2–4 weeks per revision. On an overseas project, locking these in writing before departure saves weeks.
- Imported material lead times. Steel and cement are predictable. Imported fittings, smart-home systems, and premium joinery run 6–12 week lead times. Book them at the design stage, not when the rooms are ready for fitting.
- Post-approval structural changes. Moving a wall or changing a slab opening after the map is approved requires a drawing amendment back to DHA. Minor amendments typically add 3–6 weeks.
For overseas clients
If you're managing the build from the UK, Gulf, or North America, build in 10–15% extra time for communication lag on decisions. We send a fortnightly milestone report with photographs to every overseas client — but some spec calls need a real conversation, and across time zones those conversations take longer to resolve than they do on-site. The UK overseas timeline post walks through a real 14-month 1 Kanal turnkey managed from abroad. The process is identical; the comms cadence is what changes. Our overseas construction service structures both so that decisions don't become the bottleneck.
How to hold a builder to the schedule
Ask for a milestone schedule in writing — month by month, with the specific deliverable, the concrete cure date, and the inspection point at each milestone. A serious contractor has this ready at the first meeting. If your prospective builder offers only a headline duration without a schedule behind it, ask for it explicitly. A verbal "six-month grey" with no milestone document is not a commitment — it's an estimate you can't enforce.
Start with the construction rate calculator to model your budget, then the free quote form — the BOQ we return includes a milestone schedule for your specific plot size, phase, and scope.