Property & Construction Calculators

Plot sizes: which marla are you buying?

A marla is not one fixed size. LDA Lahore, DHA, Bahria Town and most approved housing schemes use 225 sq ft. Revenue records such as the fard and jamabandi, rural land and older city areas use 272.25 sq ft. Some private schemes and older localities use 250 sq ft. On a 10 marla plot, the gap between 225 and 272.25 sq ft is more than 470 sq ft, which is a whole room.

Before paying for a plot, check which standard the allotment letter or title document uses, then convert with the Marla to Square Feet Converter. It switches between marla, kanal, square feet, square yards, square metres and acres for all three standards, so you can compare prices per square foot across schemes fairly.

Budgeting a build in Pakistan

Decide first whether you are pricing grey structure only or a complete house. Grey structure covers foundations, frame, brickwork and roof; finishing (tiles, wiring, plumbing fixtures, woodwork, paint) adds a large further amount that depends heavily on the quality you choose. The House Construction Cost Calculator gives both, broken down by storey and adjusted for city rates, with estimated quantities of bricks, cement and steel.

For boundary walls, extensions or contractor quotes, the Brick Calculator works out bricks, cement bags and sand for 4.5, 9 or 13.5 inch walls with 1:4 or 1:6 mortar and a wastage allowance. Comparing its quantities against a contractor's estimate is a quick way to spot padding. Keep a contingency on top of any estimate, because material prices change during a build.

Mortgages, stamp duty and rent vs buy

The Mortgage Calculator shows monthly payment, total interest, loan-to-value and payoff date in GBP, USD, AED, PKR or EUR, and how much an overpayment saves. In the UK, add purchase tax with the UK Stamp Duty Calculator, which covers SDLT in England and Northern Ireland, LBTT in Scotland and LTT in Wales, including first-time buyer relief and surcharges for second homes and non-residents.

If you are unsure whether to buy at all, the Rent vs Buy Calculator compares your net worth year by year if you buy, versus renting and investing the difference, and gives the break-even year. The result is sensitive to price growth and investment returns, so try a cautious and an optimistic case.

Whichever tool you use, write down the assumptions behind the answer: rate, term, price per square foot, material rates. When a bank, builder or agent gives you a different number, you can then see exactly which assumption differs.

How many square feet are in 1 marla?

It depends on the standard: 225 sq ft in LDA, DHA, Bahria Town and most approved schemes, 272.25 sq ft in revenue records and rural land, and 250 sq ft in some private schemes. The Marla to Square Feet Converter handles all three.

How many marla are in a kanal?

One kanal is 20 marla, so its size in square feet also depends on which marla standard applies: 4,500 sq ft at 225 sq ft per marla, or 5,445 sq ft at 272.25.

What is grey structure in construction?

Grey structure is the shell of the house: foundations, columns, beams, slabs, brick walls and roof, without finishing work like tiles, fittings or paint. The House Construction Cost Calculator prices grey structure and complete construction separately.

Do first-time buyers pay stamp duty in the UK?

First-time buyers in England and Northern Ireland get relief up to a price threshold, and Scotland and Wales have their own rules. Enter your price and buyer type into the UK Stamp Duty Calculator to see the tax band by band.

Is it better to rent or buy?

It depends on house price growth, mortgage rate, rent, how long you stay and what you would earn investing the deposit instead. The Rent vs Buy Calculator models all of these and shows the year buying overtakes renting, if it does.

Can I use the mortgage calculator for Pakistan or the UAE?

Yes. It works in PKR and AED as well as GBP, USD and EUR. Enter your rate and term; for Islamic home finance, use the effective profit rate your bank quotes.