"How much per square foot?" is the first question every owner asks, and the honest answer is a range. The rate depends on where you build, the structure you choose and, most of all, the finish you want inside. Here is how the number is built up, using the same indicative 2026 rates as our cost calculator.
The structure is the base
For a typical RCC frame building, structure and basic works start at roughly ৳2,900 per sq ft before location and finishing are applied. Load-bearing brick is cheaper but limits height and future floors; steel costs more but builds faster. In Dhaka, labour and transport push the same building about 12% higher than in a divisional town.
Finishing decides the final number
The same structure can be finished at very different levels. As a rough guide for an RCC home in Dhaka:
- Standard (local tiles, plastic paint, standard fittings): around ৳3,250 per sq ft
- Premium (imported tiles, veneer doors, branded fittings): around ৳4,200 per sq ft
- Luxury (stone floors, custom joinery, smart home): ৳5,600 per sq ft and up
Where the money goes
On a standard build, roughly half the budget goes into the structure: rod, cement, sand, stone and the labour to put them together. Finishing takes about a third, electrical and plumbing around a sixth, and design and approvals a small share. Keep 5 to 10% aside for the things nobody plans for, such as a deeper foundation after the soil test or a price jump in rod.
Turn the estimate into a real number
A per-square-foot rate is good for deciding whether a plan is within reach. Before you sign with a builder, get a BOQ (bill of quantities) prepared from your actual drawings. It lists every material and quantity, so you can compare quotes line by line instead of trusting a single total.
Planning a home?
Talk to an architect about your plot. The first consultation is free.
