Construction math
| Level | Per sq ft | For 1,000 sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Economy | ~2,400 | ~2,400,000 |
| Standard | ~3,200 | ~3,200,000 |
| Premium | ~4,500 | ~4,500,000 |
Examples
1,000 sq ft standard: 1,000 × 3,200 = 3,200,000 taka.
1,500 sq ft economy: 1,500 × 2,400 = 3,600,000 taka.
3 floors of 1,200 sq ft, standard: 1,200 × 3 = 3,600 sq ft; 3,600 × 3,200 = 11,520,000 taka (3,840,000 per floor). With a 10% contingency 12,672,000 taka.
What to know in Bangladesh
- Approval: Plans need approval from RAJUK in Dhaka, CDA/KDA/RDA or the municipality in other cities, and the union parishad in rural areas. In Dhaka the building rules cap how many floors (FAR) a plot can take.
- Soil test and piling: Low or filled land needs piling, which adds a lot. For multi-storey work get a soil test and an engineer’s design.
- Material prices: Rod and cement prices move every month. Use the rod and brick-cement-sand calculators for quantities.
- Check the rate: The per-sq-ft rates here are mid-range 2026 press figures [verify]. Compare two or three contractor quotes and enter your own rate.
More: off-budget costs
Approvals (RAJUK/municipality), design fees (200–600k), piling, boundary walls, gates, septic tanks and interiors add 15–25% more. Keep a 10% emergency fund in the budget.
What the three levels mean. Economy means basic tiles, local fittings and little woodwork; standard means branded tiles and sanitaryware, grills and some wooden doors; premium means costly tiles or marble, imported fittings, false ceilings and more woodwork. The structure (rod, cement, brick) costs about the same across levels — the gap is mostly finishing.
Compare contractor quotes like for like. A “labour contract” covers wages only and you buy the materials, so its per-sq-ft rate looks much lower; add materials and the total ends up close. A “full contract” or turnkey quote includes both. Get in writing what is included (sanitaryware, wiring, paint, grills).
Budget in stages. Money is usually needed in steps: foundation and columns, each roof cast, brickwork, then plaster, wiring and plumbing, and finishing. Buying rod and cement together before each roof cast cuts the risk of price swings.