Grey Structure vs Finishing: What Each Includes

Most house construction in Pakistan is split into two stages: grey structure and finishing. Contractors quote them separately, and many families hire different people for each. Knowing what belongs where helps you compare quotes properly and avoid paying twice.

What grey structure includes

Grey structure is everything that holds the building up and keeps the weather out. When it is done, you have a complete shell with bare plastered walls.

• Excavation and foundations, built to the structural drawings
• Damp-proof course (DPC) at plinth level, to stop ground moisture rising into the walls
• RCC work: columns, beams, roof slabs and the stair
• Brick masonry for outer and inner walls
• Electrical conduits and plumbing pipes laid inside walls and slabs
• Sewerage lines and the main drainage connections
• Plaster on walls and ceilings
• Roof treatment, with slope and waterproofing so rainwater runs off

See what our grey structure service covers in detail.

What finishing includes

Finishing turns the shell into a home you can live in.

• Floor tiles or marble, and wall tiles in kitchens and bathrooms
• Wiring, switches, the distribution board and light fittings
• Sanitary fittings, geysers, water tanks and motors
• Doors, kitchen cabinets and wardrobes
• Aluminium or wooden windows, and glass
• False ceilings and lighting
• Putty, primer and paint inside and out

The stage in between that people forget

The weeks between grey structure and finishing decide how well the house works for decades. Before any tile or paint goes on:

• Pressure test the plumbing. A leak found now costs a few hours. A leak found under new tiles means breaking them.
• Check the conduits. Make sure every switch, socket, AC point and data point you need has a pipe. Adding one later means cutting plaster.
• Let the structure cure and dry. Slabs need proper curing, and plaster needs time before paint.
• Check levels and right angles. Floors that are not level and corners that are not square show up badly once tiles are laid.

Why one team for both stages helps

When different contractors do each stage, problems from the first stage often become arguments in the second. A finishing contractor will blame uneven plaster or missing conduits on the grey structure team, and you pay to fix it.

When one team handles both, the person laying conduits already knows where the fan, the AC and the TV will go. That is the main reason Micro Art takes projects from design to handover.

Mistakes that cost money between the stages

• Painting before the plaster is dry. Moisture trapped behind fresh paint pushes it off the wall and brings out white salt marks.
• Tiling before the plumbing test. If a joint under a new floor leaks, the tiles have to come up.
• Forgetting the air conditioners. Each AC needs a power point, a drain pipe and a strong place for the outdoor unit. These are easy at grey structure stage and messy later.
• Leaving the electrical plan to the last minute. The number and position of circuits, and space for a UPS or solar inverter, should be decided when conduits go in, not when the wiring is pulled.
• Not checking the roof before the rain. A roof treatment that is not sloped properly will show itself in the first monsoon, usually on a newly painted ceiling.

A short checklist at the end of grey structure

Walk through the shell with your contractor and tick these off before finishing starts:

1. Plumbing and drain lines pressure tested, with the results noted
2. A conduit to every switch, socket, fan, light, AC and data point on the drawings
3. Floors checked for level and walls for plumb
4. Window and door openings at the sizes on the drawings
5. Roof treatment complete, with water running to the drains
6. The building dry enough for plaster and paint

Questions we hear

Is plaster part of grey structure? Usually yes, but not always. Some contracts stop at brickwork. Check that your contract names plaster, and on which surfaces.

Can I hire one contractor for grey structure and another for finishing? You can, and many people do. If you do, use the checklist above as a formal handover so problems are found and fixed by the team that caused them.

When should I choose tiles and fittings? Before grey structure ends. Some choices, such as wall-hung toilets, concealed geysers or heavy marble, change what has to be built into the walls and floors.

Before you sign a grey structure contract

• Ask whether plaster, conduits and roof treatment are included. Some quotes leave them out.
• Ask for the structural drawings the work will follow.
• Agree on payment stages tied to finished work, not dates.

Read next: how to read a construction estimate before you sign. Ready to start? Send us your project details.