Cost per sq ft by finish, and how to work it out
Multiply your total built-up area by the rate for your city and finish. A 2,000 sq ft house in Bengaluru at Standard finish is 2,000 × ₹2,200 to ₹2,900, which comes to ₹44 lakh to ₹58 lakh.
- Standard: RCC frame, vitrified tiles, standard CP fittings, basic modular kitchen. Typical mid-segment independent house.
- Premium: RCC + quality masonry, large-format tiles or marble accents, concealed wiring, semi-modular kitchen, video door phone.
- Luxury: Architect-led volumes, imported stone or high-spec marble, home automation rough-in, premium MEP and woodwork.
Use built-up area, which includes the walls. If your drawing shows only carpet area, add 10 to 15 percent. Our guide on carpet, built-up and super built-up area explains the difference.
Cost for common house sizes
Total built-up area at Standard finish, using the rates above.
| Built-up area | Tier 3 or small town | Tier 2 city | Bengaluru |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft | ₹15 lakh to ₹21 lakh | ₹18 lakh to ₹25 lakh | ₹22 lakh to ₹29 lakh |
| 1,200 sq ft | ₹18 lakh to ₹25 lakh | ₹22 lakh to ₹30 lakh | ₹26 lakh to ₹35 lakh |
| 1,500 sq ft | ₹23 lakh to ₹32 lakh | ₹27 lakh to ₹38 lakh | ₹33 lakh to ₹44 lakh |
| 2,000 sq ft | ₹30 lakh to ₹42 lakh | ₹36 lakh to ₹50 lakh | ₹44 lakh to ₹58 lakh |
| 2,500 sq ft | ₹38 lakh to ₹53 lakh | ₹45 lakh to ₹63 lakh | ₹55 lakh to ₹73 lakh |
| 3,000 sq ft | ₹45 lakh to ₹63 lakh | ₹54 lakh to ₹75 lakh | ₹66 lakh to ₹87 lakh |
What each floor adds
Another floor raises your total because you are building more area, with its own slab, staircase flight, plumbing and wiring. It doesn't usually raise the rate per sq ft much, because the floors share one foundation and one roof. So the calculator multiplies your area per floor by the number of floors. If your upper floor is smaller, enter the average.
This is for building the floors together. Adding a floor to a house that already exists is a different job, because the structure has to be checked first, and this calculator doesn't estimate it. Plan the foundation for the final height from the start, even if you build the upper floor later.
What a budget gets you
Roughly how much built-up area a construction budget covers at Standard finish, before approvals, a compound wall, furniture and a buffer.
| Budget | Tier 3 or small town | Tier 2 city | Bengaluru |
|---|---|---|---|
| ₹20 lakh | 950 to 1,350 sq ft | 800 to 1,100 sq ft | 700 to 900 sq ft |
| ₹30 lakh | 1,450 to 2,000 sq ft | 1,200 to 1,650 sq ft | 1,050 to 1,350 sq ft |
| ₹40 lakh | 1,900 to 2,650 sq ft | 1,600 to 2,200 sq ft | 1,400 to 1,800 sq ft |
| ₹60 lakh | 2,850 to 4,000 sq ft | 2,400 to 3,350 sq ft | 2,050 to 2,750 sq ft |
| ₹80 lakh | 3,800 to 5,350 sq ft | 3,200 to 4,450 sq ft | 2,750 to 3,650 sq ft |
What a quote or estimate leaves out
These ranges cover civil work and typical finishing. Budget separately for architect and structural fees, government approvals, soil testing, a compound wall and gate, a borewell, landscaping, loose furniture and interiors. This calculator doesn't price a basement or deep foundations either, because soil and depth change the cost too much for one rate.
Contractors' package rates often leave out kitchens, wardrobes and connections, so a low rate may not be a low price. When you compare two quotes, check that both include the staircase and any lift shaft.
Built from contractor rate cards and cost guides published in 2025 and 2026, checked 31 Oct 2026. No one publishes real invoice data, so we set ranges above many advertised prices. Standard is the best supported. Premium and Luxury are rougher everywhere, and the Tier 3 ranges for them are our own estimate. Treat all of this as a planning guide and confirm with itemised quotes.