A commercial building is an investment that must earn rent, pass stricter approvals and keep many people safe. Compared with a house, it needs parking, fire safety, lifts, services and a structural design reviewed at a higher standard. Choose an architect who has taken commercial projects through approval in your authority.
What's included
| Item | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Feasibility study | What the plot allows: floors, coverage, use, parking |
| Concept design | Floor layouts for shops, offices or apartments, cores, stairs, lifts |
| Elevation and facade | Street front, signage zones, shading |
| Approval drawings | Submission set to LDA, DHA or the relevant authority |
| Structural design | By a PEC-registered structural engineer |
| MEP coordination | Electrical, plumbing, HVAC and fire-fighting layouts |
| Fire and evacuation plan | Exits, stairs, alarms, hydrants as required |
| Working drawings and BOQ | For tendering to contractors |
When you need it
- You own a commercial plot and want to build shops, offices or a plaza
- You are converting or adding floors to an existing commercial building
- You want a feasibility check before buying a commercial plot
Step-by-step process
- Feasibility – check permitted use, height, coverage and parking for the plot.
- Brief and business case – who the tenants or buyers are, unit sizes, floors.
- Concept design – layouts, cores and parking arrangement.
- Engineering team – structural, MEP and fire consultants join.
- Approval drawings and NOCs – prepared and submitted with supporting studies.
- Working drawings and BOQ – for contractor tenders.
- Construction supervision – periodic visits and approvals of changes.
- Completion – committee clearance and completion certificate.
Approvals and requirements in Lahore
From the LDA Building and Zoning Regulations:
- Parking: one car space per 1,000 sq ft of floor area for offices, commercial buildings, large stores and retail shops; one per 500 sq ft for restaurants, clubs and cafés.
- Traffic: a traffic impact assessment and traffic engineering NOC for non-residential buildings on plots of 4 kanals or more, or buildings of 5 storeys or more.
- Environment: an EIA and EPA NOC for hotels, hospitals, industrial buildings and complexes on plots of 20 kanals or more.
- Structure: for multi-storey and public-assembly buildings, construction cannot start until structural drawings are approved.
- Completion: completion certificates for large commercial buildings require committee clearance.
- The document also contains proposed fire safety requirements such as fire doors, hydrants, alarms, emergency lighting and an evacuation plan vetted by Rescue 1122. Confirm which version is in force for your submission.
LDA moved commercial map approvals to a single stage in 2025 (Pakistan Observer). In DHA Lahore, commercial plans need a stability certificate from a PEC-registered consulting engineer with an M.Sc. in structures and at least five years' experience, and rooftops may not carry fences, grills, louvers or railings (DHA Construction Regulations).
What affects the cost
Commercial design is often priced as a percentage of construction cost or a lump sum by stage. Factors:
- Gross floor area and number of floors
- Basements and parking design
- Engineering disciplines included (structural, MEP, fire)
- Studies needed: traffic, environment
- Level of construction supervision
- Facade complexity
Questions to ask
- Which commercial projects have you taken through approval in this authority?
- Who are the structural and MEP engineers, and are they PEC-registered?
- What is the feasibility: maximum floors, parking needed, saleable area?
- Is a traffic or environmental study needed on my plot?
- How is your fee staged against deliverables?
Red flags
- Maximising floors without showing how parking requirements are met
- No fire or evacuation design
- Structural design treated as an afterthought
- Promises to skip NOCs
- Design that ignores lift and stair core needs to gain floor area
FAQs
How much parking does a plaza need? Under LDA's regulations, offices and retail need one car space per 1,000 sq ft of floor area, and restaurants one per 500 sq ft.
Do I need a traffic study? LDA requires one for non-residential buildings on plots of 4 kanals or more, or 5 storeys or more.
Can I start building after the plan is sanctioned? For multi-storey buildings, not until the structural drawings are also approved.
Can my architect handle the whole team? Many lead a team of engineers. Confirm who is responsible for each discipline in the contract.
This page is general information; confirm with the relevant authority or a qualified professional before you act.