Mall Construction Cost Estimator
Build up a mall from its shops, anchor stores, food court, screens and offices. See the full cost with services, basement, land, finance and taxes, the cost per leasable sq.ft., rent yield, material quantities, stage-wise cash flow and an editable measurement sheet.
A. Land
- Not entered—Add land cost in the form to include it
- Land and legal₹00.0% of total, ₹0 per leasable sq.ft.
B. Construction and services
- Building at base rate₹68,13,92,0001,55,250 sq.ft. at ₹4,390
- Building services₹10,48,10,000Details in the Services tab
- Vertical transport₹2,40,00,000Details in the Services tab
- Parking and site₹14,92,70,000Details in the Services tab
- Developer fit-out₹82,50,000Details in the Services tab
- Site works (3%)₹2,04,42,000Roads, boundary wall, drainage, external lighting
- Utility connections (2%)₹1,36,28,000Substation, water and sewer connections
- Hard cost₹1,00,17,92,00080.8% of total, ₹8,710 per leasable sq.ft.
C. Fees, approvals and leasing
- Design and consultants (4%)₹4,00,72,000
- Approvals and fire NOC (2.5%)₹2,50,45,000
- Project management (3%)₹3,00,54,000
- Leasing and marketing (2%)₹2,00,36,000
- Insurance (0.25%)₹25,04,000Contractor all-risk cover
- Legal and administration (0.5%)₹50,09,000
- Soft cost₹12,27,19,0009.9% of total, ₹1,070 per leasable sq.ft.
D. Risk, taxes and finance
- Price escalation (0% a year)₹0On hard cost over half of 22 months
- GST on contractor billsoffSwitch on if you cannot claim it back
- Contingency (5%)₹5,62,26,000
- Interest during construction₹5,95,29,000₹59,03,68,000 loan at 11% for 22 months, half drawn on average
- Risk, taxes and finance₹11,57,54,0009.3% of total, ₹1,010 per leasable sq.ft.
- Total project cost₹1,24,02,65,000₹10,780 per leasable sq.ft. and ₹7,990 per built-up sq.ft. without land
- Substructure (excavation, foundation)₹6,81,39,00010% of building cost, ₹440 per sq.ft.
- RCC frame (columns, beams, slabs)₹16,35,34,00024% of building cost, ₹1,050 per sq.ft.
- Masonry and plaster₹4,08,84,0006% of building cost, ₹260 per sq.ft.
- Flooring₹5,45,11,0008% of building cost, ₹350 per sq.ft.
- Facade glazing and cladding₹8,17,67,00012% of building cost, ₹530 per sq.ft.
- False ceiling₹4,08,84,0006% of building cost, ₹260 per sq.ft.
- Atrium and common-area finishes₹5,45,11,0008% of building cost, ₹350 per sq.ft.
- Painting₹2,04,42,0003% of building cost, ₹130 per sq.ft.
- Electrical and lighting₹7,49,53,00011% of building cost, ₹480 per sq.ft.
- Plumbing and toilets₹3,40,70,0005% of building cost, ₹220 per sq.ft.
- Waterproofing₹1,36,28,0002% of building cost, ₹90 per sq.ft.
- Preliminaries and site overheads₹3,40,70,0005% of building cost, ₹220 per sq.ft.
- Building construction₹68,13,92,0001,55,250 sq.ft. built-up
A typical split of mall building cost by trade. Services, vertical transport and fit-outs are listed separately under Services.
Quantities come from the measurement sheet below, so they change with the towers and with your sheet edits. Change a rate or a sheet quantity and the construction cost, stages, towers and total all update.
- Core civil materials₹15,31,42,00022% of construction cost
- Other construction cost₹52,82,50,000Labour, electrical and plumbing materials, doors, windows, fittings, formwork, equipment and contractor overheads
- Building construction₹68,13,92,000Materials plus other cost
- Change from your rates and sheet edits+₹0Default materials ₹15,31,42,000, now ₹15,31,42,000. This change flows into every cost, stage, zone and the total.
- Total project cost₹124.03 crore
Per cum of RCC: 8 bags cement, 0.45 cum sand, 0.9 cum aggregate, 120 kg steel. Per cum of brick masonry: 500 bricks, 1.25 bags cement, 0.3 cum sand. Plaster 0.12 bag cement per sq.m. Paint 0.2 litre per sq.m. inside and 0.25 outside for two coats. Custom sheet rows are not included.
1. Planning and design₹4.16 crMonth 1 to 2, 3.4% of total, 3% spent by the end
- Design and consultants₹2,40,43,000
- Interest during construction₹54,12,000
- Contingency₹51,11,000
- Project management₹27,32,000
- Legal and administration₹25,04,000
- Leasing and marketing₹18,21,000
2. Approvals and permissions₹6.91 crMonth 3 to 5, 5.6% of total, 9% spent by the end
- Approvals and fire NOC₹2,00,36,000
- Design and consultants₹1,60,29,000
- Interest during construction₹81,18,000
- Contingency₹76,67,000
- Project management₹40,98,000
- Preliminaries and site overheads₹34,07,000
- Leasing and marketing₹27,32,000
- Insurance₹25,04,000
- Legal and administration₹25,04,000
- Site works₹20,44,000
3. Excavation and foundation₹24.10 crMonth 6 to 9, 19.4% of total, 28% spent by the end
- Basement (1 level)₹10,92,96,000
- Substructure (excavation, foundation)₹6,81,39,000
- RCC frame (columns, beams, slabs)₹1,63,53,000
- Interest during construction₹1,08,23,000
- Contingency₹1,02,23,000
- Preliminaries and site overheads₹85,17,000
- Project management₹54,64,000
- Waterproofing₹40,88,000
- Leasing and marketing₹36,43,000
- Site works₹20,44,000
- Plumbing and toilets₹17,03,000
- STP and WTP₹6,83,000
4. Superstructure₹32.18 crMonth 10 to 15, 25.9% of total, 54% spent by the end
- RCC frame (columns, beams, slabs)₹14,71,81,000
- Basement (1 level)₹2,73,24,000
- Facade glazing and cladding₹2,45,30,000
- Electrical and lighting₹1,87,38,000
- Masonry and plaster₹1,63,53,000
- Interest during construction₹1,62,35,000
- Contingency₹1,53,34,000
- Air-conditioning (Central chilled water)₹1,19,54,000
- Preliminaries and site overheads₹1,19,24,000
- Plumbing and toilets₹85,17,000
- Project management₹81,96,000
- Fire fighting₹61,48,000
- Leasing and marketing₹54,64,000
- Site works₹20,44,000
- Elevators₹12,00,000
- STP and WTP₹6,83,000
5. Services and finishing₹45.43 crMonth 16 to 20, 36.6% of total, 91% spent by the end
- Facade glazing and cladding₹5,72,37,000
- Electrical and lighting₹5,62,15,000
- Flooring₹4,90,60,000
- Air-conditioning (Central chilled water)₹4,18,40,000
- Atrium and common-area finishes₹3,81,58,000
- False ceiling₹3,67,95,000
- Masonry and plaster₹2,45,30,000
- Plumbing and toilets₹2,38,49,000
- Painting₹1,43,09,000
- Interest during construction₹1,35,29,000
- Contingency₹1,27,79,000
- Fire fighting₹1,22,96,000
- Preliminaries and site overheads₹85,17,000
- Power backup₹74,52,000
- Escalators₹72,00,000
- Elevators₹72,00,000
- Project management₹68,30,000
- Waterproofing₹68,14,000
- Utility connections₹68,14,000
- Site works₹61,33,000
- Leasing and marketing₹45,54,000
- Entertainment fit-out₹33,00,000
- Open parking₹33,00,000
- BMS and CCTV₹31,05,000
- STP and WTP₹13,66,000
- Facade signage and wayfinding₹7,50,000
- Landscaping₹3,30,000
6. Testing, leasing and handover₹11.24 crMonth 21 to 22, 9.1% of total, 100% spent by the end
- Atrium and common-area finishes₹1,63,53,000
- Site works₹81,77,000
- Open parking₹77,00,000
- Utility connections₹68,14,000
- Painting₹61,33,000
- Air-conditioning (Central chilled water)₹59,77,000
- Flooring₹54,51,000
- Interest during construction₹54,12,000
- Contingency₹51,11,000
- Approvals and fire NOC₹50,09,000
- Power backup₹49,68,000
- Entertainment fit-out₹49,50,000
- Escalators₹48,00,000
- False ceiling₹40,88,000
- Elevators₹36,00,000
- BMS and CCTV₹31,05,000
- Project management₹27,32,000
- Waterproofing₹27,26,000
- Fire fighting₹20,49,000
- Leasing and marketing₹18,21,000
- Facade signage and wayfinding₹17,50,000
- Preliminaries and site overheads₹17,03,000
- Landscaping₹13,20,000
- STP and WTP₹6,83,000
- Total over 22 months₹1,24,02,65,000Land in stage 1; fees, contingency, taxes and interest spread by duration
- Retail shops per leasable sq.ft.₹10,710
- Anchor stores per leasable sq.ft.₹10,710
- Food court counters per leasable sq.ft.₹10,710
- Entertainment zones per leasable sq.ft.₹12,360
Shared costs are split by leasable area. Cinema, entertainment and warm-shell fit-outs are added to their own zones. Land is not included.
Building services
- Air-conditioning (Central chilled water)₹5,97,71,0001,55,250 sq.ft. at ₹390
- Fire fighting₹2,04,93,0001,55,250 sq.ft. at ₹130
- Power backup₹1,24,20,0001,55,250 sq.ft. at ₹80
- BMS and CCTV₹62,10,0001,55,250 sq.ft. at ₹40
- STP and WTP₹34,16,000
- Facade signage and wayfinding₹25,00,000
Vertical transport
- Escalators₹1,20,00,0006 at ₹20.0 L
- Elevators₹1,20,00,0004 at ₹30.0 L
Parking and site
- Basement (1 level)₹13,66,20,00038,813 sq.ft. at ₹3,520
- Open parking₹1,10,00,00020,000 sq.ft.
- Landscaping₹16,50,0005,000 sq.ft.
Developer fit-out
- Entertainment fit-out₹82,50,0005,000 sq.ft.
- Services, parking and fit-out₹28,63,30,000₹2,490 per leasable sq.ft.
Save the current project as A, change zones, floors or quality, then save it as B to compare.
Measurement sheet
Generated from the building above and updated when you change it. Edit any cell, restore automatic values, add your own rows and download as CSV. Quantity changes flow into materials and the total. All dimensions are in metres.
Quantity = Nos × L × B × H/D for cum, Nos × L × B for sq.m., Nos × L for running metres and Nos alone for numbers.
Leasable area, common area and efficiency
A mall is paid for on its built-up area but earns only on its leasable area. The gap between the two decides how hard every rented square foot has to work.
Counted as leasable
- Line shops and anchors, the main rental income.
- Food court counters, usually with a share of common seating.
- Cinema screens and entertainment, often on revenue share.
- Offices, where the complex includes them.
Counted as common area
- Atriums, corridors and toilets used by shoppers.
- Service areas such as plant rooms, stores and loading bays.
- Lift, escalator and stair zones on every floor.
Efficiency = leasable ÷ built-up. A bigger atrium improves the shopping experience but lowers efficiency and raises cost per leasable sq.ft.
How the mall cost is built
One base rate covers the building. Services, basements, parking and developer fit-outs are separate lines so you can see and switch each one.
Built-up = leasable area × (1 + common areas)
Construction = built-up × base rate × project type × location × height, plus material rate and quantity changes
Services = HVAC, fire, BMS, power backup, STP per sq.ft. of built-up, plus escalators, elevators, signage and solar
Parking and fit-out = basement levels, open parking, landscaping, cinema and entertainment fit-out, optional warm shell
Total = land and legal + hard cost + soft costs + escalation, GST, contingency and interest
- Base rate per built-up sq.ft.Budget ₹3,000Standard ₹3,800Premium ₹5,200
- Air-conditioning per sq.ft.Central ₹350VRV ₹300Split ₹150
- Other services per sq.ft.Fire ₹120Power backup ₹80BMS and CCTV ₹40STP and WTP ₹20
- Vertical transportEscalator ₹20 lakhElevator ₹30 lakh
- Cinema fit-out₹50 lakh a screen + ₹15,000 a seat
- HeightUp to 3 floors ×1.004 to 6 ×1.05Above 6 ×1.12
Approvals a mall usually needs
Malls are mercantile buildings, and a multiplex adds assembly use, so fire and safety rules shape the design early.
Fire NOC and building permission
Exits, staircases, sprinklers, smoke control and fire-rated compartments are checked against the National Building Code and state fire rules before and after construction.
Environmental clearance
Building projects with 20,000 sq.m. or more of built-up area need prior environmental clearance. Compare the built-up area above with this limit.
Cinema, lift and trade licences
A multiplex needs a cinema licence under state rules, lifts and escalators need registration or inspection under state lift rules, and each tenant needs its own trade licence.
Questions
What is the difference between leasable area and built-up area?
Leasable area (GLA) is the space tenants rent: shops, anchor stores, food court counters, cinema screens, entertainment zones and offices. Built-up area (GFA) adds atriums, corridors, toilets, service areas, lift and escalator zones. The calculator adds your common-area percentage to the leasable area to get the built-up area that is costed.
Why does the result show cost per leasable sq.ft.?
A mall earns only from leasable area, so developers and lenders compare cost per leasable sq.ft. with expected rent. A large atrium or wide corridors raise this figure even when the cost per built-up sq.ft. looks normal.
How does the project type change the estimate?
Choosing a type loads a typical mix of shops, anchors, food court, screens and offices, which you can edit. It also applies a factor to the base rate: Retail plaza 0.92, Commercial complex 0.95, Shopping mall 1.00 and Mall with multiplex 1.05.
What does the base rate include?
The base rate covers structure, facade, common-area finishes, electrical, plumbing and lighting. HVAC, fire fighting, building management, power backup, escalators, elevators, basements, parking and tenant fit-outs are added as separate lines under Services so you can switch them on or off.
Are tenant fit-outs included?
Only where the developer usually pays: multiplex auditoriums and seating, the family entertainment zone, and optionally a warm-shell handover for shops and food court. Brand-specific shop interiors are normally paid by tenants and are not included.
How is the measurement sheet generated?
From the built-up area and floors. The calculator works out the floor plate, assumes columns about 8 m apart for open retail floors, 200 mm slabs, four stair flights per floor for fire exits, and lists excavation, raft, columns, beams, slabs, lift walls, basement walls, masonry, plaster, flooring and waterproofing. Edit any row, add your own, and download the sheet as CSV.
Do material rates change the total?
Yes. Material quantities come from the measurement sheet. When you change a rate or a sheet quantity, the difference from the default materials is added to construction and flows through fees, contingency, interest, stages, zones and the total.
How are rent yield and payback worked out?
Enter the expected rent per leasable sq.ft. per month and the occupancy. Annual rent = leasable area × rent × occupancy × 12. Yield is annual rent divided by total project cost, and simple payback is total cost divided by annual rent. Maintenance income, operating costs and rent escalation are not included.
What is included in interest, escalation and GST?
Interest is on the loan share of cost at your rate, with half the loan drawn on average over the build period. Escalation adds your yearly price rise over half the duration. GST at 18% on contractor bills is off by default; switch it on if the project cannot claim input tax credit.
Is my project data stored?
No. The calculator runs in your browser, loads no third-party scripts and does not ask for company or contact details. Inputs leave the page only if you copy the link, share on WhatsApp or download the CSV.