Setbacks and plot boundaries: what to know before you draw
A setback is the open space you must leave between your building and the plot boundary. It gives light, air, fire access and room for neighbours. Drawing the plan without it is one of the commonest reasons for a rejected approval.
Why setbacks exist
- Light and ventilation reach every side of a building.
- Fire services and rescue can reach the building.
- Services such as drains and cables have a route.
- Neighbours keep privacy and are not built against.
What decides your setbacks
Setbacks vary with the authority, the plot size, the building height, and the width of the road in front. In Dhaka the rules are administered by RAJUK; other cities and municipalities have their own bodies. Larger and taller buildings usually need larger setbacks than a small low-rise house. Always get the current rule from the authority that approves your drawing, not from a friend's plan.
A simple workflow
- Get your survey measurements and the boundary lengths from the land record or a surveyor.
- Note which side faces the road.
- Ask the approving authority for the setback on the front, rear and sides for your plot and height.
- Draw the plot, offset the lines inward by the setback, and keep all walls inside the inner line.
Check it in the planner
The PlanCraft 3D planner has a plot and setback tool. You enter the plot size, choose the road side, set the front, rear and side distances, and the plan shows the boundary and the setback line as dashed lines. Any wall that crosses the setback is circled in red.
The planner does not know the rules in your city. Use the numbers your authority gives you, and have the final drawing checked by a licensed architect.
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