Grey structure is the construction stage most owners hear about first — and misunderstand most often. In Tryino’s scope definitions, grey structure is the structural shell and related envelope work agreed in the contract and bill of quantities (BOQ). It is not a finished home, and it is not “everything except paint.”
Typically, grey structure focuses on foundations, columns, slabs, masonry, basic plastering and structural openings as defined in the drawings. Exact inclusions always follow the signed scope and BOQ — never a verbal per-sqft promise.
What grey structure usually does not include: full sanitary ware, complete electrical fixtures, wardrobes, final flooring packages, kitchens and decorative finishes associated with turnkey handover. Those sit in semi-finished or turnkey packages depending on how you structure the project.
Why owners choose grey structure: cashflow control, the ability to stage interiors later, or to appoint a separate finishing contractor. Why some should not: if you need a move-in-ready home on a fixed timeline with one responsible contractor, turnkey (or a well-defined semi-finished package) may reduce coordination risk.
How to compare quotations: insist on a BOQ aligned to drawings, named structural responsibility, and milestone payments tied to inspectable work. Our Contractor Comparison Scorecard and Sample BOQ resource help you ask for documentation rather than competing only on rate.
Grey structure vs turnkey is not a quality ranking — it is a scope boundary. Read the full Grey vs Semi vs Turnkey comparison for side-by-side inclusions, then use the Cost Calculator with scope set to grey to see a planning range for your plot size.
If you are reviewing a published Tryino project labelled grey structure, use it as a delivery reference for plot size and location — then estimate your own build with current calculator inputs. Historic project spend is never reused as today’s quotation.
