Imagine signing a deal for a flat with an area of 1,300 square feet (sq.ft.) and realising that it is much smaller when you move in. When buying a home, the space you are promised on paper and the space you can use are often not the same.
Most real estate developers quote property prices based on the super built-up area, which includes not only the actual usable area but also the common areas, such as corridors, elevators, staircases, hallways, lobbies, etc. However, what you finally get is the carpet area, which is the actual usable area within the walls of your flat, including the kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms and others excluding balcony.
Imagine signing a deal for a flat with an area of 1,300 square feet (sq.ft.) and realising that it is much smaller when you move in. When buying a home, the space you are promised on paper and the space you can use are often not the same.
Most real estate developers usually quote property prices based on the super built-up area, which includes not only the actual usable area inside the flat but also the common areas, such as corridors, elevators, staircases, hallways, lobbies, etc. However, what you finally get is the carpet area, which is the actual usable area within the walls of your flat, including the kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms and others excluding balcony. This is the area that you effectively use for living.
Area Coverage and Calculation
Carpet area includes the net usable floor area inside the flat, which includes the living room, bedroom, kitchen, and bathrooms.
Super built-up area includes carpet area plus the proportionate share of common areas like corridors, lift lobbies, stairs, and sometimes amenities.
Builders often add loading (20-30 per cent) over carpet area to arrive at the super built-up area.
If the carpet area is 1,000 sq.ft. and the builder applies 30 per cent loading, the super built-up area becomes 1,300 sq. ft. (1,000 + 30 per cent of 1,000).
This loading varies across projects and developers and is not regulated by the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (Rera).
Pricing and Transparency
Property advertisements usually display the super built-up area.
Rera has made it mandatory for developers to disclose the carpet area in all sale agreements to help buyers make more informed choices, but the pricing is always calculated based on the super built-up area.
Carpet area is considered a transparent and fairer metric for comparing various properties.
It’s especially important to check the carpet area if you are particular about the size of the flat because of the number of family members or other needs like setting up a home office.
Always ask for an area breakup from developer to understand exactly what you’re paying for.
Usability and Value for Money
A higher carpet-to-super built-up ratio means better value for money as it entails spending less money on shared spaces and more on your actual home.
It is called Efficiency Ratio and is calculated as: (Carpet Area ÷ Super Built-up Area) × 100.
For example, if the carpet area is 900 sq.ft., and the super built-up area is 1,200 sq.ft., the efficiency ratio is 75 per cent (900 ÷ 1,200) × 100). An efficiency ratio of 70 per cent or higher is generally considered good. Anything below 65 per cent means you’re paying significantly for shared spaces.
Try and settle for a house with a high efficiency ratio, which means a smaller gap between the super built-up area and carpet area, provided it meets your other needs.