Carpet Area, Built-up Area, What & How

Very often when we go to look at flats, we come across terms like Carpet Area, Built-up Area, Loading, Saleable Area etc. It is important that we know what they are so that we can make an informed decision. Here’s some property bites…

Carpet Area is the area that you actually get inside the house. Carpet Area literally means it is the area available to lay a carpet if you intended to! This is actually the area that you are going to pay your money for. Though the regulations require builders to quote rates for carpet area, they still don’t and do it only in the agreement by merely converting the cost.

The Built-up Area apart from the Carpet Area takes into account the thickness of the internal and outer walls and also the area of the balcony. The built-up area is generally never used for commercial discussions.

The Super Built-up Area (also known as the ‘Saleable’ Area) is relevant to multi-dwelling units and is the one term you will hear often. It includes the area for common use like lobby, lifts, staircase etc. In current scenarios, it also takes into account amenities like clubhouse, swimming pools, garden etc. All this is proportionally divided amongst the flats. The ‘Loading Factor’ is derived here which is applied on the carpet areas to get the Super Built-up Area or the Saleable Area. 

Typical Calculation: 

  

Carpet Area: 800 sq. ft.
Balcony / Terrace: 50 sq. ft.
Loading Factor: 30% (0.3)
Super Built-up Area: [800 + (50 x 0.5)] x 1.3 = 1072.5 sq. ft.

As seen in the above calculation, please note that only half of the area of the balcony / terrace has to be considered for loading. I guess this is because balconies are not charged for F. S. I.

Things to note about area when looking at a property

1. Compare and confirm the Carpet Area of the flat with what is shown in the floor plan / brochure. It is pretty simple and does not need an architect. The plan would have the wall to wall dimensions. Normally the tiles used these days are standard 2’ x 2’ marbonite tiles. So if the brochure says the dimensions as 10’ x 14’, you should see 5 tiles in breadth and 7 tiles in length. Simple! You could also measure using a regular measuring tape.

2. Once you have seen and confirmed that the area in the flat is as it is shown in the plan, you need to enquire how the builder has calculated the Saleable Area. It should be in line as explained above.

3. It is good to understand the loading factor taken by the builder. However, beware of misrepresentation of the loading factor or carpet area. Below illustration explains how.

Actual Scenario:
Carpet Area = 1000 sq. ft.
Loading Factor = 25% (0.25)
Saleable Area = 1000 x 1.25 = 1250 sq. ft.

However, the builder may tweak the information by telling you this:

Scenario when Loading Factor is misrepresented:
Saleable Area = 1250 sq. ft.
Loading Factor = 20% (0.2)
Carpet Area = 1250 x 0.8 = 1000 sq. ft.

Here the builder has charged a loading of 25% but has claimed it to be only 20%

Scenario when Carpet Area is misrepresented:
Saleable Area = 1250 sq. ft.
Loading Factor = 25% (0.25)
Carpet Area = 1250 x 0.75 = 937.5 sq. ft.

Here the builder has charged for 1250 sq. ft. with a loading of 25%. But instead of getting a carpet area of 1000 sq. ft., you get only 937.5 sq. ft.

4. If you are comparing properties and want to compare the cost, it would be a good idea to take the total cost and find the cost per sq. ft. of carpet area.

Concluding Note

This intent of this write-up was to help you make informed decisions. Different builders would have different ways of doing things like considering a higher loading factor, considering 100% terrace areas for loading etc. With buoyant demand, they may not be ready to change these for you, but you need to be aware of these when you make your decision. Finally, when you find your dream home, it’s a decision of the heart.. Don’t let too many technicalities come in your way!