It’s a common site, and every prospective real estate buyer must have gone through trouble understanding this. Confused? Well, we are talking about the terminology often used by real estate agents, which a commoner like us is completely alien to.
There are three commonly heard terms that are mostly beyond understanding of buyers – Carpet Area, Built-up Area and Super Built-up Area.
While they may sound similar, there’s a big difference, and not understanding them can lead to overpaying for less usable space.
Remember, it’s no rocket science. With just a bit of reading, one can become pretty thorough with these terms.
Some important basics of the Real Estate sector one should know –
Carpet Area
It is the area that can actually be covered by a carpet. Simple, isn’t it! This excludes the thickness of inner walls. Common areas like stairs, lobby, play area, etc are not included in carpet area. It is the actual area you get for use in a house/apartment.
Therefore, when you are in search of a house or apartment, take into consideration the carpet area while making a decision, as it will be the actual area at your disposal.
The carpet area is usually around 70% of the built-up area.
Built-Up Area
In simple calculation, Built-up area is Carpet Area + Wall Area. By wall area we mean the thickness of the inner wall and not the surface area.
- All in all, the Built-Up Area = Carpet Area + Wall Area (inner wall thickness).
- Includes dry balconies and flower beds, adding about 10% more than the carpet area.
Super Built-Up Area
In a way one can say that Super Built-up area is builder’s best friend! The Super Built-up Area includes built-up area plus common area like corridor, stair, lift lobby, lift, etc.
Sometimes builders even include facilities & amenities like pool, clubhouse, and garden in the common area. A Builder charges on the basis of super built-up area and that’s the reason why it is known as ‘saleble’ area as well.
Conclusion
With RERA coming into real estate picture things have transformed even the way salable area will be measured and charged.
Usually price of an apartment is based on the super built-up/saleable area, one should be aware of fundamental difference between carpet area and built-up area or else you’ll find yourself confused..
Real Estate can be complicated, and one cannot change the prevailing practices, but an informed decision can be made if one is aware of the various types of calculations for square footage area.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is carpet area in real estate?
It is the actual usable area inside a house, excluding walls and common spaces.
How is the built-up area different from the carpet area?
Built-up area includes carpet area plus inner walls and balconies.
Why do builders charge based on super built-up area?
The super built-up area includes shared spaces like lobbies and staircases, inflating the chargeable square footage.