When it comes to buying a home, the language of real estate can often sound like an entirely different dialect. Words like “built-up area,” “carpet area,” and “super built-up area” are frequently thrown around by developers and agents. For a first-time homebuyer, understanding these terms is crucial, as they directly impact the value and usability of your investment. Let’s unravel this mystery together before you go ahead and purchase a property.
The Carpet Area: The Heart of Your Home
Carpet area is the space where your life unfolds, where the magic happens. The carpet area is the net usable floor area within the walls of your home. It is where you place your furniture, where your kids play, and where you enjoy your morning coffee.
In technical terms, the carpet area is the area enclosed within the walls of your apartment, excluding the thickness of the inner walls. This means that balconies, terraces, and common areas do not count as carpet area. According to the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA), the carpet area includes internal partition walls, but not external walls, balconies, or open terrace areas. Essentially, it’s the “bare bones” of your living space, the stage where your life story unfolds.
The Built-Up Area: A Little Extra Space
The built-up area includes the carpet area plus the area occupied by the walls and some additional spaces. Think of it as the carpet area with a bit of icing on top – the walls that enclose your rooms, the space taken up by the balcony, and the outer walls of your apartment.
To put it simply, the built-up area is the sum of the carpet area, the area of the walls, and the balcony. Typically, the built-up area is around 10-20% more than the carpet area. If you are looking at a floor plan, this is the area that gives you a complete picture of the internal structure of your apartment, including those cosy little nooks and crannies where you might place a plant or a reading chair.
The Super Built-Up Area: The Grand Total
It includes the built-up area along with a proportionate share of the common areas such as the lobby, staircase, elevator shafts, and even the clubhouse and gym in some cases.
The super built-up area is a more inclusive term and is often used by developers to price the property. This area can sometimes be misleading, as it might include spaces that you do not directly use, like the elevator shaft or the garden in the compound. The percentage of common areas added to the built-up area to get the super built-up area can vary from project to project, often ranging between 25-30%.
Why Does This Matter?
Understanding these terms is crucial when you’re comparing properties or trying to figure out the best deal. For instance, a 1,000 square feet apartment might sound appealing, but if that’s the super built-up area, your actual usable space (carpet area) could be significantly less. This understanding helps you gauge the real value of the property you’re considering.
Let’s consider an example to illustrate this. Suppose a developer quotes an apartment’s super built-up area as 1,200 square feet. If the loading factor (the percentage of common areas) is 30%, the built-up area would be around 923 square feet (1200/1.3). The carpet area, assuming the walls take up 10% of the built-up area, would be around 831 square feet (923/1.1). So, your actual usable space is far less than what the super built-up area suggests.
Making an Informed Decision
When buying a home, always ask for the breakdown of the carpet area, built-up area, and super built-up area. This transparency will help you understand what you are paying for and allow you to make a more informed decision. Developers might use the super built-up area for pricing, but knowing the carpet area ensures you know the real space you’ll be living in.
This is one of the major reasons why people rely on established builders when aiming to purchase an apartment. Builders like Honer Homes maintain transparency when it comes to the details tailored to carpet area, build up area and super build up areas.
Think of the carpet area as the core of your home, the built-up area as the complete package with the outer shell, and the super built-up area as the grand total, including shared amenities. Understanding these differences ensures you’re not just buying bricks and mortar, but a space where your dreams and memories will flourish. So, the next time you step into the world of real estate, you’ll know exactly what you’re walking into.
