When purchasing property, understanding the general carpet area, built-up area, and Super Area is crucial for clearly assessing the actual usable space. This ensures you get value for your money. Each of these terms is used for specific purposes and denotes different measurements of the property and can affect not only the real estate Chennai prices but also the usable space that comes with the property.
Further, these metrics impact the pricing of the property. These differences tend to be misinterpreted by most potential purchasers and can confuse. Home buyers often interpret these terms and usually do not pay much attention. If you have doubts like do built up areas include common spaces in an apartment or does RERA carpet area include balcony, etc., you are at the right place.
In this blog we have detailed all the information about these areas and distinction between.
Being aware of things like Carpet Area, Built-up Area, Super Area, and Carpet Area ratio helps in choosing the right property. A higher ratio means more usable space for the price, which is crucial for assessing the property's value.
Knowing these metrics helps avoid unrealistic expectations.
Carpet Area in real estate is the actual usable area inside the walls of a property. Carpet Area in real estate means all those rooms where furniture can be placed, like bedrooms, living rooms, and kitchens, and also bathrooms. Effectively, it is the area that can be covered with a carpet, hence the term "Carpet Areaโ.
Carpet Area, according to RERA, is the net usable floor area of an apartment, excluding the area of the walls, balconies, and common areas, and includes areas within the inner walls of the unit that can be used for living purposes.
Carpet Area refers to the internal area of a property that can be used for living, including rooms like bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and bathrooms. Carpet Area excludes walls, balconies, and common spaces such as elevators, swimming pools, etc.
In real estate transactions, Carpet Area is usually considered the most dependable measurement for evaluating the actual living area. Because it represents the area available for daily use, it is usually what buyers need to pay attention to when considering whether a property has enough space for their needs.
The built-up area and carpet area are key metrics when buying a property. The built-up area encompasses the carpet area as well as walls and other shared spaces. It assists in comparing properties correctly, particularly when considering apartments within the same building or neighborhood, since this region is less prone to being affected by inflation or vagueness
RERA carpet and usable carpet are the same. Although the RERA carpet area is defined by the Real Estate Regulatory Authority, Usable Carpet vs. RERA carpet has been the subject of inquiry due to the deviations in interpretations. Usable carpet refers to the actual floor space within the walls of a property, excluding the rest. Depending on the project and type of functionality a space offers it may be included to the carpet area which is referred also as usable carpet.
Carpet Area can be derived by deducting the wall thickness from the property's total area.
Formula:
Total Area - Thickness of Walls = Carpet Area
With the assistance of an online carpet area calculator, you can determine the carpet area of every room. Just input the dimensions of the room into the respective fields, and the calculator will automatically give you the total carpet area.
Built-up Area covers the Carpet Area plus the space occupied by the walls plus any balconies or terraces attached. It refers to the total area of a property from wall to wall, comprising usable interior area as well as the non-directly usable areas but still part of the property.
The built-up area of the property includes structural components and facilities that contribute to the net space of the unit.
Built-up area = Carpet Area + Internal and External Walls + Balconies & Terraces, if any
Super Area is the biggest and most often the most confusing of the three. It includes the Built-up Area of the property, as well as a part of the common areas in a building, such as the lobby, elevators, staircases, corridors, and sometimes even facilities like gardens, gyms, and swimming pools.
Upon purchasing a property, Super Area is the key factor utilized by developers and builders to determine the overall price of the property. The Super Area is technically the entire area where a property is located, encompassing both the private, usable areas and the common areas in the building or complex.
The covered area and the super area are not the same. The covered area refers to the actual space within the walls of an apartment or property. It includes the walls and partitions but excludes any common areas.
On the other hand, the super area includes the covered area plus a share of the common areas, such as corridors, staircases, and elevators.
Hereโs a clear comparison of distinctions between Super Area, Carpet Area, and Built-up Area.
| Super Area | Carpet Area |
|---|---|
| Includes Carpet Area + proportionate share of common areas. | Refers to the actual usable floor area within the walls. |
| Used to estimate the overall space, including shared spaces. | Represents the floor space that can actually be utilized. |
| Built-up Area | Super Built-up Area |
|---|---|
| Includes Carpet Area and the thickness of internal walls and partitions. | Includes Built-up Area and share of common areas. |
| Total private space in an apartment. | Total space, including both private and shared spaces. |
The Super Area is the broadest, which encompasses the Built-up Area as well as the share of the common areas proportional to it, such as the lobby, corridors, and elevators. It is generally applied to calculate the rate of a property by the developer.
Formula:
Super Built-up Area = Built-up Area (private space inside the walls, plus walls and balconies) + Common Areas (proportionate share of lobby, elevators, corridors, etc.)
Example:
Total Area (Apartment Size): 1,200 sq. ft.
Thickness of Walls: 100 sq. ft.
Balcony Area: 50 sq. ft.
Proportional Share of Common Areas: 200 sq. ft.
Step 1: Calculate Carpet Area
Carpet Area = Total Area - Thickness of Walls
Carpet Area = 1,200 sq. ft. - 100 sq. ft. = 1,100 sq. ft.
Step 2: Calculate Built-up Area
Built-up Area = Carpet Area + Wall Area + Balcony
Built-up Area = 1,100 sq. ft. + 100 sq. ft. + 50 sq. ft. = 1,250 sq. ft.
Step 3: Calculation of Super Built up Area
Super Area = Built-up Area + Proportional Share of Common Areas
Super Area = 1,250 sq. ft. + 200 sq. ft. = 1,450 sq. ft.
Although Super Area is commonly utilized by developers to value a property, knowledge of all these terms enables buyers to evaluate the value of usable area and functionality.
| Carpet Area | Built-up Area | Super Area |
|---|---|---|
| Usable space within the walls of a property. | Carpet Area + few other areas that come with the apartment. | Built-up Area + Proportionate share of common areas. |
| Includes rooms like bedrooms, living room, kitchen, and bathrooms. | Includes Carpet Area, thickness of walls, and balconies/terraces. | Includes Built-up Area and common areas like lobby, elevators, corridors, parks, etc. |
| Often the least expensive measurement. | A higher cost compared to Carpet Area. | Increased price per square foot. |
| Most important for buyers to know usable living space. | Estimation of size of the property though not all of it is directly utilized. | Calculated for pricing purposes. Always to be compared with usable space. |
It may seem harmless not to understand the differences between Carpet Area, Built-up Area, and Super Area, but these metrics can significantly impact real estate transactions.
Without knowing real estate Chennai prices based on Carpet Area or Super Area, buyers may end up paying more per square foot. For example, since the Super Area includes common areas like corridors and elevators, it holds a higher value, which can result in a higher price.
Under RERA guidelines, builders must specifically mention the Carpet Area, Built-up Area, and Super Area. Carpet Area is the most important measure that ensures transparency as well as compliance with laws.
Most of the buyers, anticipating more space in an apartment based on super area sq. ft. measurement advertised. But in reality, while visiting the property, they may be disappointed by the size of the actual space inside the walls. Being aware of differences between the areas helps buyers have realistic expectations when they buy a property.
Yes, Super Area affects the overall cost of a property. It comprises usable space within the property and common areas like corridors, elevators, and lobbies. Since the cost per square foot is calculated from the total area of the entire property, reflecting a high property price.
The standard ratio of Carpet Area to Built-up Area is normally 70:100 to 85:100, with the Built-up Area being higher as it encompasses walls and balconies. The numbers may vary within the ratio based on the layout design and type of the property.
Buyers can verify the actual Carpet Area from the records that builders have. They can request it before the transaction and cross-check whether the Carpet area is RERA approved. Further, they can hire a professional appraiser or a real estate agent to get the area metrics verified.
Yes, parking bays typically constitute part of the Super Area because they are part of the common areas in the building or complex within its boundary. They may or may not be part of the Built-up Area, depending on the design layout.
Common areas, such as lobbies, stairways, and elevators, are also included in the Super Area measurement. This may make the Super Area larger than the usable area, meaning a higher cost per square foot, even though the purchaser does not occupy these spaces directly.
