Carpet Area Vs Built Up Area Vs Super Built Up Area

The terms built up area, super built up area, salable area and carpet area pop up again and again
for an Indian real estate buyer. The apartment that is sold as a spacious 1500 sq ft apartment, is
actually not 1500 sq ft if you count its actual covered area, or carpet area.

Definitions -

1. Carpet area - The actual area you use. The area on which 'you can put a carpet'.

2. Built up area - Carpet area + area of walls and ducts. Around 10% more than the carpet area.
A terrace is considered as half the actual area for calculating built up area. Some projects charge
dry terrace same as internal rooms.

3. Super built up / Salable area - Built up area + markup for common spaces like lifts and stairs.
Usually 25% more than the built up area.

Let us take an example.

This is a small apartment whose salable area, or super built up area is 892 sq ft. Let us calculate
its carpet area by summing up all its rooms -

Room Dimensions (ft & inch) Carpet area in sq. ft.

Living Room 10′ x 15′-9″ 157.5

Dining Room 7′ x 7′-8″ 53.6

Bedroom 1 11′-9″ x 10′-9″ 126.3

Bedroom 2 11′-9″ x 10 117.5

Toilet 1 8′-6″ x 5 42.5

Toilet 2 8′-4″ x 4′-3″ 35.4

Terrace 10′ x 5′-9″ 57.5

Kitchen 11′ x 8′-6″ 93.5

Here is the details of one of the apartments at Kumar Periwinkle in Kharadi we are talking about.

Now terraces are generally considered by halving their actual area. So, area considered of the
terrace is 57.5/2 sq ft = 28.75 sq ft.
So, the total carpet area for the rooms of the flat comes to be approximately 655 sq ft. Now there
is a passage area at the center of the flat, which looks approximately 11 feet by 5 feet, which
adds 55 sq ft more to the area.

So, approximate carpet area of the flat = 710 sq ft.

Now, the salable area as given on the website is 892 sq ft. This is the area which is billed to you
by multiplying it with the square foot rate.

This difference is what super built up area is all about. As far as I have seen, a thumb rule is to
take 1.25 as the multiplying factor to calculate super built up area (i.e. salable area).

So, if we multiply by this factor, 710 * 1.25 = 887.5 sq ft is approximately the answer we are
supposed to arrive at.

But this rule of 25% is no written rule, and this multiplier can vary. Ideally, this multiplier should
be more for the schemes where more space is given to amenities and common areas. This area is
supposed to include the common amenities that are built but are not directly charged to the
customer. But there are no concrete formulas for this. The agreement that you will sign with the
builder, should have all the details like carpet area in it. But you will probably see the agreement
in detail only after you decide to buy your home there.

So are you getting cheated when you actually get a 700 sq ft apartment when you thought you
got 900 sq ft? Not really... The key is to ask for the carpet area of the apartment you are buying,
and verify it by doing a calculation as given above, and also verify the dimensions actually on
the ground if possible. As long as we have open market economy, you will always have choices.
So, if you find that a project has a multiplying factor of 25% for super built up area and another
has 30%, the simplest thing you can do, is get the carpet area of the actual rooms and find out the
per sq ft rate based on carpet area, to compare the two projects.

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Core Group,

a) Actual flat dimensions – Wall to wall distance. It can be 2inch more that whatever is specified
in brochure, because plaster is not yet done. But it should not be less than that. In case we find
that the dimensions are not OK then we should ask builder to provide blue print details.
b) Super area calculations – Builder should provide details of it. We have full right to know how
much carpet and covered area we are going to get. How super area is calculated etc.
c) EDC/IDC charges – I hope it will remain fix for old buyers. They should not revise it after 70
or 80% payment. Builder should give it in writing. Also we should ask builder to show payment
details for EDC/IDC charges to government agencies. It should not happen that builder pays
nothing because he took affordable project license and we pay huge money because builder says
these flats are Luxury flats. As far as I know HUDA charges EDC/IDC per acre basis, how these
changes are transformed to every flat is not clear to me. We should ask builder to provide details
of it.
d) As per builder, road development is the department of government agencies, but builder needs
to commit for government provided infrastructure (after all we are paying EDC/IDC). We are
paying whole charges in advance. If builder will not commit in writing for government provided
electricity etc then I think we should not make further payments.
e) I think, the gaps between the towers are all our internal matter for builder which builder is not
liable to answer. But builder needs to provide definition of a corner flat and non-corner flat.
f) What is the possibility of adding more facilities at extra cost? For example piped gas line,
wood work etc
g) What is the possibility of improving quality of finishing goods? But before asking these
questions from the builder, we should discuss among the group that, are we asking too much
from the builder? Do we think builder is doing charity and can accept whatever we will say? I
think builder is providing whatever was mentioned in brochure. Builder never committed for best
quality wooden flooring, best quality shower panel, best quality tiles etc etc.
h) Do we really need to meet Rajiv Singla for all these things? I think we are asking for
information and builder's commitment for certain things. But we should meet someone from
builder's management group and put some pressure to get certain things on paper.
I hope all members of core group also agree with me. Core group has done an excellent job in
past and I hope you will get success this time also.

 When we will get the super area details we have to find out discrepancies in super area.
(e.g.  They have added sewage and electricity fitting in super area calculations and we
are also paying EDC/IDC. If we are paying EDC/IDC Why they are charging for these
in Super area? Similarly if we are paying for club house separately why we paying for
that in super area as well? )
 We have to know how they are adding common areas (lobby, lifts and stairs) in super
area. Please remember that the cost to build the common area is much-2 less.

One more thing, they mention in specification that Tennis courts (Sport Complex)  will be in the
Casa Bella but this have not been mention in layout plan. Please do include this in the list as
well.