The three areas, in plain words
Carpet area
This is the floor space inside your apartment that you can actually use, wall to wall. Under RERA, carpet area is the net usable floor area, including the area covered by the internal partition walls. It does not include the thickness of the external walls, service shafts, or your exclusive balcony, verandah or open terrace.
Built-up area
Built-up area is the carpet area plus the thickness of the walls and the exclusive areas that belong to your apartment, such as the balcony. It is always larger than carpet area.
Super built-up area
Super built-up area is the built-up area plus your share of the common areas of the building: lobbies, staircases, lifts, corridors and amenity spaces. The extra share is often called “loading”, and it differs from one project to another.
| Area | Includes | Do you use it inside your home? |
|---|---|---|
| Carpet area | Usable floor space, including internal walls | Yes, fully |
| Built-up area | Carpet area + external walls + balcony/terrace | Partly |
| Super built-up area | Built-up area + share of common areas | No, a share is outside your door |
How RERA changed the way apartments are sold
Before RERA, apartments were commonly sold on super built-up area, which made it hard to compare projects. The Act requires the agreement for sale to state the carpet area, so that buyers can see exactly what they are buying. Today you should always ask for the carpet area of your apartment in writing, and check that it matches the figure in the RERA registration and in the agreement.
A worked example (illustrative numbers)
The figures below are made up to show the method. They are not prices from IN-LAND Builders or any other project.
| Offer A | Offer B | |
|---|---|---|
| Rate quoted | ₹5,000 per sq ft | ₹6,800 per sq ft |
| Area the rate is applied to | 1,450 sq ft (super built-up) | 1,000 sq ft (carpet) |
| Carpet area you actually get | 1,000 sq ft | 1,000 sq ft |
| Total | ₹72.5 lakh | ₹68 lakh |
| Effective rate per sq ft of carpet area | ₹7,250 | ₹6,800 |
Offer A looks cheaper at ₹5,000, but once you divide by the carpet area, Offer B costs less for the same usable space. This is why the headline rate alone can mislead.
How to compare two offers fairly
- Ask for the carpet area of the exact apartment, in square feet.
- Find out which area the rate is applied to: carpet, built-up or super built-up.
- Divide the total price by the carpet area to get the effective rate per square foot of usable space.
- Compare what is included: parking, club membership, maintenance deposit and taxes can change the total.
Questions to ask before you book
- What is the carpet area of this apartment, and where is it stated in the agreement?
- What is the balcony or terrace area, and is it charged at the same rate?
- What is the difference between the carpet area and the super built-up area, in percentage?
- Does the carpet area match the figure in the RERA registration?