RERA requires flat prices to be quoted on carpet area - the space you can actually use. Here is what each of the three terms means and how to compare projects fairly.
Three different numbers get quoted for the same flat, and the gap between them can be large. Since RERA came into force, builders must quote the price on carpet area – but you will still hear the other two, so it helps to know what each one includes.
Carpet area
RERA defines carpet area as the net usable floor area of the flat. It includes the area covered by internal partition walls, but excludes the external walls, service shafts, an exclusive balcony or verandah, and an exclusive open terrace. In short: the floor you can actually walk on and furnish.
Built-up area
Built-up area adds the thickness of the external walls and spaces such as balconies to the carpet area. It is always larger than carpet area, and how much larger depends on the design.
Super built-up area
Super built-up area adds a proportionate share of the building’s common areas – lobbies, staircases, lift wells and so on. The difference between carpet and super built-up is often called “loading”, and it varies a lot from project to project.
How to compare projects fairly
- Ask for the carpet area in square feet, as filed with RERA, for every configuration you are considering.
- Compare the price per square foot of carpet area, not of super built-up area.
- Check whether balconies and terraces are listed separately – they are useful space, but they are not part of the carpet area.
- Match the numbers in the brochure against the RERA filing for the project.
On PropertyMitras, carpet areas are shown per configuration on each project page, and the compare tool lines them up side by side.
