Carpet area vs built-up area: What’s the real difference when buying property?

Among them, carpet area and built-up area are two crucial concepts that can significantly affect your decision and the value you get for your money.

Here’s a clear breakdown of what each term means and why it matters.

Carpet area and built-up area

The carpet area refers to the actual usable space within the four walls of your apartment, quite literally, the area where you could lay a carpet.

What It Includes:

• Living room
• Bedrooms
• Kitchen
• Bathrooms
• Internal partition walls

What it excludes:

• Balcony or terrace
• External walls
• Staircase and lobby
• Lift area and other common spaces

Carpet area vs built-up area:  In short, the carpet area is the space you can actually use and live in. This is the most relevant metric for homebuyers because it reflects the functional space you’ll have after moving in.

What is built-up area?

The built-up area includes the carpet area plus the area occupied by the walls (both internal and external) and spaces such as balconies and terraces attached to the flat.

What it includes:

• Carpet area
• Wall thickness
• Balcony or terrace space (if any)

What it excludes:

• Common/shared areas like corridors, staircases, and lifts

Typically, the built-up area is about 10-20% more than the carpet area, depending on the construction design and layout.

Why this difference matters

Carpet area vs built-up area: When property advertisements or brochures mention the size of a flat, they often refer to the built-up area (or even the super built-up area, which includes common spaces). This can give buyers a misleading sense of the actual space they’ll have.

For example, if a flat is said to be 1,000 sq. ft. built-up, the actual carpet area or the usable space might be only around 800-850 sq. ft. That’s a significant difference when planning your interiors or comparing two properties.

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