Important things to know about

Carpet Area

Built up Area

Super Built up Area

Many flat purchasers have doubts about area of the flat they are going to purchase. Many buyers don't understand the terms like carpet area and built up are. It is necessary for them to understand the total area of their property. In order to help them, the following details are given.

Carpet Area:
Carpet area is the area between the walls Carpet area must have permanent roof (slab) over it, at normal height. Owner must get exclusive rights to use and resell the carpet area. Carpet area is calculated by multiplying dimension of room, i.e. length x width. Total carpet area is calculated by adding carpet areas of all rooms. Generally, in addition to all the rooms, verandas, passages, area inside the main door, balconies are included in carpet area. FSI is applicable to carpet area. Depending upon builder practice, carpet area may be 50% to 70% of saleable area. It is always good to find ratio of carpet area to the saleable area, higher the ratio, better it is. This is just to give you idea of what you actually can use, in practice it is in interest of the buyers to find out what is carpet area and then apply loading factor on it (and not do the other way, i.e. should not arrive at carpet by applying loading factor to saleable area.

Built-up Area:
It is the total space a house consumes which includes the carpet area and the area of the walls put together. It is approximately 10% more than the carpet area. The area of a terrace is usually considered as half of the built up area.

Super Built-up Area:
The Super Built up area includes built up area plus common usable spaces like staircases, passages or lifts. This is usually 25% more than the Built up area. The Super built up area is also known as the saleable Area.
So when you go in for purchase of flats, just check up the carpet area and other things among various issues regarding the total area. It is important to clear the doubts. The buyer should know proper details about his property.

Check Your Carpet Area with New Standards for Building Measurements:

In order to unify and standardize the method of measurement of plinth, carpet and rentable areas of buildings, the Method of Measurement of Works of Civil Engineering Sectional Committee, CED44 of Bureau of Indian Standards has brought out and Indian Standards, namely IS3861:1975 Method of Measurement of Plinth Carpet and Rentable Areas of Buildings (first revision).

The standards defines various important terms like plinth areas, carpet area, rentable area, balcony, staircover (mumty), loft and porch. It stipulates that the areas of basement, floor without cladding (stilled floor), floors including top floor, which may be partly covered, mezzanine floor, and garage shall be measured separately. For measurement of plinth area of the above categories, the various areas required to be included and those not to be included in the plinth area are clearly mentioned. From the plinth areas as worked out above, the carpet areas if obtained by deducting the are of wall in accordance with the method given in the standard, which details the wall areas to e include and excluded. The carpet area so obtained shall exclude the areas of portions like verandah, corridor and passage, entrance hall and porch staircase and stair-cover (mumty), shaft and machine room for lift, bathroom and lavatory, kitchen and pantry, store, canteen, air-conditioning duct and plant room and shaft for sanitary piping in accordance with the provisions of the standard.

Apart from plinth and carpet areas, the standard also gives the method of measurement of rentable areas for residential and non-residential buildings by adding certain areas to the carpet area. It clearly mentions the areas to be included and excluded while working out the rentable areas.

It is recommended that the architects, engineers, government detects, engineers government departments, contractors, builders, developers and promoters and all other concerned should adopt/implement this Indian Standard for uniform implementation of the standard method of measurement of areas of buildings, especially in the interest of common consumer.

Buyer’s FAQs

How to choose a property ?

Anybody wishing to book a flat with a developer / promoter in India is expected to keep in mind following few basic points before decoding to book a flat on ownership basis.

About the developer/ promoter:

1. The reputation  of the promoter/ developer
2. The number of buildings/ projects that the developer has completed in the past
3. The quality of the construction in respect of buildings completed by the developer/ promoter
4. The financial standing of the developer/ promoter
5. Adequacy of the technical staff employed with the developer
6. His past dealings with the customers

About the Title Deeds:

1. The flat purchaser should be shown the relevant documents regarding title of plot on which the building is proposed to be constructed
2. The title certificate should be from a reputed Solicitor / Advocate attached to the agreement
3. The developer should have annexed the description of land in detail in the form if schedule in the agreement
4. All information regarding the encumbrances should be brought out clearly
5. The extract of property register card or other revenue record of the land/ plot on which the flats are going to be constructed should be attached to the agreement for sale

Inspection of Plans/ Drawings:

1. The developer should have got the approval of plans/ drawings from the Municipal Authorities/ Local Authority
2.The developer should have shown to the flat purchaser the approved plans/ drawings to the flat purchaser
3. The developer should show to the flat purchaser the copy of commencement certificate (C.C.) and Intimation of Disapproval (I.O.D.)

Area, Number of Flats, etc.

1. The serial number of flat, floor at which it is located, name of building/ wing should be distinctly indicated in the body of agreement
2. The carpet area/ built-up area of the flat should be distinctly indicated in the body of agreement
3. The plan referred to in (iii) above should be duly signed by developer at the time of execution of the agreement

Amenities/ Specifications:

1. The developer should annex with agreement a schedule of amenities/ specifications (type of construction, flooring, doors, windows, sanitary and water supply, electricity fittings)
2. The sale agreement in accordance with the conditions laid down by the Urban Land (Ceilings & Regulations) Authorities

Nature, Extent & Description of Common Areas, Facilities, etc:

The agreement for sale should describe distinctly the common area and facilities (such as entrance hall, foyer of building, compound wall, etc.) and limited common areas and facilities (landing in front of staircase, etc.), percentage/ interest of flat purchaser in common areas and limited common areas/ facilities.

Possession:

1. The date by which possession of the flat is to be given specified in the agreement for sale
2. Provision in the agreement for refund of the amounts due by the developer along with simple interest @ 9% per annul from the date of receipt by developer till the date of refund in the event of failure of the developer to give possession of the flat by stipulated date or mutually agreed extended date.

Mode of Payment:

The Mode of payment of installments should be distinctly mentioned in the agreement for sale.

Outgoings:

The developer should mention in the agreement the amounts payable by flat purchaser on taking possession in respect of legal charges, share money, application entrance fee of society, charges for formation and registration of the society and proportionate share of taxes and other charges.

Stamp Duty & Registration:

1. The flat purchaser should be aware about the quantum of stamp duty payable by him at the time of execution of agreement.
2. The flat purchaser should be aware that the registration of agreement in respect of the flat purchased from the developer is compulsory.
3. The flat purchaser should be aware of the fact that the time limit for registration agreement for sale is 4 months from the date of its execution.

TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS (TDR)

1. WHAT IS TDR ?

Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) means making available certain amount of additional built up area in lieu of the area relinquished or surrendered by the owner of the land, so that he can use extra built up area either himself or transfer it to another in need of the extra built up area for an agreed sum of money.

2. Purpose of TDR.

The process of land acquisition in urban areas for public purpose especially for road widening, parks and play grounds, schools etc., is complicated, costly and time consuming. In order to minimize the time needed and to enable a process, which could be advantageously put into practice to acquire land for reservation purposes mentioned above.

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