One flat, three numbers
Visit three projects and you may hear three area numbers for similar flats: carpet, built-up and super built-up. Only carpet area has a legal definition, in section 2(k) of RERA. It is the usable floor inside your walls, counting internal partition walls but not external walls, service shafts or exclusive balconies.
Why carpet area changed things
Before RERA, many flats were sold on super built-up area, which adds a share of common spaces using different methods in each project. Comparing projects was hard. RERA's carpet area definition gave buyers one honest number to compare.
What "loading" means
Loading is the extra area added on top of carpet area to arrive at super built-up area. It stands for walls and a share of common areas. A quick example: a flat with 900 sq ft carpet area quoted at 1,215 sq ft super built-up has a loading of 35 per cent, because 315 is 35 per cent of 900. Loading is not wrong in itself, but it must not hide how much usable space you are getting.
Common areas: what they are
RERA's section 2(n) defines common areas widely. It includes the land, lifts, stairs, lobbies, corridors, terraces, parks, parking areas, water tanks, pumps and other shared services.
Who owns them
You do, together with every other owner. Section 17(1) of RERA requires the promoter to transfer the undivided proportionate title in the common areas to the association of allottees.
Your share of the land
Your undivided share of land, or UDS, is your slice of the plot on which the building stands. It is shared, not marked out. In a low-density project, where fewer homes share the same land, each home's share tends to be larger. Ask for the UDS to be stated in your sale deed.
Edge cases
- Balconies: excluded from carpet area, listed separately.
- Utility areas: check whether they are inside the carpet area or counted as a balcony.
- Terraces: an exclusive terrace is excluded from carpet area; a common terrace belongs to everyone.
Matching brochure and agreement
Put the brochure's area figures next to the agreement's. The agreement should state carpet area. If a brochure shows only super built-up, ask for the carpet area in writing.
Why this matters on a first-home budget
When you are stretching to buy a first home, every square foot counts. Two flats with the same price can give you very different usable space. Understanding carpet area, loading and common areas helps you compare honestly, and it helps you avoid paying for space you cannot use. It also explains the maintenance bill you will pay every month, because you pay to run the common areas you share.
A worked example: comparing two flats (illustrative)
These flats and numbers are made up. They show the arithmetic only.
- Flat A: quoted at 1,200 sq ft super built-up. Carpet area in the agreement: 840 sq ft. Loading = (1,200 − 840) ÷ 840 = 360 ÷ 840 ≈ 43 per cent.
- Flat B: quoted at 1,100 sq ft super built-up. Carpet area: 860 sq ft. Loading = 240 ÷ 860 ≈ 28 per cent.
Flat A sounds bigger. Flat B actually gives you 20 sq ft more to live in. Now say both cost ₹72 lakh. Per sq ft of carpet area, Flat A costs ₹72,00,000 ÷ 840 ≈ ₹8,571, and Flat B costs ₹72,00,000 ÷ 860 ≈ ₹8,372. Comparing on carpet area shows you the real value.
A worked example: your share of the land (illustrative)
A common way to work out UDS is in proportion to each flat's area. Say a project sits on 1 acre, which is 43,560 sq ft. The total area of all flats, measured the way the agreement uses, is 1,00,000 sq ft. Your flat is 1,000 sq ft. Your share is 1,000 ÷ 1,00,000 = 1 per cent. Your UDS is then 1 per cent of 43,560 = 435.6 sq ft. The method should be written in your agreement. Ask which area figure was used, so you can check the sum yourself.
Step by step: checking areas before you sign
- Ask for the carpet area in writing for the exact flat you want, not a typical figure.
- Ask for balcony and exclusive terrace areas separately. They are not part of carpet area, but they are real space.
- Get the floor plan with dimensions. Multiply the room sizes yourself. Your total will be close to, but not exactly, the carpet area, because of internal walls.
- Work out the loading if a super built-up figure is quoted. Compare it across projects.
- Check the UDS in the draft sale deed and ask how it was worked out.
- Check the RERA registration page. Registered projects disclose carpet areas of their units there.
- Match all three: brochure, agreement and RERA page. Ask about any difference.
Common mistakes first-time buyers make
- Comparing super built-up prices. Two projects may load very differently. Always convert to carpet area.
- Counting the balcony twice. Some buyers add balconies to carpet area in their head. Keep the two figures apart.
- Assuming parking is a common area you will always get. Ask whether a specific parking space is allotted to you in the agreement.
- Not asking who maintains what. Your maintenance charge pays for the common areas. More shared facilities usually mean a bigger bill.
- Ignoring the handover. Common areas pass to the association of allottees. Ask when and how the association will be formed.
What happens to common areas after handover
Once the association of allottees takes over, the residents decide together how common areas are run. That includes repairs, security, cleaning and any changes. Your vote in the association is part of what you own. Keep copies of the approved plans and the list of common areas. They help the association later, for example when a dispute comes up over a terrace or a parking area.
Your area checklist
- Carpet area of my flat, in writing.
- Balcony and exclusive terrace areas, listed separately.
- Loading, if a super built-up area is quoted.
- UDS, and how it was worked out.
- Parking allotted to me, by number if possible.
- A list of common areas and facilities.
Questions to ask the sales team
- What is the carpet area of this exact flat, as per the RERA registration?
- What are the balcony and utility areas, listed separately?
- Is any parking space allotted to me, and is it named in the agreement?
- What is my undivided share of land, and how was it worked out?
- Which areas are common to all owners, and which, if any, are limited to some?
- When will the association of allottees be formed and take over common areas?
Good answers are specific and written. If an answer is only spoken, ask for it in an email. You will want it later, especially when you compare the agreement with the brochure.
Limited common areas
Some projects set aside a part of the common areas for a few owners only, such as a terrace next to certain flats. These are often called limited common areas. If a project has them, the agreement should say which areas they are and who may use them. Read this part slowly. It affects what the other owners, including you, can use, and it can affect how maintenance is shared. If anything is unclear, ask your lawyer to explain it before you sign.
The Shalott Marque is a low-density project: 54 homes on 0.75 acres. See the project page for its 2 and 3 BHK homes.