Loading

When a builder adds walls, balconies and a share of common areas to your carpet area, the bigger figure is the super built-up area. The extra part is the loading. It is usually shown as a percentage, and you will see it worked out in two ways, so ask which one is being used.

• Over carpet: (super built-up − carpet) ÷ carpet × 100.
• Over super built-up: (super built-up − carpet) ÷ super built-up × 100.

Say a flat is 1,200 sq ft super built-up and 900 sq ft carpet. The extra is 300 sq ft. Over carpet, the loading is 300 ÷ 900 = 33.3%. Over super built-up, it is 300 ÷ 1,200 = 25%. Same flat, two honest numbers, which is why you must know the method before comparing.

Now look at the price. At an illustrative ₹7,000 per super built-up sq ft, the flat costs ₹84 lakh. Divide that by the carpet area instead and you are paying about ₹9,333 for each sq ft you can actually use. That second figure is the one to compare between projects.

Loading is not a trick in itself; lifts, stairs and lobbies are real and someone pays for them. But a high loading means less usable home for the same quoted size. Since RERA requires the agreement to state carpet area, you can now work the loading out yourself.

• Get carpet and super built-up figures in writing.
• Work out the loading both ways.
• Compare price per carpet sq ft across your shortlist.