When you’re buying a flat or a house, one of the biggest confusions buyers face is understanding carpet area, built-up area, and super built-up area. These three terms directly impact the price you pay, the actual space you get, and how you compare different properties.
At Search Abode, we simplify this for you. Our goal is to break down each term into clear, practical, and easy-to-understand sections, so you know exactly what part of the property you are paying for and how much usable space you will truly get. Whether you’re a first-time buyer or an experienced investor, understanding these areas will help you make smarter, more confident real-estate decisions.
Contents
- What is a Carpet Area ?
- Importance of the carpet area
- What is Built‑Up Area?
- What is Super Built‑Up Area?
- Why these distinctions matter for home buyers
- Calculation & Examples
- Common Questions for Carpet Area , Built‑up Area & Super Built‑up Area
- Difference between carpet area, built up area and super built up area in Indian real estate
- Carpet Area, Built‑Up and Super Built‑Up
- Carpet Area vs Super Built‑Up Area
- Saleable Area vs Built‑Up Area
- Super Area Means?
- How to Use This Knowledge When Buying
- Check legal documents
- Summary & Key Takeaways
What is a Carpet Area ?
The carpet area is the actual usable floor space inside the property. It’s the area where you can lay a carpet, place furniture and live in. Under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA) definition, carpet area means “the net usable floor area of an apartment, excluding the area covered by the external walls but including the area covered by the internal partition walls of the apartment”.
What does it include?
Bedrooms, living room, kitchen, bathrooms, internal hallways of the flat.
What does it exclude?
External walls, common areas (lobby, stairs, lifts), open terrace (in many cases).
Formula to calculate carpet area
Carpet area = Area of bedroom + living room + balconies + toilets – the thickness of the inner walls
Importance of the carpet area
The carpet area gives the buyer a realistic picture of how much space they would actually have to live. For the benefit of the buyer, it is crucial that the price of the property is calculated on this measuring benchmark and not on the built-up area of the super built-up area.
Also, during property valuation, banks take into account the carpet area of the property to arrive at its worth, and offer loans based on that.
What is Built‑Up Area?
Built‑up area is larger than the carpet area. It equals the carpet area + the area of the walls (both external & internal) + balconies/terraces (if applicable) + other enclosed spaces in the flat.
In simple terms:
Carpet area < Built‑up area.
For example, a property’s carpet area might be about 70‑90% of its built‑up area.
Formula to calculate built-up area
Built-up area = Carpet area + area of walls + area of balcony
Importance of Built-Up Area
While the carpet area shows the actual usable space inside your home, the built-up area includes this carpet area plus the space taken up by walls, balconies, ducts, and other structural elements. Knowing the built-up area gives a complete picture of the total space in your property. It is also important for calculating the property cost, as builders often base pricing on built-up area.
What is Super Built‑Up Area?
The super built‐up area (also known as “saleable area” in many cases) is even larger. It is the built‑up area plus a proportionate share of the common areas of the building, things like lift lobby, staircases, corridors, clubhouse, gym etc.
Formula to calculate Super Built-Up Area
Super Built‑Up Area = Built‑Up Area + Proportionate Common Area
Or sometimes: Super Built‑Up Area = Carpet Area × (1 + Loading Factor) where loading factor refers to the % added to the carpet area to arrive at super built‑up.
Importance of Super Built-Up Area
The super built-up area gives a complete picture of the total space you can use, including your flat and the shared areas like lobbies, corridors, and amenities. It helps buyers and tenants understand the true cost of a property or rental by showing both the private space and the common facilities they’ll have access to.
Why these distinctions matter for home buyers
True usable space vs what you pay for
If you see a flat advertised as “1,500 sq ft”, but that’s super built‑up area, the actual carpet area (usable space) might be much less. That means you’re paying for shared spaces and walls, not only your private living area.
Comparing pricing properly
When comparing properties, if one flat quotes price based on super builtup and another based on carpet area, you can be misled. It’s wise to check: price per sq ft of carpet area is more meaningful than price per sq ft of super built‑up. ICICI Bank
Regulatory aspects RERA & your rights
Under RERA, builders are required to disclose carpet area in the sale agreement, and pricing based on carpet area is mandated in many cases.
Also, if the final carpet area delivered is less than promised, then there are provisions for refund of the excess.
Calculation & Examples
Carpet Area Calculation / Calculator
Here’s a simple approach:
- Measure each room’s length × width (bedroom, living room, kitchen, bathrooms, etc.).
- Add them up to get total usable space.
- Subtract wall thickness if required (depending on whether the calculation includes it).
Under the general method:
Carpet Area = (Area of Bedroom + Living + Kitchen + Toilets + other usable rooms) – Thickness of inner walls
Built‑Up Area Calculation
Built‑Up Area = Carpet Area + area of walls + balconies/terraces (if exclusive) + other enclosed spaces
Example: If carpet area = 1,000 sq ft, walls/balcony/terrace add ~10‑20%, then built‑up maybe ~1,100‑1,200 sq ft.
Super Built‑Up Area Calculation
Super Built‑Up Area = Built‑Up Area + proportionate share of common areas
Or
Super Built‑Up Area ≈ Carpet Area × (1 + Loading Factor) where loading factor may be 20‑50% depending on the project.
Example: Carpet area 1,000 sq ft, loading factor 0.30 (30%) → Super built‑up area ≈ 1,300 sq ft.
Super Built‑Up Area vs Built‑Up Area (and Saleable Area vs Built‑Up Area)
Sometimes builders quote “saleable area” which is often the same as a super built‑up area (or very close). So:
- Saleable area vs built‑up area: Saleable area includes built‑up + common areas. Magicbricks
- Super built‑up vs built‑up area: Super built‑up is always larger because it adds common areas.
Covered Area vs Built‑Up Area
“Covered area” typically refers to the area under the roof / physically covered by the property’s construction (rooms + walls + roof). It may exclude balcony / terrace / open areas. In contrast, built‑up area includes everything inside the outer walls (plus balcony/terrace if exclusive) and can be higher than the covered area. READ MORE
Common Questions for Carpet Area , Built‑up Area & Super Built‑up Area
- Does the carpet area include a bathroom?
Yes, since the bathroom is part of the usable floor area inside the flat (unless defined otherwise).
- Is the staircase included in the carpet area?
If the staircase is inside your flat (internal staircase) and you use it exclusively, yes it could be. But external/common staircase no.
- Is the toilet included in the carpet area?
Yes, part of your flat’s usable area.
- What is the loading factor / super built‑up area percentage?
It refers to how much extra percentage (over carpet area) is being added by the developer to reach the super built‑up area. Typical loading may be 20‑40% or higher depending on amenities.
Difference between carpet area, built up area and super built up area in Indian real estate
| Area | Carpet area | Built up area | Super built up area |
| Bedroom | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Living room | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bathroom | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Kitchen | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Study room | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Guest room | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Kid’s room | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dining room | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lobby | No | No | Yes |
| Balcony | No | Yes | Yes |
| External staircase | No | Yes | Yes |
| Internal staircase | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pooja room | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Terrace | No | Yes | Yes |
| Lift | No | Yes | Yes |
| Verandah | No | Yes | Yes |
| Garden | No | No | Yes |
Carpet Area, Built‑Up and Super Built‑Up
| Feature / Aspect | Carpet Area | Built-Up Area | Super Built-Up Area |
| Definition (RERA / Common Usage) | Net usable floor area of the apartment excluding external walls but including internal partition walls. (RERA) | Carpet area + thickness of internal & external walls + balconies / terraces (if enclosed). (Sobha) | Built-Up area + proportionate share of common areas such as lobby, staircase, lift, corridors, clubhouse, gym, garden. (MagicBricks) |
| Also Called | Usable Area, Net Area | Covered Area + Wall Area | Saleable Area, Super Area |
| What it Includes | – Bedrooms- Living Room- Kitchen- Bathrooms / Toilets- Internal hallways within flat | – Carpet Area- Internal & External Wall Thickness- Balcony / Terrace (if enclosed)- Utility / Service Areas inside flat | – Built-Up Area- Proportionate share of common areas: • Lobbies • Staircases • Lift area • Common corridors • Amenities (clubhouse, gym, garden, swimming pool, parking)- Loading factor applied by developer |
| What it Excludes | – External walls- Common areas (lobby, lifts, stairs)- Terrace (unless exclusively part of flat)- Parking | – Shared/common areas outside your flat- Amenities outside flat | – Typically nothing extra — it is the largest quoted area |
| Typical Percentage of Each Other | – ~70–80% of Built-Up Area- ~60–70% of Super Built-Up Area | – ~110–120% of Carpet Area- ~80–90% of Super Built-Up Area | – ~130–150% of Carpet Area- Always greater than Built-Up Area |
| Calculation Method | Sum of length × width of all usable rooms (bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, living, internal hallways) | Carpet Area + thickness of walls + balcony / terrace / enclosed utility spaces | Built-Up Area + proportionate share of common areas or Carpet Area × (1 + Loading Factor) |
| Includes Balcony / Terrace? | Only if part of usable space within flat (rare) | Yes, if enclosed | Usually counted in proportion for super built-up calculation |
| Includes Staircase? | Internal staircase inside unit may be included | Internal staircase inside unit included | Common staircase included proportionately |
| Includes Toilets / Bathrooms? | Yes | Yes | Yes (proportionate part of common area included) |
| Pricing Basis | Price per sq. ft of carpet area gives actual value of usable space | Price per sq. ft of built-up area includes walls and semi-private areas | Price per sq. ft of super built-up area often quoted by developers to include common/shared areas |
| Key Advantage | Shows actual livable / usable space | Slightly more inclusive; helps understand total construction area | Useful for overall property cost including share of amenities |
| Key Disadvantage | Does not include walls or common areas; may be smaller than advertised | May still be misleading for comparing prices across projects | Can be confusing for buyers; actual usable area may be much smaller than quoted super built-up |
| Example | Carpet Area = 1,000 sq ft | Built-Up Area = 1,200 sq ft | Super Built-Up Area = 1,400 sq ft (with 200 sq ft common area share) |
| Relevance for Buyer | Most important to know what space they actually get | Helps in interior planning; moderately affects price comparison | Helps in overall cost evaluation and understanding maintenance/share of common areas |
Carpet Area vs Super Built‑Up Area
The carpet area is the actual usable space inside your flat, while the super built-up area includes this plus a proportionate share of common areas like lobbies, corridors, lifts, and amenities. This means the difference can be significant, and buyers must understand how much livable space they are truly paying for.
| Feature / Aspect | Carpet Area | Super Built-Up Area |
| Definition | Net usable floor space inside the flat (RERA: excludes external walls, includes internal walls) | Built-Up Area + proportionate share of common areas (lobby, lift, corridors, amenities) |
| Includes | Bedrooms, living room, kitchen, bathrooms, internal hallways | Carpet area + walls + shared/common areas + amenities (clubhouse, garden, staircase, lift) |
| Excludes | External walls, common areas outside flat | Typically nothing extra; already includes common/shared areas |
| Purpose | Shows actual livable / usable space | Determines total area developer charges for, including shared facilities |
| Typical Percentage Difference | ~60–70% of super built-up area | ~130–150% of carpet area (depends on project loading factor) |
| Impact on Pricing | Price per sq. ft of carpet area reflects true value of usable space | Price per sq. ft of super built-up may appear lower but includes non-private space |
| Use Case for Buyer | Interior planning, real useable area, comparison across properties | Cost evaluation, understanding share of amenities and maintenance responsibility |
| Example | Carpet Area = 1,000 sq ft | Super Built-Up Area = 1,400 sq ft (includes 400 sq ft common area share) |
Saleable Area vs Built‑Up Area
When buying a property, it’s important to distinguish between saleable area and built-up area. Saleable area, often used interchangeably with super built-up area, includes the built-up area of your flat plus a proportionate share of common areas like lobbies, lifts, corridors, and amenities. Built-up area, on the other hand, is limited to your flat’s carpet area plus walls, balconies, and other enclosed spaces. Understanding the difference helps you know what you’re actually paying for and avoid overestimating usable space.
Comparison Table: Saleable Area vs Built-Up Area
| Feature / Aspect | Built-Up Area | Saleable Area (Super Built-Up) |
| Definition | Carpet area + internal & external walls + balconies/terraces inside the flat | Built-up area + proportionate share of common areas such as lobby, staircase, corridors, clubhouse, gym, garden, and parking |
| Includes | – Carpet area- Wall thickness- Balcony / terrace (if enclosed)- Utility / service areas inside flat | – Built-up area- Proportionate share of: • Lobby & corridors • Staircases & lifts • Amenities (clubhouse, garden, parking) |
| Excludes | Common/shared areas outside the flat | Typically nothing extra; includes shared areas |
| Pricing Basis | Often used for construction cost or internal valuation | Often used by developers to quote price to buyers (price per sq.ft) |
| Percentage Relation | ~80–90% of Saleable Area | ~110–125% of Built-Up Area (depends on loading factor) |
| Relevance for Buyer | Helps plan interiors and know actual flat size | Helps understand total cost including common/shared areas |
| Example | Built-Up Area = 1,200 sq ft | Saleable Area = 1,400 sq ft (includes 200 sq ft proportionate common area) |
| Key Advantage | Clear idea of actual enclosed space | Shows cost including shared amenities and common infrastructure |
| Key Disadvantage | Does not reflect cost of shared areas | Can be misleading if buyer assumes entire area is usable |
Super Area Means?
“Super area” is a colloquial term often used by builders meaning super built‑up area. So when you see a “super area”, treat it as a super built‑up area unless context says otherwise.
How to Use This Knowledge When Buying
Ask the right questions before buying properties
- What is the carpet area of the flat?
- What is the built‑up area?
- What is the super built‑up/ saleable area?
- What is the loading factor (i.e., what % extra over carpet area is being added to arrive at super built‑up)?
- How much of the quoted area is common area / amenities vs actual usable space?
- Are balconies/terraces included in carpet areas or only built‑up?
- Does the carpet area include bathroom, internal staircase etc?
Compare on same basis
Only compare flats where the same area basis is used. Compare carpet‑area prices rather than super built‑up if you want to know what you’re really getting.
Be aware of misleading quotes
Sometimes developers quote prices on super built‑up to keep per‑sq‑ft number low, but that doesn’t reflect the actual space you get.
Check legal documents
Ensure the sale agreement mentions carpet area (as required by RERA) and not just super built‑up. Verify in plans the breakdown of area.
Interior & usability
While carpet area tells actual livable space, don’t ignore built‑up & super built‑up: they impact maintenance (shared areas) and cost. For interior design, carpet area is most relevant.
Summary & Key Takeaways
- Always remember: Carpet area < Built‑Up Area < Super Built‑Up Area.
- The carpet area is what you truly live in.
- The built‑up area adds walls, balconies etc.
- The super built‑up area adds common areas and shared amenities.
- Buyers must focus on the carpet area and understand how much usable space they are getting.
- Always ask for written breakdowns, compare on the same basis, check loading factor and legal compliance.
At Search Abode, our recommendation: negotiate and compare on carpet area, and treat super built‑up area with caution since it can be misleading without clear breakdown.
A: If it is an internal (within your unit) staircase you use exclusively, yes, it can be included in the carpet area. If it is a common staircase shared by buildings, no.
A: Yes, bathrooms/toilets within your unit’s walls count in the carpet area.
A: There is no fixed standard, but many experts say a loading factor of ~20‑30% is acceptable. Higher loading means you get much less usable carpet area for what you pay. Magicbricks
A: Often carpet area may be about 70‑80% of built‑up and maybe 60‑70% (or less) of super built‑up, depending on the design and loading. ICICI Bank
A: As per RERA: “…net usable floor area of an apartment, excluding external walls but including internal partition walls.” Housing