Definition
Carpet Area
Carpet area is the actual usable floor area within the walls of a flat — the space you can lay a carpet on — excluding the thickness of walls and common areas.
Under RERA, builders in India must sell and price homes on the basis of carpet area, giving buyers a true measure of usable space. It is smaller than built-up area (which adds wall thickness and balconies) and much smaller than super built-up area (which loads in a share of common spaces like lobbies, stairs and the clubhouse).
Because the gap between carpet and super built-up area can be large, the same 'square feet' figure can mean very different real space. Always compare flats and their per-square-foot prices on a carpet-area basis, and confirm the carpet area stated in the RERA registration and agreement.
Related terms
- RERARERA, the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, is the Indian law that regulates the property sector to protect home-buyers and bring transparency and accountability to builders.
- Built-Up AreaBuilt-up area is the carpet area of a flat plus the area taken up by internal walls and usually balconies — essentially the total area of the unit itself.
- Super Built-Up AreaSuper built-up area is the built-up area of a flat plus a proportionate share of common spaces like lobbies, staircases, lifts and amenities — the 'loaded' figure builders once used to price homes.
Plain-English explainer from The Dispatch Investors Encyclopedia. General information, not financial advice.