FAR, Built-up Area and Carpet Area: What Should You be Paying for When Getting Your Interiors Done?

FAR or FSI, Built-up Area and Carpet Area are commonly used terms in real estate to describe different measurements of space within a property. Here we take a look at what these terms actually mean, and also which of these measurements you should consider when engaging the services of an architect or designer.

FAR

FAR (Floor Area Ratio), also known as Floor Space Index (FSI) depending on the locality or country, is a crucial urban planning and zoning regulation tool used by municipal authorities to regulate the size, density, and usage of buildings in a specific area. It determines the maximum allowable floor area of a building relative to the size of the plot of land on which it is constructed, and is calculated as –

FAR = Total (Super) Built-up Area on all floors combined/ Plot Area

Why is FAR Important for You? 

Municipalities establish FAR limits to control the intensity of land use in a particular zone. These regulations can vary significantly based on the zoning of the area and the local urban development plan. For instance, in residential zones, there might be lower FAR limits to maintain a certain proportion of open space and limit population density, while in commercial zones, higher FAR limits might be allowed to accommodate for higher density in a limited area.

For individuals, FAR regulations influence the size and height of allowable building construction, and in turn the design or capacity for extensions during the greenfield construction or renovation of your property.

For example, if you have a home on a plot area of 3000sq.ft with an FAR of 2.5, you are permitted to construct up to 7,500 sq.ft (of super built-up area), subject to the design also following the guidelines for setbacks, ground coverage and building height, established for your area and plot type.

Carpet Area vs. Built-up Area vs. Super Built-up Area

Carpet Area

• Carpet Area refers to the actual usable area within the walls of an apartment, or unit or building, typically measured from the inner walls. It is basically the effective area inside a property where you can lay a carpet.

• Carpet area excludes the thickness of the inner walls, common areas like lobbies, staircases, etc., and is generally considered the most accurate measurement of usable space within a property.

Built-up Area (BUA)

• BUA includes the carpet area plus the area covered by the walls of the apartment or unit or building, and the area allocated for semi-covered or open areas like balconies, verandas, terraces, etc. In essence, the built-up area is the total area that is "built-up" or covered by the construction, including both usable and non-usable spaces.

• Generally, carpet area is about 85% of the BUA.

Super Built-up Area

• An added layer of complexity when calculating areas of units that share common spaces in buildings is the calculation of Super Built-up Area. Super Built-up Area is nothing but BUA plus a portion of the shared common areas like lobbies, staircases, elevator shafts, clubhouses, etc.

• Effectively,  in most cases carpet area turns out to be only 70% of the Super Built-up Area.

When calculating the rental or sale price of a property, one generally considers the Super Built-up or Built-up area of a property (depending on whether it is part of a building with shared resources, or an independent free standing unit.)

When you are engaging the services of an architect or designer however, to remain fair to both parties, it is best to consider total BUA (not Super Built-up area) when you need consultancy on greenfield designs or renovations, and only carpet area when you need interior design consultancy.

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We hope this article helped you understand the significance of FAR, Carpet Area and Built-up Area and how these terms are relevant to you when you’re looking to do up a new space or renovate an existing one.

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