Built up area

Built up area of a house is the total area of the house. It includes carpet area, area occupied by the walls, balcony etc.

Introduction

When it comes to real estate and construction, two common terms you may come across are built up area and carpet area. These terms hold great significance in determining the space available in a property and understanding the cost implications. In this article, we will focus on built up area and explore its meaning, calculation, and how it differs from carpet area.

What is Built Up Area?

Built up area refers to the total area encompassed by the walls of a building, including livable spaces, amenities, and common areas such as lobbies, staircases, balconies, and basements. It includes all the areas covered by the buildings roof and external walls. Essentially, it accounts for every inch of space enclosed within the building boundaries.

Calculating Built Up Area

The formula to calculate the built up area of a property is relatively straightforward:

1. Determine the dimensions (length and width) of each individual room within the building.
2. Multiply the length by the width of each room to get the area of each room.
3. Add up the areas of all the rooms and spaces within the building.

For example, lets consider a residential building with two bedrooms and a living room. The dimensions of each room are as follows:

• Bedroom 1: 12 feet x 10 feet
• Bedroom 2: 10 feet x 10 feet
• Living Room: 15 feet x 12 feet

Using the formula, we calculate:

• Area of Bedroom 1: 12 feet x 10 feet = 120 square feet
• Area of Bedroom 2: 10 feet x 10 feet = 100 square feet
• Area of Living Room: 15 feet x 12 feet = 180 square feet

Finally, we add up the areas: 120 + 100 + 180 = 400 square feet. Therefore, the built up area of this residential unit is 400 square feet.

Built Up Area vs. Carpet Area

Its essential to differentiate between built up area and carpet area, as they serve distinct purposes:

• Built Up Area: As mentioned earlier, it includes all the areas within the buildings walls, including the walls themselves and common spaces. Built up area helps determine the total space occupied by a property and plays a role in assessing construction costs.
• Carpet Area: On the other hand, carpet area refers to the actual usable space within a property where one can place a carpet. It excludes the thickness of walls and common areas, focusing solely on the livable space. This is the area available for use. Carpet area is essential for calculating the actual usable space available to the residents and helps in determining pricing and functionality.

Therefore, while built up area encompasses the entire space within a building, carpet area takes into account only the usable space without considering the walls and common areas.