Gap between built up area & carpet area rises in apartment to 40%: Anarock

The average loading percentage was 31 per cent in 2019, and the same has risen to 40 per cent in the January-March quarter of this year, which means flat owners are getting less liveable space

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The difference between super-built-up area and carpet area in apartments has risen over the years with builders increasing average loading percentage to 40 per cent across major cities to provide common amenities, according to Anarock.

The average loading percentage was 31 per cent in 2019, and the same has risen to 40 per cent in the January-March quarter of this year, which means flat owners are getting less livable space.

In its report, real estate consultant Anarock said that in residential apartments, the average loading factor is the difference between the super-built-up area and carpet area. If the super built-up area is 1,300 square feet and the carpet area 1,000 sq ft, then the loading percentage is 30 per cent.

Prashant Thakur, Regional Director & Head - Research & Advisory at ANAROCK Group, said, "While RERA now requires developers to mention the total carpet area provided to homebuyers, no law currently limits the loading factor in projects."  "Q1 (January-March) 2025 readings show that 60 per cent of the total space within their apartment homebuyers in the top 7 cities pay for now is liveable space, and the remaining 40 per cent is common areas - elevators, lobbies, staircases, clubhouses, amenities, terraces, and so on," he added.

Among the top 7 cities, Bengaluru has seen the highest percentile jump in average loading over the last seven years from 30 per cent in 2019 to 41 per cent in Q1 2025.

Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) continues to see the highest loading among the top 7 cities, with 43 per cent in Q1 2025 from 33 per cent in 2019.

Chennai, on the other hand, has the least average loading rise. In 2019, Chennai's average loading percentage was 30 per cent. It gradually rose to 36 per cent in Q1 2025.

In Delhi-NCR, the average loading percentage rose from 31 per cent in 2019 to 41 per cent in Q1 2025.

In Pune, it was 32 per cent in 2019 and has now risen to 40 per cent in Q1 2025. Hyderabad saw an average loading percentage increase from 30 per cent in 2019 to 38 per cent in Q1 2025.

Kolkata too saw its average loading factor increase from 30 per cent in 2019 to 39 per cent in Q1 2025.

Commenting on the report, Angad Bedi, CMD of Bengaluru-based BCD Group, said, "Interestingly, the real estate sector is becoming increasingly experiential with their uniquely designed projects and their amenities becoming a key selling proposition. From saunas to state-of-the-art club houses and wellness centres to sports arenas, the growing demand for lifestyle-centric living is fueling this shift."  Bhavesh Kothari, Founder & CEO of Property First, said, "This shift is led by the growing share of millennials in the customer cohort who are not just investing in carpet areas, instead, they're investing in building a lifestyle.