Ask two brokers for the price of a "2,000 sq ft" 3 BHK and you may be looking at two very different homes. The number on the brochure depends on which area is being quoted. Understanding the three definitions is the single most useful skill for comparing Gurgaon listings.
The three areas
Carpet area is the floor you can actually put a carpet on — every room, kitchen, bathroom and internal passage measured wall to wall. RERA defines it precisely: it includes the area under internal partition walls but excludes external walls, service shafts, balconies and open terraces.
Built-up area adds the thickness of walls and, in most developer definitions, the balconies. It is typically 10–15% more than the carpet area.
Super built-up area (or "super area") adds a proportional share of common spaces: lobbies, lifts, staircases, the clubhouse and sometimes even the security cabin. The loading — the difference between super and carpet — ranges from 25% in older Gurgaon societies to 40% or more in new high-rises with large amenity decks.
Why RERA matters here
Since 2017, projects registered under RERA must sell on carpet area and state it in the agreement. That is why newer launches quote carpet or "RERA carpet area" while resale listings in older societies still talk in super area. When you compare a 2019 launch with a 2012 society, convert both to carpet before looking at the price.
A worked example
| Society A (2012) | Society B (2020) | |
|---|---|---|
| Quoted area | 2,000 sq ft super | 1,550 sq ft carpet |
| Loading | 30% | — |
| Carpet area | ≈ 1,540 sq ft | 1,550 sq ft |
| Price | ₹2.10 crore | ₹2.40 crore |
| Price per carpet sq ft | ≈ ₹13,600 | ≈ ₹15,500 |
On the brochure Society A looks 30% cheaper per square foot. On carpet area the gap is closer to 14% — and Society B is eight years newer with lower maintenance risk. That is the comparison that should drive your decision.
Questions to ask on every listing
- "Is this super, built-up or carpet area?" — and ask for the number in all three.
- "What is the loading in this tower?" — societies differ tower to tower.
- "Can I see the sanctioned plan?" — the carpet area on it is the one that counts.
- "Is the balcony included in the quoted figure?"
Every project page on this site shows the configuration and sizes as quoted by the developer; our advisors can pull the carpet area from the approved plan for any unit you shortlist.
