Carpet area vs super built-up area: what the size in a listing really means

A "1,200 sq ft 2 BHK" in a Noida brochure is almost never 1,200 sq ft of usable floor. Three measures are in play, and the gap between them is where most price comparisons go wrong.

The three measures

• Carpet area: usable floor inside the flat's walls, including internal walls but excluding balconies and shafts under RERA's definition. This is the figure promoters must declare to UP RERA for every unit type, and it is what ZeoRent shows in the RERA unit table on society pages.
• Built-up area: carpet plus external walls and balconies, typically 10–15% above carpet.
• Super built-up area: built-up plus a share of common areas (lobbies, lifts, club, corridors). This is what brokers and builders quote and what maintenance is billed on.

Loading in NCR

The difference between super built-up and carpet, called loading, is commonly 25–35% in Noida and Greater Noida West societies and higher in projects with large clubs. A 2 BHK quoted at 1,100 sq ft super built-up with 30% loading has about 845 sq ft of carpet. Two flats quoted at the same super area can differ by 100 sq ft of carpet.

Comparing price per sq ft

Always compare on carpet. Divide the asking price by the RERA carpet area for that unit type, not by the brochure figure. A flat at ₹70 lakh for 1,100 sq ft super (₹6,364 per sq ft) with 845 sq ft carpet is actually ₹8,284 per carpet sq ft; another at ₹72 lakh with 900 sq ft carpet is cheaper per usable foot.

What RERA requires

Since 2017 the agreement for sale must state carpet area, and the price per sq ft in the agreement is on carpet. For under-construction purchases, insist that the agreement's carpet matches the RERA filing for your tower and type; for resale, compare the original allotment letter with the RERA table.

Figures are typical for Noida, Greater Noida West, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad as of 2026 and change with notifications; verify the current rate on the official portal named in the guide before paying.

Spotted an outdated figure? Email hello@zeorent.com with the guide URL; corrections are made within two working days per our editorial policy.