Usable area vs total area, a classic trap on which buyers lose tens of thousands of zlotys, and everything worth knowing about apartment size
Usable area vs total area, a classic trap on which buyers lose tens of thousands of zlotys, and everything worth knowing about apartment size
Among classic sources of misunderstanding in apartment purchase, the size is in the top three, next to price and location. At first glance the matter is simple. The apartment is 55 square meters. The buyer knows how much space that is, the seller knows how much space that is, and the transaction proceeds. In practice, however, behind the single word area several different definitions hide that can differ by 10 to 20 percent. For an apartment worth 800 thousand zlotys this can mean a difference of even 100 thousand per square meter calculation. This is serious money that no one should lose due to unfamiliarity with terminology.
Let us start with the most important concepts. Usable area, abbreviated as PU, is the area of all rooms of the apartment measured at floor level along the internal outline of the walls. This is the number that describes the real space in which one can live, place furniture and use daily functionality. This is also the number that most often appears in sales offers and in developer marketing.
Total area, abbreviated as PC, is the usable area plus the area of internal walls of the apartment. Depending on the construction of the building, load bearing and partition walls, the total area is 4 to 12 percent larger than the usable area. In older buildings with thicker walls this difference can be even greater.
Residential area, in some sources called the area of residential rooms, is the sum of the areas of rooms and other rooms intended for permanent occupancy, meaning the living room, bedroom, study. It does not include the kitchen, bathroom, hallway or other auxiliary rooms. This concept is used mainly in tax law and in calculating the number of people who can register their residence.
Building footprint area, meaning the area that the building occupies on the plot, measured along the outline of external walls. This concept is important when assessing developer investments but is rarely confused with the area of the apartment.
The area measured by the developer is sometimes the least standard concept. In practice different developers and agencies give different values as the basis for the price. Some use the usable area, some the total, and some add to the apartment the area of the terrace, balcony, garden, sometimes with different multipliers, for example 50 percent for a balcony, 100 percent for a loggia. This is the moment to be very alert.
Polish law defines the rules of measuring area in the PN ISO 9836 standard, and in the case of older buildings in the PN 70 B 02365 standard. The ISO standard precisely defines the way of measuring the usable area. First, we measure at floor level along the internal outline of the walls, without the area of internal walls. Second, in rooms with sloped ceilings we take into account the height. Area below 1.4 meters of height counts as zero, between 1.4 and 2.2 meters as 50 percent, above 2.2 meters as 100 percent. Third, columns and other fixed elements with an area of more than 0.1 square meter are subtracted from the area. Fourth, wall recesses with a depth of more than 0.1 meter are included in the area.
What does all this mean in practice. First, always ask the seller and the agent what type of area is given in the offer. This question is never inconvenient, and the absence of a clear answer is a classic warning signal. Second, check the entry in the deed of ownership and in the land and mortgage register. These are documents that precisely define the legal status of the apartment, including its area. Third, in the primary market the area measured after handover may differ from the projected one. Polish law allows deviations, most often within 2 percent in one direction or the other. If the difference is greater, you can demand a price correction or in extreme cases withdraw from the contract. Fourth, balcony, terrace, loggia, garden, basement and storage room are add ons whose area is not included in the usable area of the apartment. Each of these elements has its own value that can be calculated separately.
Classic pitfalls. First, the seller or agent gives the total area as the basis of the price without specifying this. The buyer who does not know the difference pays for non existent meters. Second, in developer offers the price per meter refers to the total area, in which a balcony or terrace with a multiplier is included. The result looks attractive, but the effective price per usable meter is higher. Third, in developer offers the price per meter refers to the area measured after handover, but the contract contains a clause on price correction in case of a difference. After handover it turns out that the apartment is 1.5 meters larger than in the project, and the price rises by 25 thousand. Fourth, in old tenement houses with thick walls the usable area can be significantly smaller than the total, which makes direct comparison of offers difficult.
How to protect against these pitfalls. First, always ask for a floor plan of the apartment with the size of each room marked. The sum of these sizes is the usable area. Second, always check the entry in the land and mortgage register. Third, in a developer contract carefully read the clauses on price correction after handover. Fourth, if measuring yourself, use a laser distance meter, measure each room along the internal outline of the walls, sum up, keeping the rule of subtracting columns and including slopes. Fifth, in case of doubt it is worth using the services of a surveyor whose measurement is authoritative.
The value of the difference. Let us assume an apartment indicated in the offer as 65 meters for 1 million zlotys, meaning 15 384 zlotys per meter. After verification it turns out that the usable area is 58 meters, and 7 meters are internal walls and a balcony. The effective price per usable meter is 17 241 zlotys. The difference is 1857 zlotys per meter, meaning 12 percent. For the whole apartment this is 120 thousand zlotys that the buyer will not see in practice as usable space.
At Eternel we pay special attention to precisely defining the area in every offer we show clients. We check land and mortgage registers, ask for floor plans with exact room dimensions and verify consistency with the offer description. For buying clients we help understand what they really pay for, and for selling clients we advise how to precisely describe the size so as not to lose the trust of potential buyers. This is one of those areas in which an apparently small detail can mean tens of thousands of zlotys of difference.