Today, various real estate transactions in our country are very popular. Each person when buying or selling an apartment is faced with two concepts - the main and living space. Most believe that this is one and the same thing, but in reality the terms have completely different meanings. It’s quite difficult to sort them out independently, so in most cases people turn to qualified specialists. However, this is not at all necessary. Let's take a closer look at what is included in the living area of the house and how to correctly calculate it.
general information
Before starting the calculations, let's first understand the main aspects. To be able to correctly determine the area of housing is very important, since it is one of the most important criteria affecting the cost of an apartment. But you must also understand what is included in it. A residential building is an isolated part of a building’s space intended for independent use by residents. In turn, the concept of area means the total number of rooms that are part of the apartment. Having an idea of how to correctly calculate it, you can most advantageously conclude a real estate transaction regardless of what interests you - purchase or sale.
The main components of the apartment
What is included in the living area of the house? Before answering this question, it is necessary to understand its main components. Any real estate property, regardless of area and number of rooms, has three:
- total area;
- residential;
- area of the apartment.
If you do not understand these concepts, then you cannot be sure which particular apartment you are buying. The main problem with this is that not all sellers provide such information to their customers. As a result of this, people overpay and face many challenges in the future.
total area
Let's dwell on this in more detail. This concept is basic, therefore, we will start the analysis of the theory from it. The total area of the house is the total number of all rooms that make up the apartment, designed for living and domestic needs. It is important to understand that according to the Housing Code it does not include balconies and loggias, which are not considered part of the apartment. However, those who wish to sell the living space as expensive as possible indicate them, which is a gross violation of the law.
Knowing the total area makes it possible to understand how many premises you will receive when buying an apartment, not only for living, but also for other needs. This indicator includes:
- bathroom;
- restroom;
- kitchen;
- bedroom;
- living room;
- hallway;
- wardrobe;
- pantry;
- corridors
- other premises.
As for balconies, loggias, terraces, verandas and the space located under the stairs, they have nothing to do with the apartment, so the technical documentation should be indicated in a different column. This nuance must be taken into account when buying / selling real estate.
Living space
As mentioned earlier, this term refers to all premises intended for personal use by residents. At first glance, everything is very simple and understandable, but, as practice shows, most people do not understand what is included in the living area of the house. And this is not surprising, because apartments can have a different number of rooms, as well as additional utility rooms. For example, in every home there is a sanitary facility and a pantry. Some citizens attribute them to living rooms, which in fact are not.
Residential area includes only premises intended for personal use. These include:
- bedroom;
- living room;
- pantry.
When calculating this indicator, the bathroom, kitchen, corridor and other premises that are of a secondary nature and are not intended for living are not taken into account.
Apartment Area
This term means the entire property. It includes both the total and the living area of the apartment building, as well as additional objects. It is in it that the balcony and the loggia are indicated, for which the space is called useful. In our country, this indicator is taken into account when concluding real estate transactions, while abroad, only operating premises are taken into account. Because of this, many people have a misunderstanding of the difference in different types of area. How to read it correctly will be described later.
Why know the size of the living space?
Let's dwell on this aspect in more detail. This indicator may be necessary to implement a variety of goals. So, for example, without knowing the living area of a house, you cannot:
- design a plan for future housing;
- make an estimate necessary for the construction of a new building;
- to carry out the interior decoration of the room;
- apply for an apartment;
- make a redevelopment of the house;
- perform various real estate operations, for example, lease or sell;
- draw up a technical housing plan.
With incorrect calculations, various problems can arise that result in significant financial losses. Therefore, you must be able to independently determine the living space of the property. How to do this, read on.
Calculation Rules
We figured out the concepts and basic components of apartments. Now let's figure out how to calculate the living space. This aspect is one of the most important, since it is he who has the key influence on the formation of the value of real estate. It was described above which premises fall under the definition of residential, therefore, no problems should arise with the calculations. Everything is very simple. You must determine the footage of each room and summarize the results.
In addition, you can find out the area of the apartment from the technical passport, which is stored in the BTI. To receive it, you need to contact a separate bureau, providing the following package of documents:
- passport;
- document certifying ownership of housing;
- statement of established form;
- receipt of state fees.
If the registration certificate was not issued for the apartment or re-planning was carried out in it, then in this case you need to call a specialist to take all measurements and draw up the relevant documentation. You can also use the services of independent organizations specializing in calculating the living space of a house, however, you will have to pay for their services. But there is a positive side, namely the speed of work. They will be able to do everything in a few days, while the wait for a specialist from BTI can drag on for several months.
Conclusion
Here, in fact, is all the information that is necessary in order to understand all the nuances associated with calculating the living space of an apartment. As you can see, everything is much simpler than it seems at first glance. Nevertheless, this knowledge will help you avoid cheating when trying to buy or sell real estate, which happens very often. However, transactions with the purchase / sale are associated with many other problems and pitfalls, so preliminary consultation with qualified specialists and experienced lawyers will definitely not be superfluous. Do not rush, but it is better to understand everything in detail and study every little thing.