by Sekhar Pal 
The main difference between carpet and plinth area is that the carpet area is the actual usable area of a property, while the plinth area includes the walls and other non-usable areas.
- Carpet area is the area of a property that is available for use, excluding the thickness of the walls. It is the area that can be carpeted or tiled.
- Plinth area is the total area of a property, including the thickness of the walls. It is the area that is enclosed by the outer walls of the property.
The difference between carpet and plinth area can be significant, especially in large properties. For example, a property with a carpet area of 1000 square feet may have a plinth area of 1200 square feet. This means that the walls and other non-usable areas take up 20% of the total area of the property.
It is important to understand the difference between carpet and plinth area when buying or selling a property. The carpet area is the area that you will be able to use, while the plinth area includes areas that you will not be able to use.
Here are some examples of areas that are included in the plinth area but not in the carpet area:
- Walls
- Columns
- Pillars
- Balconies
- Verandahs
- Staircases
- Lifts
- Common areas
Here are some examples of areas that are included in the carpet area but not in the plinth area:
- Rooms
- Hallways
- Kitchens
- Bathrooms
- Toilets
- Balconies
- Verandahs
- Terraces
- Gardens
When buying or selling a property, it is important to ask the seller or the agent to provide you with the carpet area and the plinth area. This will help you to understand the actual size of the property and to compare properties on a like-for-like basis.
