BUA and GFA: understand the space you are buying
Two homes can carry the same advertised area and offer very different usable space. Read the measurement basis before comparing the price.
2 min read
Compare both the stated area basis and the layout. Converting square metres to square feet does not make two different measurement definitions equivalent.
What the labels mean
BUA stands for built up area; GFA means gross floor area. Neither abbreviation, by itself, tells you exactly what is included in a particular brochure. Ask for the measurement definition attached to the residence plan. Depending on the basis used, walls, balconies, terraces and shared areas may be treated differently.
Compare the same kind of area
A quoted price per square foot is only a useful comparison when both properties use the same measurement basis. Check whether the stated figure concerns the individual residence, its external spaces or a wider building total. RICS guidance distinguishes measurement conventions; a marketing label is not evidence that a particular convention was followed.
Read the plan as well as the number
Trace the spaces you will actually use: living room, bedrooms, storage, circulation and outdoor areas. A larger headline figure does not necessarily mean a larger living room. Ask which dimensions are approximate and whether the final contract uses the same plan version as the brochure.
Illustration: the same total can contain different space
| Assumed area | Home A | Home B |
|---|---|---|
| Internal space in this example | 80 sqm | 60 sqm |
| Outdoor space in this example | 20 sqm | 40 sqm |
| Assumed advertised combined total | 100 sqm | 100 sqm |
These are hypothetical area schedules, not actual residences or a prescribed BUA or GFA definition. The example shows why the inclusions matter; request the real plan and measurement basis.
Keep the units consistent
Do not compare a square metre figure with a square foot figure without converting it. One square metre is approximately 10.764 square feet. If one home is shown as 100 square metres, that is approximately 1,076 square feet. The conversion changes the unit, not what the measurement includes.
The documents to request
Request the dated residence plan, area schedule and written explanation of inclusions. If a brochure, reservation form and sale agreement show different areas, resolve the difference before committing. Golden Dome can receive your preferred layout and questions through the project enquiry form.
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Official references and further reading
Use the current official requirements for your own circumstances. Illustrative calculations are not quotes or forecasts. How our guidance is prepared