Understanding property area terraces and plot size

Find out what each number measures

Two properties advertised with the same number of square metres can offer very different layouts. Before comparing them, check whether each figure describes internal space, covered area, terraces, total advertised area or land. Ask the owner how the measurements were calculated and request a floor plan where one is available.

Separate indoor and outdoor space

Internal living space is useful when thinking about room sizes and furniture. Covered area can be defined differently between listings, so ask which spaces it includes. A covered terrace may appear in a separate figure or within a broader total. Avoid assuming that every advertised square metre is enclosed living space.

An open terrace, balcony and roof terrace each offer a different kind of outdoor space. Ask for their individual sizes and how they are accessed. Check whether stairs are internal or external, whether any part is shared and what usable space remains once fixed equipment is taken into account.

Read plot size separately

Plot size describes the land associated with the property as advertised. It is not an extra room area to add to the home’s floor space. Ask for a plan showing the boundaries and clarification of private and shared areas. A garden visible in a photograph does not, by itself, explain ownership or exclusive use.

For example, the Water Lily Villa No9 listing gives 292 square metres of covered area, a 900 square metre plot and 95 square metres of terraces. Those figures describe different parts of the property and should stay separate in your comparison.

Avoid misleading comparisons

If one listing includes a large roof terrace in its total and another reports only covered space, a simple price per square metre calculation will not compare like with like. Build your shortlist using separate entries for indoor space, outdoor areas and land. Add a note whenever the measurement basis is unclear.

Do not force figures to add up if the listing uses overlapping categories. Ask for a breakdown instead. Check that a brochure and the current listing refer to the same property and request clarification if the numbers differ.

Ask for the breakdown

Send the owner a short request for a floor plan, the basis of the covered-area figure and separate terrace measurements. Confirm any important dimensions during the viewing and obtain independent verification where needed before relying on them in a purchase decision.