Buying your dream home can be one of the biggest phase shifts in one’s financial status. Investing in real estate can have a lasting impact on your present and future. Hence it is very important to be aware of all the factors that can affect the cost of buying a residential property, irrespective of its type. FSI is one such factor that can impact both the selling and purchase of a residential property. The following article sheds light on various aspects of FSI and its cruciality with real estate.
A tool to measure permissible land usage
FSI or Floor Space Index which is also referred to as FAR Floor Area Ratio is particularly essential when buying an apartment in a residential building or commercial space in a shopping complex. Mathematically, it is the ratio of built-up area and gross plot area. Simply put, FSI defines the maximum permissible floor area that can be utilized by a builder on a particular piece of land. Let us try to understand FSI with the following example:
Say for instance, the FSI of a particular land is 2 and the builder intends to use 2000 sq ft of that land. Thus, the builder can construct a total floor area of 2000×2 = 4000 sq ft. So, either the builder will be given the permission to construct a two-storey (each storey of 2000 sq ft) or four-storey (each storey being 1000 sq ft) building. Hence the density of construction in that area is the primary impact of FSI on real estate.
Who decides FSI?
FSI or FAR of land is decided by the municipal council of that particular area. They can decide the FSI limit to regulate the amount of construction and size of the buildings in that area. FSI is regulated keeping in mind the height and footprint of the building to ensure flexibility in its design.
Here is how FSI important for home buyers
Another impact that an FSI can have on real estate is that it can determine the extent of amenities builders can offer to their customers or residents. FAR is also decided to keep in mind the population density, availability of open spaces, environmental impact of the project, and most importantly, preparedness in the eventuality of a natural calamity.
These aforementioned factors make the computation of FSI different for different cities. However, FSI does not exceed beyond 2.5 despite considering of all the factors. And as calculated above, a larger floor area allows a developer to construct taller buildings. If the project is situated in a thinly populated area, the developer might be able to construct tall buildings and offer amenities like a swimming pool, garden, basement parking etc. due to higher FSI. However, taller buildings constructed in the densely populated areas might not have extensive amenities.
Importance of FSI for developers
FSI is equally crucial for developers as it helps them plan the number of floors and the extent of amenities in their housing project. Developers usually demand a higher FSI because it lets them construct taller buildings and have more amenities in their housing projects. However, it is important to note here that with higher FSI, most developers prefer constructing taller units with fewer amenities as it benefits them in terms of increased apartment sales and leases.
In conclusion, FSI does help in keeping the quality of construction in check, it also ensures clear demarcation of open and built spaces, fostering stable and planned growth.