Definition : Gross area

Measurement of the area used for the sale of apartments in a new or not yet built co-ownerships. It is usually calculated from the apartment’s architectural plan (private portion).This area sometimes includes areas occupied by some components located in the commons portions, such as:

• The apartment peripheral walls;
• The balconies ;
• The immovable’s support columns ;
• The ventilation, plumbing or electrical wells;
• Any other common area passing through a private unit.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ! L'Organisme d'autoréglementation du courtage immobilier du Québec (OACIQ) (The Real Estate Brokers Self-Regulatory Agency) has prepared a newsletter on this subject.

WARNING ! The gross area of a private portion unit is distinct from the net area, in that it generally includes portions of the immovable classified as common portions by the declaration of co-ownership, such as those that pass through the private portion, such as ventilation shafts, the plumbing or the electrical components. It is thus normal that there are sometimes significant differences between the net area and the gross area.