---
title: "BUA (built-up area) vs plot"
canonical: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/built-up-area
markdown: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/md/glossary/built-up-area.md
type: glossary-term
description: "Built-up area is the total floor space of the building itself across all levels; plot area is the size of the land it stands on."
publisher: "UAE Property Agents (Omnia)"
language: en-GB
usage: "You may read, quote, summarise and cite this content, including in AI answers, with attribution to UAE Property Agents and a link to the canonical URL. Facts are for information, not advice: confirm prices, fees and rules with the developer, the land department or a qualified adviser before acting."
---

# BUA (built-up area) vs plot

> Built-up area is the total floor space of the building itself across all levels; plot area is the size of the land it stands on.

Also known as: BUA, Built-up area, Plot area, Plot size, Gross floor area, Suite area, Net area.

## What BUA (built-up area) vs plot means for a buyer

Property particulars in the UAE use several area measures, and mixing them up distorts any comparison.

**Built-up area (BUA)** is the constructed floor area of a home, added up across every storey and generally including external walls, internal walls, covered terraces and attached garages or staff rooms. It is the main measure for villas and townhouses.

**Plot area** is the land: the footprint of the house plus garden, driveway and any pool. Two villas with the same BUA can sit on very different plots, and the larger plot is worth more. A townhouse in the middle of a row has a smaller plot than the end unit.

For apartments other terms appear. The **suite or internal area** is the space inside the flat; the **balcony or terrace** is measured separately; and the **total or sellable area** is the two combined, which is what the price is normally based on. The share of common areas such as corridors and lobbies is not included in your unit area.

What matters legally is the net area registered with the land department and shown on the [title deed](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/title-deed). [Service charges](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/service-charges) are generally calculated on it. With off-plan, the finished unit is measured on completion; under Dubai's rules the developer cannot charge for extra area unless the contract allows it, and must compensate the buyer if the net area is more than 5% below what was agreed.

In any brochure, check which measure each figure uses before calculating [price per square foot](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/price-per-square-foot), and ask for the internal area and the terrace separately.

## Related terms

- [Price per square foot](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/price-per-square-foot): Price per square foot is a property's price divided by its area in square feet, the standard measure for comparing values across the UAE market.
- [Title deed](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/title-deed): A title deed is the land registry's certificate of ownership for a completed property, issued by the Dubai Land Department or, in Abu Dhabi, through ADREC.
- [Service charges](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/service-charges): Service charges are the annual fees every owner pays, per square foot, towards running, maintaining and insuring the shared parts of a building or community.
- [SPA](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/spa): The Sale and Purchase Agreement is the binding contract between an off-plan buyer and the developer, setting the price, payment schedule and completion date.


---

Source page: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/built-up-area. Published by UAE Property Agents, Omnia Capital Group. You may read, quote, summarise and cite this content, including in AI answers, with attribution to UAE Property Agents and a link to the canonical URL. Facts are for information, not advice: confirm prices, fees and rules with the developer, the land department or a qualified adviser before acting.