Gross vs Net Area: How to Check the Loading Ratio Before Buying an Apartment
If a listing says "150 sq m", will you actually live in 150 sq m? Usually not. In most Egyptian projects the advertised figure is the gross (selling) area, which includes your share of stairs, shafts, corridors and shared services. What you use inside your front door is the net area. The difference is known in the market as the loading ratio (nesbet el-tahmeel), and it can change the real price per square metre significantly.
Gross vs net area
- Net area: the usable space inside the apartment.
- Gross or selling area: net area plus the unit's share of common parts.
- Loading: the share of the advertised area that is not inside your unit.
Loading is not wrong in itself: stairs, lobbies and lift shafts serve you. The problem is a high or undisclosed ratio, or being charged for spaces you do not use.
What experts said
In a June 2026 investigation by Akhbar El-Yom, the head of the real estate development committee at the Egyptian Businessmen's Association said reasonable loading in large projects could reach about 20%, noting that no decrees currently regulate it. A lawyer quoted in the report said some companies go to 30% or more, and up to 40% in commercial and administrative units. The report described a buyer who contracted for 185 sq m in New Cairo and measured about 135 sq m at handover.
Calculating net area and true price per metre
Net area ≈ gross area × (1 − loading ratio). True price per sq m = unit price ÷ net area.
A hypothetical example: two apartments, each EGP 1.2 million and advertised at 120 sq m.
| Item | Apartment A | Apartment B |
|---|---|---|
| Loading | 15% | 30% |
| Approx. net area | 102 sq m | 84 sq m |
| Advertised price per sq m | EGP 10,000 | EGP 10,000 |
| True price per net sq m | About EGP 11,765 | About EGP 14,286 |
They look identical in the ad, but B is about 18 sq m smaller and over 20% more expensive per usable metre.
How to verify
Before signing
- Ask for the net area and loading ratio in writing, in the contract or a signed annex.
- Get the floor plan with dimensions and add up the rooms yourself.
- Ask what the loading includes and how balconies are counted.
At handover
- Have an engineer or surveyor measure the unit before signing the handover report.
- Record any significant shortfall as a reservation in the report.
- The lawyer quoted by Akhbar El-Yom said buyers may seek a price reduction in shortfall cases; consult a lawyer about your own contract.
Checklist
- Is the advertised area gross or net?
- Get the loading ratio in writing.
- Calculate net area and the true price per metre.
- Compare apartments on net area only.
- Measure at handover with a professional.
FAQ
Is there a legal loading limit in Egypt?
According to the expert quoted by Akhbar El-Yom, no decrees currently regulate it, so the contract governs.
What loading ratio is acceptable?
There is no official figure; compare offers from several developers.
Does loading apply to resale apartments?
Often yes, since the original contract may state gross area. Measure before agreeing a price.
Sources
On Masari you can compare unit prices, floor plans and payment plans before contacting any seller.