How to Read Plot Ratio, Site Coverage and Buildable Area
A simple guide to FAR, coverage, setbacks and GFA so landowners understand what a plot can actually support.
Plot area is not the same as buildable area
A 1,000 m² plot does not mean you can build 1,000 m² on every floor. Rules such as setbacks, coverage, height, parking and plot ratio shape the final envelope.
The buildable area is the practical space left after those planning and design factors are considered.
FAR and coverage answer different questions
Floor area ratio estimates total allowable floor area. Site coverage asks how much of the ground can be covered. A project can satisfy one and fail the other.
Good early advice looks at both, then tests whether the resulting building still works commercially.
Use code checks before design
Building code checks are most useful before the design hardens. They help avoid overpromising GFA or discovering late that parking, access or setbacks reduce the scheme.
After the code check, continue into the project check to see what the envelope means financially.
Next step
Turn this insight into a project decision
Run the calculator while the question is still fresh — then continue into a full project check if the numbers work.
Run a building code checkFrequently asked questions
Is plot ratio the same as site coverage?
No. Plot ratio or FAR relates total floor area to plot area. Site coverage relates the ground footprint to plot area.
Why can’t I build on the whole plot?
Setbacks, access, parking, daylight, ventilation, drainage and planning rules reduce the practical buildable envelope.