Gross floor area (incl. common)
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Floor area — FAR-counted (max): —
Max building footprint
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Est. construction cost (built to max)
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Regulatory checkpoints
- Effective floor-area ratio may fall below the designated ratio depending on the front-road width (×0.4 / 0.6).
- Road / site / north setback lines, shadow regulations and height districts may prevent building to the maximum.
- In fire-prevention and quasi-fire zones, structure, exterior walls and openings are restricted — a cost driver.
- Corner lots or local-authority designations may relax the coverage ratio (+10%).
- Confirm the road-frontage requirement (≥2 m onto a road ≥4 m wide) and any setback obligation.
- Apartment common corridors/stairs, parking (up to 1/5 of floor area) and elevator shafts are excluded from FAR, so the gross constructed floor area exceeds the FAR-counted maximum.
* This estimate is based on the designated coverage / floor-area ratios. Actual buildable volume varies with zoning, setback lines, shadow and fire regulations. For a reliable study, use our free individual assessment.
Coverage ratio and floor-area ratio
The building-coverage ratio is the building footprint (the area seen from directly above) as a share of the plot. The floor-area ratio is the total floor area (the sum of all storeys) as a share of the plot. Both are capped per zoning district under the city plan, and the buildable scale fits within them.
Caps by zoning district (examples)
Coverage and floor-area ratios vary widely by zoning — lower in residential zones, higher in commercial ones (representative examples).
| Zoning district | Coverage / Floor-area |
|---|---|
| Cat. I low-rise residential | 30–60% / 50–200% |
| Cat. I residential | 60% / 200–400% |
| Neighbourhood commercial | 80% / 200–400% |
| Commercial | 80% / 200–1300% |
FAR-counted vs. gross floor area
This tool separates the "FAR-counted floor area (legal cap)" from the "gross constructed floor area (incl. common areas)." Common corridors and stairs, parking and elevator shafts are excluded from the FAR calc, so the area you actually build exceeds the FAR cap. Cost is estimated on the gross basis.
FAQ
Where can I check the ratios?
In the municipality's city-planning information (counter or web), or in an agent's disclosure statement. Listings usually quote them too.
Is a corner lot better?
For designated corner lots the coverage ratio may be relaxed by 10%. Confirm the conditions with the local authority.
Coverage ratio vs. floor-area ratio?
Coverage ratio is building footprint over plot area; floor-area ratio is total floor area over plot area. The first governs spread, the second the total volume and storeys.
What does the zoning (use district) change?
It sets allowed uses, the coverage/floor-area caps and height/setback limits, so the buildable scale differs greatly even on equally sized plots.