Reading a Flat's Cost Sheet in Bangalore: Every Charge Beyond the Base Price

The rate printed on a new project's brochure covers the flat itself and little else. A cost sheet for a Bangalore apartment adds premiums, one-time charges, deposits, tax and the state's registration costs. This guide walks through each line on a typical cost sheet, explains which charges are fixed by law and which are set by the developer, and shows how to compare two projects on the full price.

Why the Base Price Is Only the Start

Developers advertise the base rate because it is the simplest number to compare. Most other charges are listed separately, and some only appear once a unit has been chosen. Two projects with the same base rate can end up far apart once every line is added.

The fix is to ask for a written cost sheet for the exact unit, not a sample one. A complete sheet lists every charge, the area each rate applies to and the stage at which each amount is due. It also makes the conversation with a bank easier, since the loan is sanctioned against the agreement value.

Unit Premiums: PLC and Floor Rise

A preferential location charge (PLC) is a premium for a unit with an advantage over others in the same project. Typical reasons are a corner position, a view of a park or the clubhouse, a garden on the ground floor or an east-facing entrance. It is charged once, often as a rate per sq ft.

A floor rise charge adds a small amount for each floor above a set level, so a flat on the 20th floor costs more than the same plan lower down. Both premiums are commercial decisions of the developer. They are among the charges most often reduced in a negotiation, especially on unsold stock.

One-Time Charges on the Cost Sheet

After the premiums come lump sums for things that are not part of the flat's area. Names vary between developers, so the purpose of each line matters more than its label. These are the ones found most often:

• A covered or stilt car parking slot, priced per slot.
• Clubhouse membership or an amenities charge for shared facilities.
• Infrastructure or development charges for roads, sewage treatment and common services.
• Electricity and water connection charges, including deposits with the utility.
• Legal and documentation charges for drafting the agreement and the sale deed.

Under the RERA Act, open parking areas form part of the common areas of a project. A covered garage or stilt slot is treated differently and is usually priced as its own line. The cost sheet should state how many slots come with the unit and where they are.

Deposits and Advance Maintenance

Most projects collect a maintenance deposit, often called a corpus or sinking fund, at the time of possession. It builds a reserve for major repairs to the building in later years. Many developers also collect maintenance in advance for the first year or two.

These amounts are separate from the monthly maintenance that every owner pays for as long as the flat is owned. It helps to note the corpus, the advance and the monthly rate as three different figures. Monthly maintenance above Rs. 7,500 per flat can also attract GST at 18% when the association is registered for GST.

GST: When It Applies

An under-construction flat attracts GST of 5% without input tax credit, or 1% for a flat that qualifies as affordable housing. The tax is charged on the agreement value, which usually includes the base price, the premiums and the parking charge. That is why the GST line is often larger than buyers expect.

A completed flat sold after the completion or occupancy certificate is issued carries no GST. This makes the stage of construction a real factor in the total cost. When comparing an under-construction flat with a ready one, add the GST to the first before setting the two prices side by side.

Stamp Duty and Registration in Karnataka

The last layer is fixed by the state and paid when the sale deed is registered. Stamp duty depends on the value of the property, and a registration fee is charged on top. The current rates are:

• Stamp duty of 2% for a value up to Rs. 20 Lakhs, plus surcharges.
• Stamp duty of 3% for a value from Rs. 21 Lakhs to Rs. 45 Lakhs, plus surcharges.
• Stamp duty of 5% for a value above Rs. 45 Lakhs, plus surcharges.
• A registration fee of 2%, raised from 1% on 31 August 2025.

Both figures are fixed and stay outside any negotiation with the developer. A home loan adds its own costs, such as a processing fee and the bank's legal and valuation charges, so the EMI calculator should be run on the loan amount after these are known.

Which Charges Are Open to Negotiation

The developer sets the base price, the premiums, the parking charge and the clubhouse fee, so these are the lines that can move. A waiver on the PLC or a reduced club fee is common on unsold units or near the end of a phase. Any change should be written into the cost sheet and the agreement, not left as a verbal promise.

GST, stamp duty and the registration fee are set by law and stay the same however hard a buyer bargains. The RERA Act also helps in one way: a developer cannot take more than 10% of the cost as an advance before a registered agreement for sale. That gives time to settle every charge in writing before most of the money is paid.

A Total-Cost Checklist

Running the same list for every shortlisted project keeps the comparison fair. These steps cover the full price:

1. Ask for a written cost sheet for the specific unit, with every charge on its own line.
2. Confirm the area each rate applies to, carpet or super built-up, and keep the basis the same across projects.
3. Add the PLC and floor rise, and decide whether the advantage is worth the premium.
4. Add parking, clubhouse, infrastructure, connection and legal charges.
5. Note the corpus, the advance maintenance and the monthly rate separately.
6. Add GST for an under-construction flat, and confirm none applies to a completed one.
7. Add stamp duty, the registration fee and the loan charges to reach one final figure.

The project with the lowest base rate is not always the one with the lowest final figure. For help reading a cost sheet for a project in Bangalore, contact our team with the unit details.