How to read a layout plan before you buy a plot

Short version

A layout plan is a scaled drawing of the whole project. It shows every plot with its number, the roads between them, and the spaces kept for parks and shared use. Serene Greens is a 25 acre layout in Devanahalli, as listed by CGBIP Housing Society, with four listed plot sizes: 30x40, 30x50, 40x60 and 50x80 feet. The plan is where you confirm that the plot you are being sold is the plot you think it is.

Step 1: ask for the right document

You want the approved layout plan, the one that carries the approving authority's stamp or reference. A brochure or a site model is not that. The society states BIAAPA and STRR approvals for the layout, but publishes no approval numbers, so ask for the reference in writing. Our guide to layout approvals explains how to ask your lawyer to verify it.

Step 2: find your plot and read its numbers

1. Locate the plot number the society has quoted to you.
2. Read the dimensions written along each side. Multiply width by depth and compare with the listed size. A 30x40 plot is 1,200 sq ft, which is about 111 sq m.
3. Check whether the plot is a corner plot or an odd shape. Corner and irregular plots often differ from the rounded listed size, so the stated area can change.
4. Check the north arrow and the scale printed on the plan. A plan without a scale cannot be measured.

If any figure differs from what you were quoted, ask for the difference to be explained and the exact area written into the agreement. See plot sizes in sq ft and sq m.

Step 3: look at what touches your plot

• Roads. Which road does the plot face, and what width is written on it? The society lists wide asphalted internal roads. Ask for the actual widths on the plan.
• Open areas. The society lists landscaped parks, a children's play area and jogging tracks. Find where they are on the plan, and note which plots they sit next to.
• Utility strips. The society lists underground power lines and storm water drains. Ask where they run and whether any strip crosses a plot boundary.
• Neighbouring plots and the layout edge. Note what lies beyond the boundary of the whole layout, because the plan alone will not tell you.

Step 4: match the plan to the ground

Take the plan on a site visit and walk to your plot. Check that the plot is marked on the ground, that its corners match the plan and that the road in front of it exists, not just on paper. Use our site visit checklist. Note that the society gives no distances to landmarks, so measure drive times yourself, as described in measuring drive times.

Step 5: match the plan to the paperwork

Your sale agreement should name the plot number, the exact dimensions, the area and the layout it belongs to, in the same words as the approved plan. Ask your lawyer to compare them line by line. The documents-to-ask table lists the other papers to request. The price at the listed rate is Rs 1,425 per sq ft, so a 30x40 plot comes to Rs 17,10,000 before the listed fees and government charges. A few square feet of difference in area changes the price, so area matters.

What we cannot tell you

We do not hold the approved plan, and we cannot say where any park, road or utility strip sits in the layout. We do not state approval numbers because the society publishes none. We do not recommend a purchase. These are the things to check and the things to ask for in writing.

When you are ready, use the due-diligence checklist to keep your questions and the society's answers in one place.