Utilization rate: its role in buying and selling property
Cantons and communes regulate the amount of permitted development on land using the utilization rate. Comparis explains how to work out the utilization rate and what its effects are.
16.08.2022
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1. What is the utilization rate?
The maximum utilization rate indicates the area of a plot of land that can be used and built on. Communes require the utilization rate to regulate urban development.
The maximum utilization rate varies depending on the zone of a canton. It is laid down in the zoning plan as well as the associated building and usage regulations of the commune. There you can determine which zone your property belongs to and which building regulations apply to you.
2. Utilization rate: how to calculate it
The utilization figure describes the ratio between the gross floor area and the total area of the plot. The size of the property is recorded in the land register. If you do not have an extract from the land register, you can apply for one at the relevant cantonal land registry office.
Determining the total area of a plot
The following are not included in determining the utilization rate:
Access roads as well as road and pavement surfaces (including those accessible to the public)
Green areas noted in the zoning plan as well as forest and public waterways
Transport development projects noted in the usage plan
Determining the gross floor area
The gross floor area includes all inhabited areas. In Switzerland, there is no single model for calculating living space. In general, cellars and storage rooms, garages, the stairway in apartment buildings, roof terraces and open balconies do not count towards the habitable area.
The gross floor area includes the surface of all usable rooms, including that on which walls and masonry stand.
Important factors for calculating the utilization rate
The maximum utilization rate is based on the communal zoning plan. Communes use this to determine if and how a plot of land may be built on. The zoning plan also specifies, for example, how many floors a residential building may have and what distances must be maintained from neighbouring properties. You can view the zoning plan at the city or communal authority.
The maximum utilization rate is also important when expanding or converting an existing building. Changes can increase the gross floor area – for example, by building a heated conservatory. You may only exceed the utilization rate with official permission.
Calculation formula
When developing a plot of land with a new building, you must calculate its potential floor area. Use the following formula to work it out:
Total plot area × maximum utilization rate = maximum gross floor area
The higher this number or percentage, the greater the possible development. You can always have this number or percentage smaller than the maximum.
You can also calculate the current utilization rate of an existing property with a simple formula:
Gross floor area ÷ plot size = current utilization rate
This formula shows you whether you can expand the house – for example, by adding an extension. This is always the case if the current utilization rate is less than the maximum utilization rate specified by the canton.
Example utilization rate calculation
Assume that the maximum utilization rate of a plot is 0.3. This means the gross floor area may be slightly less than one third of the property size. With a plot size of 600 square metres, you can build a house with a gross floor area of 180 square metres (600 × 0.3). This means that your construction project may not cover more than 180 square metres of living space.
If you own a house with 180 square metres of living space on a plot of 600 square metres, the actual utilization rate is 0.3 (180 ÷ 600). If the maximum utilization rate in your commune is higher, you still have potential to expand.
3. When is the utilization rate important?
In the long term, the maximum utilization rate shapes the way we live. You aren’t the only one who can build or expand using this regulation. Your neighbours are also allowed to, and they may move closer to you than you would like. Make sure you inform yourself about the utilization rate wherever you have land or property you want to expand on. You can get more information on this from the relevant building authority.
Buying a property
The utilization rate determines whether or not you can build your dream house on a particular plot of land. The larger it is, the more space you can use for construction.
However, the maximum utilization rate is also relevant if you want to buy a property and expand it. If you ignore the maximum utilization figure, a supposed bargain can turn into a big disappointment.
Thinking of buying a property?
Selling your property
Ultimately, the utilization rate also has an impact on the price you can get when selling a property. A property with a lot of expansion and design potential is more expensive than a comparable one with a lower maximum utilization rate. It is therefore good for you if your property has expansion potential.
