Floor Area Ratio (FAR)

A floor area ratio (FAR) determines what portion of a plot with building rights can be used for construction. In Switzerland, it is shown as a number between 0 and 1 (such as 0.3). The higher the FAR is, the more living space can legally be constructed on the corresponding plot. If a plot has an FAR of 0, it cannot be built on at all. An FAR of 1, on the other hand, means that building can cover the entire plot.

As a general rule, the higher a plot’s FAR is, the more it costs. Plots with low FARs are primarily suited to single-family homes. Plots with high FARs can be used for apartments or condominiums.

The legally-binding floor area ratios of properties are normally laid out in municipal zoning plans. In Switzerland, two different kinds of floor area ratios are used. The first, which is known as the Ausnützungsziffer in German and the indice d’utilisation du sol in French, does not include certain portions of buildings, such as basements. The second, which is called the Geschossflächenziffer in German and the indice brut d’utilisation du sol in French, accounts for the gross floorspace in the entire building (including basements, for example), and not just living areas.

Another figure which is important in zoning is the building coverage ratio (BCR). This ratio indicates the building’s actual footprint – the area of the plot which is covered by the base of the building and possible overhangs – in relation to the total area of the plot. The amount of floorspace and the number of stories a building has is not relevant for the BCR. You can find out which kind of floor area ratio applies to a given property, as well as its building coverage ratio and other important information by inquiring at the building authority of the municipality where the property is located.

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