The base price is where a property quote starts, not where it ends. Floor rise, preferred location charges, parking, club and corpus routinely add ten to twenty per cent before statutory charges are even mentioned. Ask for a cost sheet rather than a price, and the difference becomes visible.
Key takeaways
- Floor rise is a per-floor increment. On a tall tower it compounds substantially.
- PLC — preferred location charges — are levied for corner, facing or view units.
- Parking is frequently charged separately, and a second space more so.
- Club and corpus are one-time amounts due at or near handover.
- Statutory charges of ~12.6% sit on top of all of it, in cash.
Why this matters: Purva Hennur — a project with no published price at all, where the first thing to obtain is an itemised cost sheet rather than a headline figure. Details on the listing page.
The cost sheet, and why to ask for it by name
Every developer has an internal document that itemises what a specific unit costs. It is usually called the cost sheet, and asking for it by name changes the conversation.
A cost sheet lists the base price, every add-on charge, the one-time amounts and usually the statutory estimate. A verbal quote gives you the first line only.
The gap between those two is where buyers are surprised, and it is entirely avoidable by asking one question.
Ask for it for your specific unit — tower, floor, unit number — because floor rise and location charges vary per unit and a generic sheet will not show yours.
And ask for it in writing, on letterhead or from an official email address. A screenshot from a channel partner is not a quote from the developer.
Ask for a validity period on it too. A cost sheet with no expiry is a snapshot rather than an offer, and knowing how long it holds tells you how much time you have to decide.
The four charges that sit above the base price
Each is legitimate, disclosed somewhere, and routinely omitted from headline figures.
| Charge | What it is | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Floor rise | A per-floor increment above a base floor | Higher floors, compounding |
| PLC | Premium for corner, facing, view or park position | Better-positioned units |
| Car parking | Charge per allotted space | Often all units; second space extra |
| Club and corpus | One-time membership and reserve contributions | At or near handover |
Floor rise is the one that compounds. A per-floor increment looks small on a single floor and becomes a meaningful sum by the twentieth, which is precisely where buyers who wanted height end up.
PLC is the one most open to discussion, because it is a judgement about desirability rather than a cost. On slow-moving inventory it is frequently the first thing to soften.
There are smaller items that appear on cost sheets too and are worth reading rather than skimming: infrastructure or development charges, water and electricity connection deposits, legal and documentation fees, and sometimes an advance maintenance deposit covering the first year or two.
Individually each is modest. Together they frequently add another substantial sum, and they are the lines buyers skip because they appear near the bottom of the page.
How to work out the real number
Six steps and you will have a figure you can budget against.
- Get the base price for your specific unit, in writing.
- Add floor rise for your floor, and check how it is calculated.
- Add any PLC and ask what it is for.
- Add parking, and confirm how many spaces are included.
- Add club and corpus, and note when each falls due.
- Apply ~12.6% statutory to the agreement value.
Step six is the largest single addition and it is never in a developer quote, because it is not the developer’s money. Our Bangalore cost breakdown has the full working.
Then add your own TDS compliance, which does not increase your outlay but is your obligation rather than the seller’s — see TDS on property purchase.
And if the purchase is under construction, model the carry to possession on top — see what a long possession actually costs.
What is negotiable and what is not
Worth knowing before you start, because pushing on the wrong item wastes goodwill.
Not negotiable: statutory charges. GST, stamp duty, registration, cess and surcharge are set by government and no developer can vary them. Anyone offering to is describing something else.
Rarely negotiable: the base rate per square foot, which is usually policy across the project and the thing a developer least wants to set a precedent on.
Sometimes negotiable: floor rise and PLC, particularly on inventory that is moving slowly, since both are pricing judgements rather than costs.
Often negotiable: the payment schedule, a parking space, and included items such as fittings or a club membership waiver.
The practical lesson is that asking for a discount on the base rate is the hardest route, and asking for the second parking space or a softer payment schedule is frequently the easier win of similar value.
Absorption matters here as much as skill. A project with unsold inventory well after launch has more reason to be flexible — see what an availability figure tells you.
The comparison trap
One last point, because it costs people money on every shortlist.
Two projects quoting the same base rate per square foot can differ by a large margin once add-ons are included. One may bundle parking and club; the other may charge both separately.
So comparing base rates is comparing the wrong number. Compare the all-in figure for a specific unit, inclusive of every charge and statutory cost.
Build a simple sheet with one column per project and one row per charge. It takes twenty minutes and it routinely reorders a shortlist.
It also arms you in conversation, because a buyer who can say what a competing project charges all-in is negotiating from information rather than from hope.
That sheet is the single most useful document you will make during a purchase, and almost nobody makes it.
Keep it updated as quotes change, and note the date beside each figure. Prices move during a search that runs several months, and a comparison built from figures gathered at different times is not a comparison at all.
See the other checks worth running for the ratios worth adding to the same sheet.
Common questions
What is floor rise charge?
A per-floor increment added above a base floor, so higher floors cost more. It looks small on one floor and compounds substantially by the twentieth, which is exactly where buyers who wanted height end up paying it.
What is PLC in property pricing?
Preferred location charges — a premium for units with a corner position, better facing, or a park or view aspect. It is a pricing judgement about desirability rather than a cost, which makes it one of the more negotiable items.
What is a cost sheet and why should I ask for one?
The developer’s internal document itemising what a specific unit costs, including base price, floor rise, location charges, parking, club and corpus. Asking for it by name, for your specific unit and in writing, gets you the full number rather than the first line.
Which property charges are negotiable?
Statutory charges never are, and the base rate rarely is. Floor rise and preferred location charges sometimes are, particularly on slow-moving inventory. The payment schedule, a parking space or included fittings are often the easier wins.
How should I compare prices between two projects?
On the all-in figure for a specific unit including every add-on and statutory charge, not on base rate per square foot. Two projects at the same base rate can differ substantially once parking, club and corpus are counted.
Want the all-in number?
Send us the projects and unit numbers you are weighing and we will get itemised cost sheets for each and lay them side by side, statutory charges included. No charge, and it reorders shortlists.
Related reading
Figures above are drawn from published project information and are indicative. Verify any registration yourself on the Karnataka RERA portal before paying a booking amount.
