Hello @reeflings,
Below is an explanation of the different steps to follow for calculating an estimation of the size and price of you future dream appartment 
This is a necessary step before seeing the banks and the confesseur, and will also be information needed for the Programme (the survey that will help us assess our surface needs to pass on to the architects).
Because the estimate has changed substantially recently, @reef-full is kindly invited to have a look at this as well, and check whether their wishes still matches the new budget, or if they need to adapt the size of their apartment (if you haven’t done so already).
You can use the size and price estimation tool for all of the calculations below, but do read the information in this post which have additional details.
A. Calculate the size of your appartement
1. Calculate the net size of your appartment
For the estimation of the price of your appartment, you will first need to decide what size appartment you want.
To start with, the easiest option is to calculate a “net surface” or “carpet surface”; this is the surface of your appartment excluding the inner and outter walls, also known as “carpet surface” (as in the surface of carpetting you would need to cover the ground of your appartment).
Below are a few tips on how to estimate this.
Use the calculator
Use the size and price calculation tool (internal link) on nextcloud to give you an idea of what you may need. You will find both the standard and the minimum size for each room, and can play with the file by changing the info/numbers in the blue cells (please download this on your computer to do so!).
Some data still need confirmation or might evolve (in yellow), but shouldn”t be a problem for now to get a first estimation. We will keep you up-to-date when these change.
Refer to the overall minimal and standard appartment size
(numbers to be confirmed soon)
Note that there is a minimum overall gross surface for an appartement, based on regional requirements :
- 36m2 for a studio
- 61m2 for a 1 bed room appartment
- 72m2 for a 2 bedrooms appartment
- 83m2 for a 3 bedrooms appartment
- 95m2 for a 4 bedrooms appartment
Also note that these number assume a 3m2 bathroom, and don’t take into account corridors, which can add a substantial surface depending on what you choose.
Check the small unit post
If you are interested into a studio or 1 person flat, you will find a post on small units on Edgeryders.
Get a feel
You can always have a look on an immo website (e.g. Immoweb or Immovlan) to get a feel of how many square meters feel good to you. A more accurate option is also asking to have a look at the apartments of other Reeflings who have measured their appartments, eg. Lee (see also her post about her 70m2 appartment - link to be added soon).
Err towards the lower estimate
When in doubt, don’t hesitate to take the lower estimate of what you think you’d like, for the following reasons: 1) You’ll have plenty of common spaces that you can use (e.g. guest room, dining corner etc.), and 2) Our architects are masters at making a good use of small spaces
2. Calculate the “gross” square meters
Multiply the number of net square meters by 1.25. This is because everybody needs to pay for the outer walls and insulation around their apartment, and account for the inner walls which will add to the surface of the appartment.
This is the so-called “gross number of square meters” (“surface brute” in french), which will be the reference that will be referred to when talking with the architects, the notary, etc…
B.Calculate the price of your appartment
1. Calculate the cost of the apartment
Multiply the gross square meters with any number between 3750 and 4600. Take a number of the lower end of the price fork if you are happy for your unit to be located anywhere in the building, take a number on the upper end of the price fork if you’d like to be on the upper floors or if you want other features that increase the resale value of the unit.
In the calculator, you will find a minimum and maximum overall price, based respectively on the lowest estimate of 3750 euros/m2 and the highest estimate of 4600 euros/m2
2. Add extras
- Terrace (1500euros/m2). Note that it may become compulsory to add a terrace space that equals 10% of the net surface of the unit, with a minimum of 5 m² (e.g. 7 m² of terrace for a unit of 70 m² net).
- Cave (1350 euros/m2)
- Garage (30 000 euros). Note that a parking spot will not be mandatory, and that we’ll find a solution to share the burden of the total number of mandatory parking spots.
3. Add a 15% safety buffer
For this, multiply the price of the apartment by 1.15.
Normally we would have worked with a 10% safety buffer to provide for unexpected factors that increase the cost of the project, yet because of the current economic and geopolitical situation, unfortunately we need to take a 15% buffer.
Vice versa, what this means is that if you get the green light from the bank for a budget of x, you need to divide that sum by 1,15 to obtain the maximum budget for your unit. Should there be an unexpected cost, you then don’t need to worry that you won’t be able to borrow the extra money needed.