What is BHK | 0.5 BHK | 1.5 BHK | 2.5 BHK | Studio Apartments | 1 RK | Better Choice | FAQ
Whenever you are buying a property, you must have come across the term BHK. If you are not acquainted with what it means, BHK stands for Bedroom, Hall, and Kitchen. This is the basic full form and several other related terms will often pop up in the real estate and housing sector.
This is why we have come up with the details that will allow you to understand the right property that is going to serve your need in a befitting manner. While knowing what is BHK is very basic, sometimes you have to be familiar with the key terms and the core concepts as this helps you set the right foundation.
Buying a property is no joke and it entails careful consideration of several points and aspects. The golden rule while buying properties is that you should never rush through the whole process as this will hurt your purchase decision.
The world of real estate is massive and you will be baffled by the endless property deals that are available. Several brokers deal in these options. You can choose third-party agents, brokers, and sometimes direct companies also deal with their property. No matter what you choose, you have to be familiar with the housing terminologies to know what you are getting into.
First of all, you need to decide the budget you have at hand and how big a home you want. For instance, if there are six people in your family, 1 BHK is not likely to serve your need. That being said, the budget will become a delimiting factor as you upgrade higher from 1 BHK.
So, have a ballpark figure of what budget you have in mind and the number of bedrooms you will like to have. You can then go ahead and start your property hunt.
So, are you all set to learn more about these topics?
What is BHK?
For starters, let us give you complete details of what is BHK, the meaning of the term and the related connotation.
BHK stands for Bedroom, Hall, and Kitchen
So, when we say 1 BHK, it signifies that the house has 1 bedroom, 1 hall, and 1 kitchen. In a multi-storeyed complex, the typical housing unit is 1 BHK. So, if you find a society that has 2 BHK apartments, it signifies that there will be 2 bedrooms, 1 hall or living room, and 1 kitchen.
If you are looking for 3 BHK apartments, it means you will get 3 bedrooms, 1 living room, and 1 kitchen. So, you can understand the logic behind the terminology. The number before the term BHK denotes the number of bedrooms that will be present in the apartment.
Ideally, it has been seen that couples who are living alone or even small nuclear families with nearly three members can adjust in a 1 BHK apartment. If you have a bigger family or even if your parents are living together, you will need 2 BHK or higher.
For joint families and those living with their cousins, you will have to opt for even bigger apartments like 4 BHK or 5 BHK. However, such big apartments will come at a hefty price and if you choose the apartment in a posh locality, the cost can be insanely huge.
To give you better clarity, some property owners may use terminologies like 3 BHK + 2T. This refers to the presence of toilets. The ‘T’ in the term indicates toilets. 2 T means there are 2 toilets in the apartment.
Now that we have set the basics underway, let us focus on each of the apartment units individually.
What is a 0.5 BHK unit configuration?
Sometimes, you may find 0.5 appended to the BHK. For instance, there are 1.5 BHK, 2.5 BHK and so on. So, you may be wondering what this term signifies. Let us share the details.
The 0.5 BHK unit means that 1 of the bedrooms is smaller than the normal size. Owing to the massive demand among home buyers for one room to be smaller than others, the 0.5 BHK unit is soaring in popularity.
What is the 1.5 BHK housing unit?
So, if the property buyer tells you that the apartment is 1.5 BHK, it means that there will be two rooms. One of them will be a master bedroom and the other is going to be a smaller bedroom. This can either be used for kids or even for guests. Some people who don’t require a dedicated kid’s room or even a guest room can convert that room to a store room or even the pooja room.
What is the 2.5 BHK housing unit?
Just like 1.5 BHK, you can choose to scale the unit. Therefore, 2.5 BHK means that the apartment will have three rooms. 2 of them will be standard master bedrooms and 1 of them will be a smaller room. Apart from that, there will be one hall or living room and one kitchen.
A lot of metro cities have housing units like the 2.5 BHK as it is cheaper compared to the 3 BHK and it also helps in serving the need. This set-up is the efficient choice for five family members say a couple, their parents, and one kid. The kid could use the smaller room and both the couples could take one bedroom each.
Families that don’t have a child or even those who don’t need a separate room for a kid can convert the smaller room to study, library, refreshment, AV, or even for religious purposes as well.
Studio Apartments
Sometimes you may have also come across the term, ‘studio apartment’. Now, if you are wondering what that means, let us explain it to you.
A studio apartment is essentially one large room. There isn’t any bifurcation or division. The single large space can be allocated and divided as per your need. You don’t have a divided kitchen or a living room.
The massive single-room space can be used in different ways. A lot of times working professionals and even bachelors living together prefer studio apartments as it gives them a lot of scopes to move around and use the home as per their needs.
This is one reason why 1 BHK and studio apartment cannot be changed interchangeably. While they may or may not be similar in area size, the dynamics differ quite a lot. If you do need a living room and a kitchen, there is no point in buying a studio room.
However, if several people are living together and you don’t find the need for separate kitchen space and you like to reshuffle the arrangements often, you can do with the studio apartment.
Some studio apartments are huge and a lot of working professionals, especially interior designers like to convert them into a studio. They choose to have several massive and impressive displays that they can use for the sake of showcasing their work.
If you need a huge space to showcase your creative excellence, we believe that studio apartments would be best suited to your need.
What is 1 RK?
The RK is somewhat of a midpoint between 1 BHK and a studio apartment. 1 RK stands for 1 room, and 1 kitchen. It is also likely to come with a separate bathroom as well. In this form of housing unit, there is a dedicated wall separation between the room and the kitchen. Usually, it has been seen that the carpet area of a studio apartment is more as compared to 1 RK.
When compared to a studio apartment, the 1 RK apartment seems to be less fancy and is likely to come with fewer amenities. This is however a generalization and before you buy a property, you should duly check all deals with your seller.
1 BHK Vs 2 BHK- The Better Choice?
A lot of times, you will find the question being asked as to which is a better choice – 1 BHK or the 2 BHK. Well, honestly, the answer is going to differ based on your purpose of buying the home.
Why are you buying the home?
The first and foremost question you need to ask yourself is why you are looking to buy the house.
For living purpose
If your real reason behind buying the home is for your living purpose, you can then choose the configuration that seems suited to your needs.
For smaller families, 1 BHK will suffice. Families with relatively more members will have to go for 2 BHK or higher.
For investment purpose
If you want to buy a home as a means of investment, you will have to check what are you going to do with it. If you want to put it on rent later, try to look for the type of apartment that is more in demand. In some smaller towns and cities, 1 BHK apartment is the more trending choice and they are more likely to be on sale.
Similarly, in bigger cities, it is usually 2 BHK that seems to be in more demand. So, you have to judge this fact and then the next thing is the budget in mind. If you have a limited budget at hand, you may not be able to afford the 2 BHK apartment. In such cases, you will have to settle for 1 BHK.
Future needs
If you do not have the liquidity to buy too many apartments, you should keep the prospect in mind while buying your apartment even for your living use. In most cases, the family size will inevitably increase as the young couple will have children. So, if you have a recently married son, always factor this increase in room demand into the equation.
If you have the budget to afford it, a 2 BHK or even a 1.5 BHK will seem to be a smarter choice. Always take into account the carpet area of the apartment when buying a new home.
So, the answer to which apartment is better depends largely on the purpose, budget, and demand.
Property trends
Another thing you need to bear in mind while buying a flat is the property trends. Sometimes the property prices tend to peak while some areas may have a decreasing trend. You should study the trends and details about the development work in the area meticulously to come to the right buying decision.
As buying a property involves a significant investment, one cannot afford to be negligent in this aspect whatsoever. Even when you are talking to a broker, always check the deed and registration paper duly.
The last thing you want is to buy a disputed property and find all your money going down the drain. So, be mindful of every single aspect and then be all set to buy your property. Always remember the house you live in cannot be counted as your investment. Properties are always a good investment option and therefore you too should try to buy one.
Pricing
The price of real estate tends to slowly increase every year. It is hard to give you a price line with regards to buying properties. Even in the same city, the localities that have a lot of demand and have a higher standard are likely to have way higher rates.
The price for a 2 BHK flat in Delhi could start from as low as 1.8 lakhs and could go as high as 4 crores and sometimes even higher based on the area. For instance, properties in South Delhi and even Haus Khaz, in particular, are very expensive.
The real estate market in Mumbai is one of the costliest. Even a 2 BHK apartment could cost as high as 80 crores. Owing to the posh lifestyle of several top-notch Bollywood actors living in Mumbai, some of the areas are incredibly expensive.
An apartment close to Mannat is going to burn a massive hole in your pocket. So, you have to be very mindful of what you want to buy.
Two-tier cities and small towns will usually have lower property rates as compared to metro cities.
FAQ
What does BHK stand for?
BHK stands for Bedroom, Hall, and Kitchen
What is 1 RK?
1 RK stands for 1 bedroom hall and designated kitchen space.
How many rooms are there in a 1.5 BHK apartment?
There are two rooms in a 1.5 BHK apartment but one bedroom is smaller in comparison to the other.
What do you mean by 3B2HK?
The hybrid term 3B2HK means that there are going to be 3 standard size bedrooms, 2 halls or living rooms, and 1 kitchen.
What do you mean by 2 BHK+ 2T?
2 BHK + 2T means that the apartment has 2 bedrooms, 1 hall, 1 kitchen, and 2 toilets
Do studio apartments don’t have a kitchen?
Studio apartments have one huge room space and there isn’t any wall separating the kitchen space. One can remodel the area as per their own need and requirements.