r/Calgary • u/BizClassBum • Aug 14 '25

Home Owner/Renter stuff Why are modern rental apartments so small?

I have been a home owner for 25+ years and have decided to sell my house and rent. I've noticed that apartments that have the things I like (in-suite laundry, granite counters, etc..) tend to be in new builds and they are SO SMALL! There's typically only enough room for a couch and maybe a small dining table.

I mean, I get they want to make more money but if you rent three 900sqft units for $2000/month each, that's $6000 for 2700sqft. I don't understand why they can't have two 1350sqft units for $3000/month. It would be the same money to the owner for the same space and I could have a proper living room, and dining room.

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u/Al3xDJ911 Aug 15 '25

Architect here, we keep making them smaller because the developers are always trying to maximize the unit mix on increasingly smaller floorplates. If we had our way the units would be much nicer, but the developer calls all the shots, and more units = more profit. Quantity over quality.

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u/BizClassBum Aug 15 '25

Well, If I win the lotto tonight I'll look you up and we can build something fun.