Office fit out cost in Dubai: what drives your price

Office fit out cost in Dubai usually falls between AED 250 and AED 700 per square foot, and where you land depends on specification, MEP work, joinery volume and approvals rather than floor area alone. Here is how the number is built, line by line.

Why work with Crafty Clare decoration design LLC

• Turnkey delivery from concept design to final finishing under one contract
• In house joinery workshop in Jebel Ali, so joinery is made by us and not bought in
• One project manager from first site visit to handover
• Fixed price quotation with a written scope before work starts
• DET and Dubai Municipality approval drawings and submissions handled in house
• Our own installation crews for joinery, partitions and finishing

Office fit out cost in Dubai per square foot

Most Dubai office fit outs sit in one of three bands, and the band is set by specification rather than size. A large floor at a basic specification can cost less per square foot than a small executive floor with full joinery.

Specification	Cost per sq ft (AED)	What it normally covers
Basic	250 to 350	Painted partitions, carpet tiles, reused HVAC layout, minimal data, no reception joinery
Mid range	350 to 550	Glass fronted meeting rooms, new ceilings, full MEP rework, reception desk, pantry
High specification	550 to 750	Full height veneer joinery, acoustic treatment, feature lighting, stone finishes, AV

VAT at 5 percent sits outside these figures, and so do landlord charges such as DEWA capacity work, district cooling and supervision fees, which can add AED 15,000 to AED 60,000 depending on the tower. Our completed projects show how the three bands look once finished.

What actually drives the price

Four items move a Dubai quotation more than anything else: MEP scope, joinery volume, finish level and the approval route the building requires.

MEP scope

Electrical, HVAC, data and plumbing usually account for 20 to 25 percent of the total. Adding a meeting room changes the air balance, which means new ducting, dampers and a commissioning report. In older towers the existing chilled water capacity is the limit, so extra cooling load may need a paid capacity upgrade.

Joinery volume

Reception desks, storage walls, pantry units and feature ceilings are priced by item or by linear metre. A 3 metre veneer reception desk with a stone top runs AED 12,000 to AED 25,000. A fitted storage wall costs AED 1,800 to AED 3,200 per linear metre. This line moves most between contractors, because anyone buying joinery in adds a margin on top.

Finish level

Carpet tiles supplied and fitted cost AED 55 to AED 120 per sq m, vinyl AED 45 to AED 95, porcelain AED 120 to AED 250, and engineered wood AED 180 to AED 400. Switching floor and wall finishes alone can move a 2,500 sq ft budget by AED 150,000.

Approvals and building rules

A floor with an existing approved layout is cheaper than one that needs a full permit set from scratch. Civil Defence sign off, building management supervision and any landlord fit out deposit all add to the total before a single partition goes up.

Light wood veneer cabinetry and flush doors, built in our own Jebel Ali workshop.

What a 2,500 sq ft Dubai office costs, line by line

Take a 2,500 sq ft office in a business tower at mid range specification, AED 420 per sq ft. That is AED 1,050,000 before VAT.

• Partitions, ceilings and doors: AED 255,000
• MEP, meaning HVAC, electrical, data and plumbing: AED 245,000
• Joinery, including reception, pantry and storage: AED 210,000
• Flooring, painting and wall finishes: AED 165,000
• Approvals, consultant and Civil Defence fees: AED 45,000
• Project management and site setup: AED 50,000
• Contingency: AED 80,000

Keeping the existing ceiling grid and reusing the HVAC layout can save around AED 90,000 on a floor this size. Adding two extra meeting rooms puts roughly AED 110,000 back.

The commercial fit out process in Dubai, step by step

Seven stages decide both the price and the programme, and the first four are where the money is set.

1. Site visit and brief. We measure the floor, check existing MEP, ceiling height and access, and agree workstation, meeting room and pantry counts. Start with a free site visit.
2. Concept and layout drawings. Space plan, finishes schedule and a 3D view of the reception for approval before anything is ordered.
3. Fixed price quotation. Scope, inclusions, exclusions and programme in writing.
4. Approval drawings. DET and Dubai Municipality permit sets prepared, submitted and tracked.
5. Joinery production. Approved joinery goes into production in our Jebel Ali workshop while the site is prepared.
6. Site works. Demolition, MEP rough in, partitions, ceilings, flooring, joinery installation, painting and lighting.
7. Snagging and handover. Joint inspection, snag close out and as built drawings.

Stone cladding, integrated appliances and layered under cabinet lighting, the finishing standard our office projects are held to.

DET fit out approval in Dubai: timeline and cost

Allow 3 to 8 weeks for approvals on a standard office floor and budget AED 20,000 to AED 60,000 for consultant drawings, submission fees and Civil Defence inspections. Trade licence matters sit with DET, the fit out permit and inspections sit with Dubai Municipality, and fire and life safety sign off comes from Dubai Civil Defence.

Timelines stretch when the building manager has strict rules, when the existing layout drawings cannot be found, or when the use of the space changes. Landlords also commonly hold a refundable fit out deposit of AED 5,000 to AED 20,000 until the snag list closes. Our full service list covers design, approvals and construction under one contract so nothing falls between consultants.

How to compare office fit out company quotes in Dubai

Two quotations for the same floor often differ by 30 percent, and the gap is nearly always in what each one left out. Compare on these points rather than on the total.

• Are approval drawings, submission fees and Civil Defence included?
• Is joinery built in the contractor's own workshop or bought in?
• Is the MEP scope a full rework or a reuse of what is already there?
• What is the programme, and who carries the cost of delay?
• What is the payment schedule, and how much is retained until snagging closes?

Spend five minutes on company background too, and ask for two live references from offices of a similar size.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an office fit out cost in Dubai?

Most Dubai office fit outs run from AED 250 to AED 700 per square foot. A 2,000 sq ft mid range office normally lands between AED 700,000 and AED 1,100,000, while a basic open plan refresh can be closer to AED 500,000.

How long does a commercial fit out take in Dubai?

A 2,000 to 4,000 sq ft office usually takes 8 to 14 weeks from signed quotation to handover. Add 3 to 6 weeks before that for design and approvals if the drawings are not already prepared.

Do I need DET approval for an office fit out in Dubai?

Yes, if you are changing the layout, adding partitions or altering MEP services. You also need municipality fit out permits and Civil Defence sign off where fire systems, exits or alarms are touched, and the permit drawings must be submitted by an approved consultant.

What is included in a Dubai office fit out price per sq ft?

Partitions, ceilings, doors, flooring, paint, MEP alterations, lighting, data cabling and general finishing. Joinery such as reception desks, storage walls and pantry units is often listed separately unless the quote is turnkey. Approvals, DEWA capacity charges and building management fees are frequently excluded.

Can the same contractor handle design and construction?

Yes, and it normally saves both time and money. One team designing, building joinery in its own workshop and installing on site closes the gap where design intent and site reality do not match, and one party owns the snag list at handover.

How do I compare two office fit out quotes in Dubai?

Put both quotations side by side against the same specification and check what is excluded. Compare joinery volume, MEP scope, approval fees, programme and payment terms rather than the headline total. The cheaper quote usually carries a lower specification or a longer exclusions list.