Interior Fit-Out Cost in Dubai: What Actually Drives the Price

Two contractors can price the same floor area in Dubai and arrive at figures that differ by a factor of two. Neither is necessarily wrong. The difference almost always comes down to scope definition, specification level and the conditions the work has to be delivered under. Understanding those variables is what lets you compare quotes on equal terms.

The variables that move a fit-out price

Almost every meaningful cost difference traces back to one of the following.

• Specification level. A porcelain floor and an engineered timber floor cost different amounts to buy, install and protect. The same applies to veneer versus laminate joinery, and to standard versus specialist wall finishes.
• MEP extent. Adding power and data points to an existing layout is a different job from redesigning and re-running HVAC ductwork. MEP is frequently the largest single swing in a Dubai fit-out budget.
• Joinery content. Reception counters, fitted storage, wall panelling and display units are all made to order. Joinery is usually the most schedule-sensitive element as well, because it has to be manufactured before it can be installed.
• Existing condition. A shell-and-core space and a twenty-year-old office present different problems. Demolition, asbestos handling, uneven floors and out-of-date services all have to be dealt with before finishes begin.
• Access and working hours. Mall and occupied-office projects often require night or weekend working, permits and additional protection. These costs are real and should appear explicitly in a quote rather than appearing later as variations.
• Approvals. Landlord, building management and authority consents take time and documentation. Where a project needs them, they belong in the programme and in the preliminaries.

Why a bill of quantities beats a lump sum

A single figure tells you very little. A priced bill of quantities lets you see how much of the budget is joinery, how much is MEP, how much is finishes, and what has been excluded. That is what allows you to make a decision — reducing joinery scope deliberately rather than discovering the reduction after signing.

It also makes comparison possible. When two quotes are broken down the same way, differences become explainable: one contractor may have priced a higher specification, included more MEP work, or accounted for night working that the other left out entirely.

Questions worth asking every contractor

• What is excluded from this price?
• Are provisional sums included, and for which items?
• What is assumed about the existing condition of the space?
• How are variations priced and approved during the project?
• What is the programme, and what lead times does it depend on?

A contractor who answers these clearly is generally easier to work with than one who answers only with a total. If you would like your own project priced line by line, send us the brief or the drawings and we will work up a bill of quantities.