# Interior Fit-Out Companies in Dubai: Costs & How to Choose
Interior fit-out companies in Dubai turn a bare or existing space into a working, finished interior. Category B fit-out runs roughly AED 400–700 per square foot; premium turnkey climbs to AED 700–1,500+. Budget 4–6 weeks for a refurbishment, 16–24 for shell-and-core. MEP eats 40–55% of the cost, and running DM and Civil Defence approvals in parallel saves 3–6 weeks.
Fit-out versus interior design (they are not the same thing)
People use the words interchangeably and then get a surprise on the invoice. Interior design is the drawing stage: layouts, finishes, mood, 3D renders, the material board. Fit-out is the physical build that makes those drawings real, from partitions and MEP to flooring, ceilings, joinery and the final coat of paint.
A design studio hands you a concept. A fit-out contractor holds a DED trade license for construction, carries insurance, pulls the permits and puts a crew on site. Some firms do both under one roof, which is usually cheaper and faster because nobody blames the drawings when the build slips. When they are split, you own the coordination, and coordination is where projects lose weeks.
If you already have design drawings from another studio, a fit-out company can price and build from them. Just make sure the drawings are permit-grade, not marketing renders. Dubai Municipality does not approve a mood board.
Category A, Category B and shell-and-core
Landlords and contractors talk in categories, so it helps to know which one you are actually buying.
Shell-and-core is the raw handover from the developer: concrete floors, external walls, a core with lifts and risers, no ceilings, no internal walls, no distributed services. Category A adds the base building services and finishes a landlord provides, raised floors, ceilings, basic MEP distribution, painted walls, ready for a tenant. Category B is the tenant's own fit-out on top of Cat A, meaning your layout, your branding, meeting rooms, kitchen, feature lighting, furniture.
For a Dubai office, Cat A is often already there when you sign, and you commission a Cat B fit-out. For a brand-new tower handed over as shell-and-core, you are paying for both, which is why the per-square-foot numbers below swing so widely.
What fit-out costs in Dubai in 2026
Prices depend on category, quality tier and how much MEP you disturb. Moving air conditioning, adding wet points and rewiring is where budgets balloon. These are honest market bands, not a fixed DOMECO rate card. We price a specific space after a site visit and a BOQ.
| Scope | Per sq ft | Per m² | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category A base build | AED 200–400 | AED 2,150–4,300 | Landlord-level services and finishes |
| Category B standard | AED 400–700 | AED 4,300–7,500 | Tenant fit-out, typical office |
| Premium / turnkey | AED 700–1,500+ | AED 7,500–16,000+ | Bespoke joinery, high-end MEP, retail and F&B |
Two numbers people forget. MEP is 40–55% of most fit-out budgets, so a "cheap" quote with a thin MEP line is a warning, not a bargain. And VAT at 5% sits on top of everything, so quote comparisons only mean something when both are stated the same way.
For apartments and villas the maths shifts to AED 1,500–3,000 per m² for a solid fit-out, more once you get into full turnkey with furniture and appliances. You can see how we structure that on the services page.
The process, shell to handover
A fit-out runs in a fairly fixed order, and knowing it lets you spot a contractor who is guessing.
- 1. Site survey and measured drawings, then design sign-off.
- 2. BOQ and fixed quotation, with the specification locked in the contract.
- 3. Authority approvals and the landlord NOC.
- 4. Enabling works: demolition, marking out, first-fix MEP.
- 5. Second fix: partitions, ceilings, flooring, joinery, finishes.
- 6. Testing, commissioning, cleaning.
- 7. Snagging, then handover with as-built drawings and warranties.
Timelines follow the category. A refurbishment of an occupied or Cat A space takes 4–6 weeks. A full Cat B office lands around 8–14 weeks. Shell-and-core, where you build everything, runs 16–24 weeks. A 150 m² apartment sits in the 2–6 month range depending on how much structure and MEP you touch.
Authority approvals, and the trick that saves weeks
This is where Dubai projects quietly bleed time. Several bodies have a say, and each has its own queue.
Dubai Municipality handles building works, structural changes and layout alterations. Dubai Civil Defence covers fire and life safety, meaning sprinklers, alarms and emergency exits. DEWA signs off on electrical load and any change to water or power connections. Free zone projects follow a different path entirely: Trakhees for Nakheel and port areas, DMCC in JLT, DIFC in the financial district, each with its own process instead of DM.
Before any authority will look at a file, you need a landlord NOC. Most first-timers wait for one sign-off before starting the next application, which turns a parallel process into a queue. Submitted together, DM and DCD approvals overlap instead of stacking, shaving 3–6 weeks off a typical office fit-out. We prepare the full package up front and file in parallel so the site is not sitting idle while paperwork moves. There is more on the permit side in our guide to renovation permits in Dubai.
Snagging and handover
Snagging is the inspection at the end where you and the contractor walk the space and list every defect: a door that binds, a paint blemish, a socket in the wrong place, silicone that missed a line. The contractor fixes the snag list before you accept handover.
The important part is who pays. Genuine defects and workmanship faults are the contractor's cost, full stop. Changes you request after sign-off are variations, and those you pay for. A clean contract spells out that split so the snagging stage does not turn into an argument.
Handover means keys, as-built drawings, MEP commissioning certificates, warranties and any authority completion certificate. It is also when retention kicks in. Clients commonly hold 5–15% of the contract value for around 12 months as a defects-liability guarantee, released once the space has proven itself through a season of use.
How to choose a fit-out company (and the red flags)
Start with the license. A real fit-out contractor holds a DED trade license for interior contracting or construction, not just an interior design activity. Ask for it, ask for their insurance, and ask which of your project's approvals they have handled before in your building or free zone.
Then look at how they quote. A fixed BOQ with the specification written into the contract is the difference between a budget and a wish. Watch for these:
- A price with no BOQ, or a lump sum with no breakdown.
- An MEP line that looks too light for the scope.
- Vague or missing approval responsibility, leaving permits as "your problem".
- No retention or defects-liability clause in the contract.
- Reluctance to name real, completed projects you can verify.
Our own answer to the last point is simply the work: fur boutique in Dubai Hills Mall, City Walk, Platinum Tower in JLT, a spa in Media City, a villa in Jumeirah and Dubai Creek. You can browse the completed projects and see the finish level before you commit.
The healthy instinct in this market is to distrust anyone who won't put numbers on paper. We fix the estimate in the contract with no top-ups after start, a one-year workmanship warranty, and a penalty on us for every day we run late. Walk the specifics with us on the contacts page.
FAQ
What is the difference between fit-out and interior design in Dubai?
Interior design is the drawing and specification stage: layouts, finishes, renders. Fit-out is the licensed physical build that turns those drawings into a finished space, including MEP, partitions, joinery and finishes. Some firms, including us, cover both.
How much does interior fit-out cost per m² in Dubai?
For apartments and villas, a solid fit-out runs roughly AED 1,500–3,000 per m², rising with premium turnkey. Offices are usually quoted per square foot: Cat B lands around AED 400–700, premium AED 700–1,500+. Add 5% VAT to any figure.
What does a Category B fit-out include?
Cat B is the tenant's own fit-out on top of a landlord's Cat A base. It covers your layout, partitions, meeting rooms, kitchen or pantry, feature lighting, flooring, joinery, branding and often furniture. It assumes the base building services from Cat A are already in place.
How long do fit-out approvals take in Dubai?
It depends on the authority and whether you file in parallel. Run separately, DM, DCD and DEWA sign-offs stack up over many weeks. Submitted together with the landlord NOC ready, DM and DCD overlap and typically save 3–6 weeks on an office project.
What is snagging and who pays for it?
Snagging is the final defect inspection before handover. The contractor lists and fixes every workmanship fault at their own cost. Changes you request after sign-off are variations that you pay for, which is why the contract should define the split clearly.
Do I need a separate interior designer if I hire a fit-out company?
Not always. If the fit-out firm has an in-house design team, one contract covers concept, permit drawings and build, which is usually cheaper and faster. If you already have permit-grade drawings from another studio, a fit-out contractor can price and build directly from them.
What are the most common mistakes clients make?
Running approvals in sequence instead of parallel, accepting a lump-sum price with no BOQ, underestimating MEP, and forgetting VAT and retention when comparing quotes. Each one costs either weeks or money, and usually both.
Can I do a fit-out in a rented office in Dubai?
Yes, most Dubai offices are fitted out by tenants. You need a landlord NOC before any authority approval, and you should check whether reinstatement to the original state is required at lease end. A good contractor factors both into the plan and the contract.