Commercial fit out Sharjah: cost, permits and timeline
A commercial fit out in Sharjah costs AED 350 to 650 per sqm for office space and AED 900 to 1,600 per sqm for F&B, with authority approvals adding 4 to 8 weeks before site work begins. Below is the approval sequence, the cost benchmarks by unit type and the 8 to 14 week programme we run on live units.
Why work with Monde
- Own workforce of 50+ specialists under our own licence
- Professional project managers assigned to every fit out
- Offices, retail, F&B and hospitality delivered as one package
- Coverage across the United Arab Emirates, Sharjah included
- Fixed BOQ and priced scope before mobilisation
- One team from site survey and drawings to authority NOC and handover
What a Sharjah commercial fit out covers
A commercial fit out takes a shell and core unit to a space that can trade. That means partitions, ceilings, MEP services, finishes, joinery, and the fire safety and signage items the authority signs off at inspection.
Most Sharjah landlords hand over Cat A: raised access floor, base HVAC, sprinklers, a distribution board and bare walls. Your fit out is the Cat B layer on top. A typical Cat B scope includes:
- Partitions and glazed screens, demountable or blockwork
- Ceiling systems in gypsum, mineral fibre or open grid
- HVAC ducting, diffusers and controls
- Electrical containment, LV distribution, data and lighting
- Plumbing and washroom refurbishment
- Floor finishes: carpet tiles, LVT, porcelain, epoxy for industrial units
- Joinery: reception desks, counters, storage walls
- Sprinkler relocation, fire alarm, fire rated doors and smoke extraction
- External fascia and signage, subject to the approved trade name
Washroom and finishes package delivered inside a live commercial unit, from waterproofing to the backlit mirror.
Retail units in Al Majaz and Al Nahda usually need a shopfront and a back of house room before anything else. Industrial units in Al Sajaa start at the floor and the power supply. Offices are mostly about MEP, ceilings and joinery.
Sharjah approvals: Municipality, Civil Defence and SEWA
Three authorities sit on a Sharjah fit out. Sharjah Municipality issues the building and fit out permit, Civil Defence reviews fire and life safety, and SEWA handles water and electricity. The order matters, because each one asks for the previous approval number.
- Landlord NOC and the registered tenancy contract for the unit.
- Fit out permit submission to Sharjah Municipality with drawings, MEP design and contractor documents. Allow 2 to 4 weeks.
- Civil Defence review of the fire strategy, layouts and material certificates. Allow 2 to 3 weeks, then a separate inspection before opening.
- SEWA application for new or upgraded electrical load and water connection. Allow 1 to 2 weeks, longer if the building needs a supply upgrade.
- Trade licence amendment so the activity matches the address and the approved layout.
- Site works, then final inspections and the completion certificate.
Most rejections are avoidable. The usual ones: a missing landlord NOC, travel distance to the fire exit, ceiling void too shallow for ducting, fresh air rates below the code figure, signage that does not match the trade name, and an electrical load above the approved supply. If you have already read our commercial fit out permit approval map for Dubai, treat Sharjah the same way but swap in Sharjah Municipality and add SEWA as a separate step.
Cost benchmarks by unit type
Shell and core office space in Sharjah runs AED 350 to 650 per sqm for Cat B works. In square feet that is roughly AED 33 to 60 per sqft. F&B is the expensive category because of the kitchen, the extract and the grease trap.
| Unit type | Typical range (AED per sqm) | Core scope |
|---|---|---|
| Office, Cat B | 350 to 650 | partitions, ceiling, HVAC, lighting, flooring, joinery |
| Retail shell unit | 500 to 900 | shopfront, ceiling, lighting, flooring, back of house |
| F&B, café or restaurant | 900 to 1,600 | kitchen extract, grease trap, cold room, dining finishes |
| Industrial or warehouse | 150 to 350 | epoxy floor, mezzanine, office pod, power, lighting |
| Clinic or hospitality | 800 to 1,400 | treatment rooms, plumbing, specialist finishes |
Worked example. A 250 sqm office in Al Qasimia, mid specification, Cat B:
- Fit out works at AED 480 per sqm: AED 120,000
- Fire fighting and alarm modifications: AED 15,000
- HVAC diffuser and control changes: AED 18,000
- Authority fees plus consultant drawings: AED 12,000 to 18,000
- Total: AED 165,000 to 171,000, or about AED 660 to 684 per sqm all in
Furniture, IT and signage sit outside that figure. If your project is F&B, the café fit out costs, permits and timeline piece gives the Dubai comparison so you can see where Sharjah lands.
The 8 to 14 week programme
A Sharjah fit out runs 8 to 14 weeks on site, and most of the authority time overlaps with design and procurement if the drawings are ready early.
- Week 0 to 2: site survey, measured drawings, MEP design, BOQ
- Week 2 to 6: Municipality, Civil Defence and SEWA submissions, plus responses to comments
- Week 5 to 6: long lead items ordered. Kitchen extract, joinery, glazing, HVAC equipment
- Week 6 to 12: site works. Demolition, MEP first fix, partitions, ceilings, finishes
- Week 12 to 14: snagging, Civil Defence inspection, handover and as built drawings
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Ceiling and MEP first fix is where most Sharjah fit out programmes lose a week if the drawings are not coordinated.
A small office under 200 sqm in a Cat A unit can be fast tracked to 6 to 8 weeks if the landlord has an approved contractor list and the long lead items are standard stock. Anything with a commercial kitchen or a change of use will not compress below 10 weeks.
The site was clean when they left. We needed them fast on a running job. They finished the renovation on time. Good work from start to end. Davranbek Tashbayev, 5/5
Monde holds a Google rating of 5 from 3 reviews.
Free zone units vs mainland units
Free zone units in Saif Zone and Hamriyah go through the free zone authority first, then Civil Defence and the utility provider. Mainland units in Al Qasimia, Al Majaz or University City go through Sharjah Municipality.
The difference is practical. Saif Zone and Hamriyah Free Zone run their own building and planning desks, which can move faster on drawings but are strict on contractor passes, insurance and gate access. Al Sajaa is warehouse and workshop territory, so the fit out is epoxy floors, mezzanine steel, three phase power and a SEWA load application. Offices in University City and Al Qasimia are constrained by parking, shared risers and after hours works rules rather than by structure.
Choosing a fit out company in Sharjah
Pick a contractor with its own workforce, a licence that covers building contracting and a project manager who is actually on site. Brokers who subcontract everything lose control of approvals and snagging.
- Confirm the trade licence activity is contracting, not general trading
- Ask how many of the crew are on the company payroll
- Ask for authority submissions completed in the same building
- Require a priced BOQ with quantities, not a lump sum per sqm
- Check workmen compensation and third party liability cover
- Agree the snagging list and the 12 month defect liability period in writing
As a commercial fit out company in the UAE, we run our own teams under our own licence and hand over drawings, NOCs and as builts together. You can review our completed fit out projects for offices, retail units and F&B spaces before you shortlist.
I have seen the work and site coordination of Monde Arabian Building Contracting LLC, and I can say their team is professional and well organized. hayat Berhe, 5/5
Frequently asked questions
How much does a commercial fit out cost per sqm in Sharjah?
Office fit out in Sharjah runs AED 350 to 650 per sqm for Cat B works, which is about AED 33 to 60 per sqft. F&B units cost AED 900 to 1,600 per sqm because of the kitchen extract, grease trap and cold room. Industrial units start around AED 150 per sqm for basic floor, power and lighting work.
How long does a Sharjah fit out permit take?
Sharjah Municipality approval usually takes 2 to 4 weeks, Civil Defence 2 to 3 weeks and SEWA 1 to 2 weeks. Run in sequence, that is 4 to 8 weeks before work starts, and longer if the unit needs a power upgrade or a change of use.
Do free zone units need Sharjah Municipality approval?
Not for the building permit. Saif Zone and Hamriyah Free Zone issue their own fit out and building approvals. You still need Civil Defence sign off on fire and life safety, and the water and electricity connection is handled through the free zone and SEWA.
Can you fit out a unit while the business is trading?
Yes, with a phased programme. We isolate work zones with hoarding and dust screens, run noisy work outside trading hours and keep fire exits and sprinkler coverage live throughout. Mall units and older buildings in Sharjah usually require night works.
What is the fastest a commercial fit out can be delivered?
A small Cat A office under 200 sqm can be handed over in 6 to 8 weeks if drawings are ready at the start and long lead items are standard stock. Add a commercial kitchen or a change of use and the realistic floor is 10 to 12 weeks.
