Commercial renovation Dubai: costs, scope and timeline
Commercial renovation in Dubai normally lands between AED 120 and AED 600 per sq ft depending on the segment, with a 2,000 to 3,000 sq ft office refresh running 6 to 10 weeks and a restaurant closer to 14 weeks. This guide sets out the scope, real AED benchmarks, the DET approval route and the contractor checks that keep a live premises trading through the work.
Why work with Monde
- 50+ in-house renovation specialists working under our own trade licence
- Commercial-only portfolio covering offices, retail, F&B and hospitality
- In-house project managers and site engineers on every project
- DET, DDA, Trakhees and Civil Defence approval paperwork handled by our team
- Itemised BOQ and fixed scope issued before mobilisation
- Snagging, handover and defects liability period tracked per site
What counts as commercial renovation in the UAE
A commercial renovation is any upgrade to a licensed commercial premises that keeps its existing use, from a reception and ceiling refresh through to a full layout, MEP and washroom overhaul. Anything that changes the activity on the trade licence becomes a different exercise with a different approval path.
Most Dubai mainland premises run through DET, the Department of Economy and Tourism, which issues the fit out and renovation permit and inspects on completion. Free zones and master developments sit outside that. DDA covers TECOM districts such as Dubai Internet City and Dubai Design District, Trakhees covers JAFZA and Dubai Maritime City, and DIFC has its own authority. In Abu Dhabi the route runs through ADDED and the municipality, in Sharjah through SEDD and Sharjah Civil Defence. Wherever you are, the landlord NOC and the Civil Defence submission sit alongside the permit.
Working inside an occupied building adds its own constraints. Loading bay and lift bookings, protection of common areas, dust and noise limits, fire alarm isolation and after-hours access are all agreed before mobilisation, not during it.
Commercial fit out vs renovation in Dubai
A fit out takes a shell and core or CAT A unit to first occupation. A renovation changes a space that is already working. CAT A is the base building standard, meaning structure, core, main MEP and a services grid. CAT B is what the tenant then builds on top, meaning partitions, ceilings, lighting, joinery, flooring and signage.
The price difference is real. Fit out from shell in Dubai usually sits between AED 180 and AED 350 per sq ft, while renovating an existing premises runs AED 250 to AED 450 per sq ft for a similar footprint. You are paying for demolition, temporary protection, working around live MEP and often for night shifts. If you are comparing the two, our breakdown of commercial fit out costs in Dubai explains where the money goes line by line.
Scope by segment, and what drives the AED number
Office
The number depends on how much of the base build you touch. A paint, carpet and lighting refresh is the cheapest route. New partitions and glazing, HVAC rebalancing, power and data distribution, acoustic ceilings, a pantry and washroom upgrades are what push an office project toward the top of the range. In Business Bay and JLT buildings also charge for lift protection, hoarding and out-of-hours access. See our notes on office renovation in Dubai for the scope list we price against.
Ceiling and lighting redesign is usually the single largest line in a Dubai office renovation budget.
Retail
High street units in Deira, Karama or Al Quoz are simpler and cheaper to renovate. Mall units in Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates or City Walk add mall management approvals, night-only working, shopfront and signage permits, and a refundable fit out deposit. Flooring, shopfront glazing and POS power are the real cost drivers, not the paint.
F&B
Restaurants and cafes are the most regulated and the most expensive per sq ft. Kitchen extraction and duct routing, grease trap, three phase power, gas and drainage, cold room, and Civil Defence approval for the suppression system drive the budget. A full restaurant build or rebuild usually starts around AED 600 per sq ft. Our restaurant fit out in Dubai article covers the kitchen side in detail.
Hospitality
Hotel and serviced apartment work is priced floor by floor. Guest room refurbishment covers FF&E, joinery, bathrooms, soft goods and lighting, and runs AED 700 to AED 1,500 per sq ft. Lobby and outlet work often costs more. The planning constraint matters as much as the price, because hotels rarely close, so works are phased around occupancy.
Industrial and warehouse
Mezzanine structures, racking, epoxy flooring, ventilation and office pods inside a warehouse unit run AED 80 to AED 180 per sq ft. Units in Dubai Investment Park, Jebel Ali and the Sharjah industrial areas are faster to renovate because there is no common area protection or mall calendar to work around.
Commercial renovation cost in Dubai: AED per sq ft
Expect AED 120 to AED 250 per sq ft for an office refresh that keeps the existing layout, and AED 600 to AED 1,200 per sq ft for a restaurant. The table below is the band we quote from most often.
| Segment | Range per sq ft | Main cost driver |
|---|---|---|
| Office refresh, layout kept | AED 120 to 250 | Ceiling, lighting, flooring, paint |
| Office renovation, new layout | AED 250 to 450 | Partitions, HVAC, power and data, washrooms |
| Retail, shell or stripped unit | AED 350 to 600 | Shopfront, flooring, signage, mall requirements |
| Restaurant or cafe | AED 600 to 1,200 | Extraction, grease trap, gas, three phase power, Civil Defence |
| Hotel room or outlet refurbishment | AED 700 to 1,500 | FF&E, bathrooms, joinery, soft goods |
| Warehouse or light industrial | AED 80 to 180 | Mezzanine, epoxy floor, ventilation, office pod |
Worked example for a 2,000 to 3,000 sq ft office. A 2,000 sq ft light refresh at AED 125 per sq ft lands near AED 250,000. A 2,500 sq ft renovation with new partitions, ceiling, lighting and pantry sits at AED 200 per sq ft, about AED 500,000. A 3,000 sq ft full renovation with HVAC changes, new washrooms and an upgraded reception reaches AED 750,000 at AED 250 per sq ft.
Authority costs sit on top. A DET fit out permit is roughly AED 2,000 to AED 6,000 depending on area and scope. Civil Defence approval runs AED 1,500 to AED 5,000 where fire alarm, sprinkler or extraction work is involved. DEWA sub-meter or load changes sit at AED 1,000 to AED 3,000. Buildings and malls ask for refundable deposits of AED 5,000 to AED 20,000. Budgets in Sharjah and Ajman often come in 5 to 10 percent below Dubai mainland on the same specification, while Abu Dhabi mall retail tracks close to Dubai.
Commercial renovation timeline: 6 to 14 weeks
Plan for 6 to 14 weeks from survey to handover, with the longer end for F&B, hospitality and any project that needs night shifts or phased occupation.
- Site survey and scope freeze, 3 to 7 days.
- BOQ, drawings and permit submission, 2 to 4 weeks with DET or the free zone authority.
- Mobilisation, hoarding, protection and lift booking, 2 to 3 days.
- Demolition and MEP first fix, 1 to 3 weeks.
- Partitions, ceilings, joinery and finishes, 3 to 6 weeks.
- MEP second fix, testing and authority inspections, 1 to 2 weeks.
- Snagging, deep clean and handover, 3 to 7 days.
Night and after-hours working is normal in malls and occupied towers. Expect a permit fee of roughly AED 500 to AED 2,000, a refundable access deposit, and 10 to 20 percent added to labour cost for shift work.
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 stars
Washroom and pantry upgrades are the fastest way to lift a space when the work has to be phased around trading hours.
Choosing a commercial renovation company in Dubai
Check four things before you sign: the trade licence and DET classification, whether the workforce sits on the contractor's own payroll, the insurance certificates, and the snagging process. A contractor who brokered out the labour cannot control programme or site safety, and the permit is issued to the licensed party, not to a middleman.
Ask for the workmen's compensation policy, third party liability cover and contract works insurance. Ask who the project manager is and how many live sites that person is running. Ask for a defects liability period in writing, usually 12 months, with 5 to 10 percent retention held until snagging closes. Then ask for references in your segment, because a retail contractor is not automatically an F&B contractor.
Their team is professional and well organized. They understand site conditions, client requirements, material coordination hayat Berhe, 5 stars
Monde holds a Google rating of 5 from 3 reviews, and we keep the portfolio commercial only. Our other commercial fit out and renovation guides cover the segment detail, and you can book a commercial renovation site visit when you are ready for a priced BOQ.
Frequently asked questions
What does commercial renovation cost in Dubai per square foot?
Most Dubai commercial renovation projects land between AED 120 and AED 600 per sq ft, depending on the segment and how much MEP you touch. An office refresh that keeps the layout sits at the bottom of that band, a new office layout runs AED 250 to AED 450, retail AED 350 to AED 600, and a restaurant AED 600 to AED 1,200. Authority fees, deposits and night shift premiums are charged on top.
How long does a commercial renovation take in Dubai?
Six to ten weeks is normal for an office, and 10 to 14 weeks for retail, F&B or hospitality work. Permit approval alone takes two to four weeks with DET or a free zone authority, so submission should start as soon as the drawings are ready. Phased and night works add duration but keep the premises trading.
Do I need DET approval to renovate an office in Dubai?
Yes. Any renovation to a licensed commercial premises needs a fit out or renovation permit from DET on the Dubai mainland, or from DDA, Trakhees or DIFC in the relevant free zone and master development. You also need a landlord NOC and a Civil Defence submission if fire alarm, sprinkler, extraction or gas systems change.
Can you renovate while we keep trading?
Yes, this is most of what we do. Works are phased area by area, with hoarding, dust screens and negative pressure units in place, and noisy trades moved to night or weekend slots. Fire alarm isolation and lift access are booked with building management in advance so the site stays compliant.
What is the difference between a commercial fit out and a commercial renovation in Dubai?
A fit out takes a shell and core or CAT A unit to first occupation, so everything is built from scratch. A renovation upgrades a premises that is already licensed and working, which adds demolition, protection and out-of-hours working. Fit out in Dubai runs AED 180 to AED 350 per sq ft, renovation AED 250 to AED 450 for similar office scope.
Do you handle commercial renovation in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah?
Yes, we work across the UAE. Abu Dhabi projects run through ADDED and the municipality, Sharjah through SEDD and Sharjah Civil Defence, and each emirate has its own inspection sequence. Scope and finish rates are similar, though material and labour costs in Sharjah and Ajman usually sit slightly below Dubai mainland.
