How to compare villa renovation quotes in Dubai
Two quotes for the same villa in Dubai almost never price the same work, so the total at the bottom is not comparable until the scope matches line by line. This guide lists the nine items to check, works through a 100,000 AED quote against a 185,000 AED quote, and names the clauses that should end the conversation.
Why work with ROUND TRIANGLE DECORATION CO. L.L.C
- Line by line reading of the villa renovation quote you already hold
- One clear price for the same villa work, from 100,000 AED
- No fee for the quote review itself
- Scope differences written down in AED rather than explained over the phone
- Two working day turnaround on most reviews
- One WhatsApp contact for the whole review on +971 50 786 0555
Why two Dubai villa quotes for identical work land 40 to 80 percent apart
The gap is scope wording, not rates. Labour and material rates across licensed Dubai contractors sit inside a narrow band, usually within 15 percent for the same specification, so a 40, 60 or 80 percent difference almost always means two documents describing two different jobs.
The usual culprits:
- One quote prices two bathrooms, the other prices three
- Permits for DET and Dubai Municipality sit inside one contract and on the client account in the other
- A 9,000 AED provisional sum where the finished bathrooms will realistically cost 22,000 AED
- Demolition, debris removal and disposal are left out altogether
- Snagging is a verbal promise rather than a written period
Before you read another total, get the benchmark. Our guide to villa renovation cost per square foot in Dubai gives the per square foot bands that make a suspicious number obvious in about ten seconds.
The nine line items to compare every time
Put both quotes on the table and work down this list. Every line that appears in one quote and not the other is a number you will pay later, either as a variation or at retail to somebody else.
1. Demolition and MEP
Check whether breaking out, debris removal and disposal at a licensed tip are inside the price. Clearing demolition waste from a villa commonly runs 6,000 to 12,000 AED. Then count electrical points and ask whether AC ducting is being altered or only reconnected.
2. Blockwork and plaster
New partitions priced per square metre, lintels over new openings, and the plaster tolerance the finisher is working to. Vague wording here is where 10,000 AED variations appear two weeks into the job.
3. Waterproofing
Which wet areas, which membrane, how many years of warranty. A bathroom and roof waterproofing package for a villa usually lands between 500 and 900 AED per square metre. A quote that waterproofs two bathrooms when the villa has three has already explained why it is cheaper.
4. Joinery against off the shelf
Built in wardrobes and kitchens priced per linear metre, or a vague line about carpentry with no quantities. Fitted wardrobes in Dubai typically run 1,800 to 2,600 AED per linear metre including doors and internals.
villa renovation quotes Dubai" loading="lazy" decoding="async" /> Skirting and floor meeting cleanly on the line. Ask for that detail in writing before you sign.
5. Sanitary ware and tiles as PC sums
A provisional sum of 9,000 AED for three bathrooms is a starting point, not a price. Check the brand list, the number of pieces, and who pays the overrun when the client picks a 2,400 AED basin instead of a 700 AED one.
6. DET and Dubai Municipality permit fees
Anything touching structure, plumbing or the facade needs approval before work starts. Ask who applies, whose name is on the application, and whether the 5,000 to 12,000 AED fee sits inside the contract sum or on your account.
7. DEWA and utility clearance
Meter upgrades, load checks, temporary supply while the villa is unoccupied, disconnection and reconnection for final testing. Small lines individually, painful to arrange alone.
8. Snagging and handover
How long the snagging period runs, how many rectification visits are included, and which documents arrive at handover. Thirty days is a reasonable minimum for a villa. Seven days is not a snagging period.
9. Timeline with penalties
Stage dates rather than one total of fourteen weeks, plus a weekly delay figure. A programme with no penalty costs the contractor nothing when it slips.
A worked AED example: 100,000 AED against 185,000 AED
In this comparison the cheaper quote is not the cheaper job. Both cover the same 4 bedroom villa, with works limited to three bathrooms and the ground floor living and dining area, about 900 sq ft of renovated floor area. This is the structure of a real villa renovation quote comparison in Dubai, with the numbers rounded.
| Line | Quote A, 100,000 AED | Quote B, 185,000 AED |
|---|---|---|
| Demolition and debris removal | Included, tip fees excluded | Included |
| Waterproofing | 2 bathrooms | 3 bathrooms plus roof parapet |
| Kitchen and wardrobes | No kitchen, wardrobes off the shelf | Custom kitchen and fitted wardrobes |
| Sanitary ware and tiles | 9,000 AED allowance, client buys above it | 22,000 AED allowance, supplied and fitted |
| DET and Dubai Municipality permits | Client account, no figure given | Included at 8,500 AED |
| DEWA clearance | Not mentioned | Included |
| Snagging | 7 days | 30 days with a written list |
| Programme | 10 weeks, no delay penalty | 14 weeks, 1,500 AED per week for late handover |
Quote A leaves roughly 78,000 AED of work on your side of the table. Priced at retail, with a second contractor mobilisation premium on top, that is 8,500 AED for permits, 4,500 AED for DEWA, 28,000 AED for the kitchen, 12,000 AED for the third bathroom, 13,000 AED for the sanitary and tile top up, 6,000 AED for roof parapet waterproofing and 6,000 AED for ducting alterations.
Add those up and Quote A lands at 178,000 AED. Per square foot on the work it names, Quote A is 111 AED and Quote B is 205 AED. Once the exclusions are priced in, Quote A reaches 198 AED per square foot. The two sit within 4 percent of each other, and Quote A still comes with four extra suppliers, seven days of snagging and no delay penalty. That is the point where the cheaper quote stops being cheaper.
Five clauses that should never appear in a villa renovation quote
Any one of these turns a comparison into guesswork. Two in the same document is a signal to keep looking.
- Open ended PC sums. Wording about adjustment at market rate instead of a fixed allowance with a brand attached.
- Permit fees to the client account with no number shown. If the contractor will not name the figure, you cannot compare.
- An advance above 40 percent of the contract value before mobilisation. Payment stages should follow completed milestones.
- No snagging period, or a period shorter than fourteen days.
- No named project manager, no phone number on the quote, and no reporting rhythm during the works.
Most surprises in a villa renovation come from the gaps between documents rather than the work itself. We break down the common ones in our guide to villa renovation hidden costs in Dubai.
Accent wall, lighting and flooring carried in one scope line rather than split across two suppliers.
The one page comparison checklist
Print this and fill it in for every quote you hold.
- Demolition, debris removal and disposal, with quantities
- Number of electrical points and AC ducts being altered
- Wet areas waterproofed, plus membrane brand and warranty years
- Joinery listed per linear metre against off the shelf
- PC sums as fixed allowances with brands named
- Permit fees in AED and the name of the applicant
- DEWA clearance, temporary supply and reconnection
- Snagging days and the rectification visit rule
- Stage dates and the weekly delay figure
- Payment stages, each tied to a completed milestone
- VAT treatment on every line
- Who supplies tiles, sanitary ware and door hardware
What to do with a quote you already have
You do not need to start again. Send the quote you already hold and we will read it line by line, flag the weak items, and give you a clear price for the same villa work, from 100,000 AED.
- Send the PDF or clear photos on WhatsApp to +971 50 786 0555, or use the contact page on this site.
- We read every line, including the exclusions page and the small print at the bottom.
- We list what is missing: permits, DEWA clearance, waterproofing, snagging, delay penalties, payment stages.
- We send back a written villa renovation quote review in Dubai terms, line by line, against the same villa work.
- You decide with two comparable documents side by side instead of two totals.
To start today, send us the villa renovation quote you already have and we will reply within two working days. More background sits in our villa renovation guides.
Frequently asked questions
Is the cheapest villa renovation quote usually the best?
No. The lowest total is normally the shortest scope, so the number on the page is not the number you will pay. Once missing items such as permits, DEWA clearance, waterproofing and snagging are priced at retail, a 100,000 AED quote can reach 178,000 AED. Judge a quote on cost per unit of real work, not on the headline.
How many villa renovation quotes should I get in Dubai?
Three is usually enough, and all three should be prepared against the same scope document so the comparison means something. Give each contractor the same drawings, the same finishes schedule and the same list of inclusions. If you already hold one quote, a second opinion on a villa renovation quote in Dubai is often faster than restarting the process.
Do you charge for a quote review?
No. Reading the quote you already have and sending back a line by line comparison is not billed separately. There is no fee for the price we send back, and the review carries no obligation to appoint us.
How long does a quote review take?
Most villa quotes are read and answered within two working days. If the quote is thin on detail or the drawings are missing, we may come back with questions first, which can add a day. Send the full document rather than the totals page so nothing has to be guessed.
Should I compare villa renovation quotes per square foot?
Only after the scope matches. Per square foot is a fast sanity check on how much a villa renovation costs in Dubai, and it exposes numbers that are clearly too low. It does not replace the line by line comparison, because two quotes can show the same rate per square foot while covering different work.
