Commercial fit out process in Dubai: timeline and costs
The commercial fit out process in Dubai runs through six stages: design and authority drawings, joinery production, permit approval, site works and MEP, inspections, then snagging and handover. A 100 sqm office typically lands between 8 and 12 weeks, while retail and F&B run 10 to 16 weeks because Civil Defence and food control approvals sit in the chain.
If you are shortlisting contractors now, book a fit-out consultation in Dubai and we will map your unit against the timeline below.
Why work with Crafty Clare decoration design LLC
- Turnkey commercial fit out from design drawings to final finishing
- In-house joinery workshop in Jebel Ali
- Counters, desks and millwork produced locally instead of imported
- One point of contact for design, production, installation and handover
- Direct phone and WhatsApp line on 0508570938
What counts as a commercial fit out in Dubai
A commercial fit out is the internal build-out of a leased or owned unit, taking it from shell and core or CAT A base build to a working office, shop or restaurant. The approving authority depends on where the unit sits. Most mainland premises fall under Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, or DET. Free zones and master-developed districts run their own route, and Jebel Ali Free Zone, DIFC and Dubai South each have separate portals and fees.
Three base build levels appear in tenancy offers:
- Shell and core. Structure, slab and glazing only. No internal MEP, no ceilings.
- CAT A. Landlord base build with raised floor, ceiling grid, sprinklers, basic HVAC and power to the floor.
- CAT B. Your fit out. Partitions, ceilings, lighting, joinery, flooring, data and branding.
The level you inherit decides the budget. CAT B on a CAT A floor is the normal commercial case in Dubai. A shell and core retail unit needs extra MEP and drainage work before any finishing starts.
Joinery, stone work and lighting built in our own workshop in Jebel Ali and installed as one package.
The commercial fit out process in Dubai, step by step
Most projects follow the same eight steps, and skipping one usually pushes the handover date.
- Site survey and brief. Measure the unit, check slab height, power capacity and drainage, then agree how many workstations or covers you need.
- Concept and detailed drawings. Layout, finishes, ceiling plan, MEP drawings and joinery shop drawings. Changes here are cheap. Changes after permit submission are not.
- Authority submission. DET fit out approval on the mainland, DDA or free zone approval where relevant, and Civil Defence drawings for F&B.
- Contractor appointment and BOQ sign off. Compare office fit out contractors in Dubai on fixed scope, unit rates, exclusions and a programme with real dates.
- Off-site joinery production. Reception desks, counters and storage built in the workshop while the site is still being stripped.
- Site works. Demolition, MEP first fix, partitions, ceilings, joinery, flooring, painting and second fix.
- DEWA connection and inspections. Meter, load checks and authority inspections before you can trade.
- Snagging and handover. Snag list closed, as-built drawings and warranty documents handed over.
Steps two to four can overlap. Steps five and six should overlap deliberately, which is where an in-house workshop saves weeks.
How long does a fit out take in Dubai
For a 100 sqm CAT B office, plan 8 to 12 weeks from signed drawings to handover. Retail runs 10 to 14 weeks and F&B can reach 16 weeks, because Civil Defence and food control inspections add stages you cannot compress.
| Stage | Typical duration, 100 sqm office |
|---|---|
| Concept and detailed drawings | 2 to 3 weeks |
| DET permit submission and approval | 2 to 4 weeks |
| Joinery production | 3 to 4 weeks, runs in parallel |
| Site works and MEP | 4 to 6 weeks |
| Inspections, snagging and handover | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Total | 8 to 12 weeks |
A 100 sqm office in Jebel Ali usually sits at the faster end because the joinery is built minutes from the site. A free zone unit with its own approval portal can add a week or two at the front. Ask for the permit stage as its own line with dates. If it is bundled into one lump number, the programme is a guess.
Handover stage: doors, ironmongery and finishes checked and signed off before the tenant moves in.
What drives commercial fit out cost in Dubai
Budget on a rate per square metre, then adjust for the services you need. In Dubai, office fit out sits at around AED 1,800 to 3,500 per sqm. Retail and F&B run AED 2,500 to 5,000 per sqm and above, with kitchens, grease traps, extraction and cold rooms pushing the top of that band.
Worked example. A 100 sqm office in Jebel Ali at AED 2,400 per sqm comes to about AED 240,000.
- Design, drawings and authority submission: AED 18,000
- Partitions, ceilings and glazing: AED 55,000
- MEP and DEWA works: AED 45,000
- Joinery and reception desk: AED 48,000
- Flooring, painting and finishing: AED 42,000
- Permits, inspections and contingency: AED 32,000
Five things move that number most: joinery volume, ceiling complexity, data and AV, the base build you inherit, and how many drawing revisions land after permit submission. Because joinery is built in our own workshop in Jebel Ali, there is no importer margin and no shipping delay on the items that usually decide your opening date. Our guide to office fit out cost in Dubai breaks the same numbers down by specification level, and retail fit out cost in Dubai covers shops and cafés.
Permits and compliance checklist for Dubai fit outs
Treat permits as a workstream, not paperwork. Confirm each item before you appoint anyone.
- Trade licence and Ejari tenancy contract in the unit name
- Landlord NOC and building management approval
- DET fit out permit and drawing approval
- DDA or free zone authority approval where the unit falls under one
- Civil Defence approval for F&B, assembly and some retail layouts
- Dubai Municipality food control approval for kitchens
- DEWA connection, meter and load approval
- Contractor insurance, licences and site access passes
- Signage permit, separate from the fit out permit
A small office usually needs the DET route only. A shop fit out in Dubai that sits inside a mall or a free zone can face three authorities at once, each one wanting its own drawing set.
Common delays, and why a turnkey contractor de-risks the schedule
The same handful of problems cause most overruns in Dubai: drawings submitted before the layout is frozen, a missing landlord NOC, joinery ordered late from overseas, MEP changes after first fix, and variations that were never priced. A turnkey fit out in Dubai removes two of those by default, because joinery production and installation sit under one contract and one programme.
The rest is discipline. Freeze the layout before submission. Book DEWA and Civil Defence inspections the week the site opens, not the week you finish. Hold 8 to 10 percent contingency. And insist on a single programme with named dates for permit, site works and handover. If you want design, joinery and finishing under one team, see our office fit out contractor in Dubai service and we will price your unit against the timeline above.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a commercial fit out take in Dubai?
Most 100 sqm offices take 8 to 12 weeks from signed drawings to handover. Retail units run 10 to 14 weeks and F&B can reach 16 weeks once Civil Defence and food control inspections are counted. Permit approval and joinery lead time decide whether you land at the fast or the slow end.
How much does a commercial fit out cost in Dubai?
Office fit out runs about AED 1,800 to 3,500 per sqm, and retail or F&B runs AED 2,500 to 5,000 per sqm and above. A 100 sqm office at AED 2,400 per sqm works out at roughly AED 240,000 including design, MEP, joinery and permits. Kitchen extraction, cold rooms and mall requirements push F&B projects to the top of that range.
Do I need a DET fit out permit for my Dubai office or shop?
Yes, if the unit is on the mainland. A DET fit out permit is required before any internal works start, and the submission needs a trade licence, Ejari tenancy contract, landlord NOC and approved drawings. Units inside free zones and DDA governed districts go through their own authority, and some landlords add an approval layer on top.
Can I start fit out work before the permit is approved?
No. Starting early risks a stop work notice, fines and forced reinstatement, and it complicates your landlord and DEWA inspections later. Design and joinery production can start early because they happen off site and inside a workshop, which is the practical way to save time without breaking the rules.
What is the difference between CAT A and CAT B fit out?
CAT A is the landlord base build: raised floor, ceiling grid, sprinklers, basic HVAC and power to the floor. CAT B is your tenancy fit out on top of it, covering partitions, ceilings, lighting, joinery, flooring, data and branding. Lease agreements in Dubai usually state which one you receive, and it changes your budget by a large margin.
Do you handle DDA and Civil Defence approvals as part of the fit out?
We prepare and submit the drawing sets these approvals need as part of a turnkey package. Timelines depend on the authority and on how complete the landlord documents are, so we confirm the submission route for your unit before the programme is fixed. For F&B, kitchen layout and extraction drawings are the items that usually attract comments.
