Renovating an apartment in Dubai is a different job from renovating a villa, and the difference is the building around it.
You are working inside someone else's structure and rules - a management company with working-hour restrictions, a service lift that has to be booked, common areas that must be protected, and building-owned systems you cannot touch. Get the renovation right and none of that is a problem; ignore it and you get stop-work notices, damaged corridors and neighbour complaints.
A proper apartment renovation is also a coordination exercise between trades. The demolition, electrician, plumber, tiler, kitchen fitter and painter all have to work in the right order - the plumbing right before the tiling, the wiring in before the ceilings close, the waterproofing tested before anything covers it. When those trades are split between separate contractors, the joins are where apartments go wrong.
Apartment Renovation Services
We handle apartment projects from a focused upgrade to a full renovation of the whole unit. The value of one accountable team is that the apartment is planned as a whole, the trades are sequenced correctly, and one company manages the building's requirements rather than leaving you to coordinate separate contractors and the management office.
Full renovation
Multiple rooms and systems reworked together as one project for a cleaner result.
Partial renovation
Selected areas such as kitchens, bathrooms or flooring upgraded around your budget.
Cosmetic refresh
Painting, lighting and finishes updated without major works.
Space planning
Layouts that improve flow, storage and how the apartment functions every day.
MEP coordination
Electrical, plumbing and AC work aligned with the renovation scope and building rules.
Approvals and access
Building management coordination, lift booking and common-area protection handled properly.
Complete Apartment Renovation Services
Typically included
- Site assessment, measured drawings and space planning
- Interior design and material selection
- Building and community coordination and approval handling
- Demolition, strip-out and debris removal
- Electrical rewiring, new points and lighting
- Plumbing and drainage adjustments
- Waterproofing to wet areas
- Kitchen renovation and joinery
- Bathroom renovation
- Flooring throughout
- False ceilings, gypsum work and lighting
- Wardrobes and built-in storage
- Painting and decorative finishes
- AC/HVAC adjustments where needed
- Snagging, cleaning and handover
Usually quoted separately
- Major structural changes
- Authority fees or third-party approvals
- Specialist smart-home or automation systems
- Loose furniture and appliances
- Building deposit or access charges where applicable
Apartment Interior Design and Space Planning
Good design in an apartment is mostly about making a fixed footprint work harder. Space is usually the constraint, so the design starts with how you live and where the space is being wasted - an awkward hallway, a closed-off kitchen, a bedroom short on storage - and reworks the layout within what the structure and building allow.
Because load-bearing walls, service risers and wet-area positions are often fixed in an apartment, good planning works around them: opening a non-structural wall to connect a kitchen and living area, adding full-height storage, or improving flow and light without moving what cannot be moved.
Open-plan improvements
Where the structure allows, we improve flow between kitchen, dining and living areas.
Storage planning
Built-in storage, wardrobes and utility solutions that reclaim wasted space.
Light and circulation
Layouts and finishes chosen to make the apartment feel brighter and calmer.
Realistic layouts
Confirmed against structural and building constraints before work is priced in.
Kitchen Renovation
The kitchen is usually the highest-impact room in an apartment renovation, for daily use and for resale. A good apartment kitchen renovation covers new cabinetry built on moisture-resistant carcasses, a durable worktop, updated plumbing and electrical for the layout, extraction, and finishes that suit the space.
Apartment kitchens bring their own constraints: extraction usually routes to an existing point, and plumbing and electrical work stays within the unit's infrastructure. Our kitchen renovation service covers the full scope, planned to your apartment rather than a standard package.
Bathroom Renovation
Bathrooms are where apartment renovations most often fail later, almost always because of waterproofing done poorly or skipped. A proper bathroom renovation needs a full waterproofing membrane across the floor and up wet walls, every corner and pipe detailed, and a water test before tiling.
We handle hard water with suitable fittings and slope floors correctly to the drain. In a stacked building, waterproofing protects both your apartment and your neighbours'.
Flooring and Wall Finishes
Flooring is one of the largest surfaces in an apartment and one of the most affected by building rules. Many Dubai buildings require an acoustic underlay beneath hard flooring, or restrict the type of flooring on upper floors, to control noise transfer to the unit below - so the specification has to satisfy the building, not just your taste.
Large-format porcelain suits living areas and wet zones; engineered wood or quality vinyl brings warmth to bedrooms. Wall finishes carry the design: humidity-tolerant paint, feature walls, and clean detailing at every junction.
Electrical and Lighting Upgrades
Older apartments often have wiring and a distribution board that were not planned for how we live now. An electrical upgrade can involve reworking circuits to a new layout, adding well-placed sockets and data points, upgrading the distribution board where the load requires, and planning a layered lighting scheme.
Any electrical work stays within the apartment's supply and the building's requirements, which we confirm rather than assume.
Plumbing and Water-Related Renovation
Plumbing in an apartment works within fixed service risers and drainage points, so the design has to respect where water can realistically go. Renovation work covers renewing tired supply and waste pipework within the unit, correcting drainage falls, adjusting for new layouts, and checking water pressure.
Moving a bathroom or kitchen far from its existing drainage is often impractical, so we advise early on what is feasible.
Doors, Wardrobes and Built-In Storage
Storage is where apartments are usually short, so built-in joinery earns its place. We design and build fitted wardrobes that use full height, built-in storage for awkward corners and alcoves, media units, and updated internal doors and hardware - all made to measure rather than forced in as standard units.
Because apartments waste height and corners more than villas, well-planned storage is one of the highest-value parts of a renovation.
Apartment Renovation Process
- Site assessment. We inspect the apartment, assess its condition and existing systems, and understand your goals and budget.
- Scope definition. We agree exactly what is being renovated - cosmetic, partial or full - so the quote and plan match your intentions.
- Design and planning. Layout, finishes and material selections are developed and agreed, with an itemised fixed quote.
- Building coordination. We handle the building's access requirements and any approval or NOC the management requires before work starts.
- Protection and strip-out. Common areas, lifts and the apartment itself are protected, and debris cleared on schedule.
- MEP first fix. Electrical, plumbing and AC work goes in, and waterproofing is applied and tested in wet areas before anything is covered.
- Construction and finishes. Flooring, tiling, ceilings, kitchen and bathrooms, joinery, painting and lighting.
- Snagging and handover. We inspect against a snag list, correct anything that is not right, clean, and hand over the finished apartment.
Apartment Renovation Cost in Dubai
Apartment renovation in Dubai typically costs from around AED 25,000 for a cosmetic refresh to AED 320,000 or more for a full mid-range renovation, with premium and larger apartments running higher. An accurate price always needs a site inspection and a defined scope.
| Scope | Indicative cost (AED) | Typical fit |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetic refresh | 25,000 - 60,000 | Painting, lighting and finishes without major works. |
| Partial renovation | 60,000 - 180,000 | Selected rooms or systems updated within budget. |
| Full mid-range | 120,000 - 320,000 | Multiple spaces and systems renovated together. |
| Premium full renovation | 250,000 - 400,000+ | Higher-spec materials and a more complete rework. |
| Luxury / penthouse | 350,000 - 600,000+ | Large apartments with premium finishes and scope. |
The biggest factors are the scope, the apartment's size and condition, the kitchen and bathrooms, flooring and acoustic requirements, the MEP work, finish quality and building access.
Renovation Timeline
An apartment renovation in Dubai typically takes from about 1-3 weeks for a cosmetic refresh to 6-12 weeks for a full one- or two-bedroom, with premium or larger apartments running 12-24 weeks or more. A single kitchen or bathroom usually falls around 3-8 weeks.
Building access, lift booking, approvals and material lead times affect the timeline, so we plan around both and give you a dated schedule with the quote.
Building Management, Access and Approval Considerations
Most Dubai buildings have their own renovation rules, and many require approval or a No Objection Certificate from the building or community management before work can start. Requirements vary by building, so they should always be confirmed with the relevant management and any applicable authority rather than assumed.
We manage access, protect common areas, book service lifts, and keep the work within the rules so your renovation is not interrupted and you do not lose a deposit.
Why Choose Professional Apartment Renovation Contractors
One team, correctly sequenced
Design, MEP, construction and finishing sit under one contract and one point of contact.
We manage the building side
Access, working hours, common-area protection and approval requirements are handled as part of the project.
Hidden work done properly
Waterproofing, MEP and sequencing get real attention because they are what a cheap job cuts.
Fixed, itemised quotes
After the site visit and defined scope, you get a clear written quote without vague pricing.
Apartment Renovation FAQs
How much does apartment renovation cost in Dubai?
Roughly from AED 25,000 for a cosmetic refresh to AED 320,000 or more for a full mid-range renovation, with premium and larger apartments higher. The biggest factors are the scope, the apartment's size and condition, and the kitchen and bathrooms.
How long does an apartment renovation take?
From about 1-3 weeks for a cosmetic refresh to 6-12 weeks for a full one- or two-bedroom, with premium or larger apartments running 12-24 weeks or more. A single kitchen or bathroom is usually 3-8 weeks.
What does apartment renovation include?
It can range from a cosmetic refresh to a full renovation covering design, demolition, electrical, plumbing, waterproofing, kitchen and bathrooms, flooring, ceilings, joinery, painting and finishing.
Do apartment renovations require building approval in Dubai?
Often, yes. Many buildings and communities require approval or a No Objection Certificate from management before work starts, and set rules on working hours, access and debris.
Can I live in the apartment during the renovation?
For a cosmetic refresh or a single-room job, sometimes yes. For a full renovation, most owners move out because of dust, noise and services being offline, and building rules often make living through major work impractical.
Can kitchens, bathrooms, flooring and MEP all be upgraded?
Yes. These are the core of most apartment renovations, and we coordinate them in the correct sequence so one trade does not undo another.
Let's plan your apartment renovation properly.
Book a site assessment or request a quote, and we'll inspect the apartment, agree the scope, and follow up with a design and a fixed itemised quote - with the building access, approvals, MEP and finishing all handled by one team.
