Fit-Out Cost per Sq Ft in Dubai: How It Is Priced and What Changes the Number

Why a single figure is misleading

A rate per sq ft for a basic open-plan office and a rate for a restaurant kitchen or a clinic are different products. Even for similar offices, the rate changes with the specification, the amount of building services work, the hours you can work in and what the landlord has already provided. A number without a scope is not useful.

Shell and core, Category A and Category B

Understanding these terms is the first step, because they define what you are paying for.

• Shell and core: the base building as delivered by the developer, usually with structure, façade and main services but no internal finishes
• Category A: a basic, usable base, typically ceilings, lighting, air-conditioning distribution, flooring and basic finishes, ready for the tenant’s own layout
• Category B: the tenant-specific fit-out, such as partitions, meeting rooms, joinery, branding, specialist rooms, furniture, IT and AV

What is inside a fit-out cost

• Design, drawings and authority and landlord approvals
• Civil and partition works, including drywall, glass partitions and doors
• Ceilings and lighting
• Flooring and wall finishes, including painting and wallcoverings
• MEP: air-conditioning changes, electrical, plumbing, fire alarm and sprinkler modifications
• Joinery: reception desks, pantries, meeting-room tables, storage and panelling
• Glass and aluminium works
• Furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E), where included
• IT cabling, AV and security systems, where included
• Project management, site supervision, insurance and statutory fees

What moves the rate up or down

• Specification: standard finishes versus high-end materials, bespoke joinery and feature elements
• MEP complexity: restaurants, clinics and server rooms need much more building services than a standard office
• Layout density: many small rooms cost more per sq ft than open plan
• Building rules: restricted working hours, lift access and landlord-approved contractors
• Programme: a compressed schedule needs more labour and out-of-hours work
• Floor area: larger areas usually reduce the rate per sq ft because fixed costs are spread over more space
• Landlord works: what the landlord already provides, such as ceilings or air-conditioning, changes your scope
• Reinstatement: some leases require you to return the space to its original state at the end of the term

Which fit-outs cost more, in general

As a general pattern, standard offices sit at the lower end. Retail stores depend heavily on the brand specification. Restaurants and cafés are higher because of kitchens, ventilation and extraction. Clinics and healthcare spaces are higher still because of medical-grade services and compliance. These are relationships between project types, not quotations, and your own scope will decide where you land.

How to build a realistic budget

• Get the landlord’s fit-out guide and note what the base building already includes
• Write a brief: area, number of workstations, meeting rooms, special rooms and finish level
• Ask for a BOQ-based quotation with quantities and rates for each trade, not a single lump sum
• Add allowances for FF&E, IT and AV if they are not in the contractor’s scope
• Include approval fees, insurance and any reinstatement obligations
• Hold a contingency for changes during construction

How Artirior prices fit-out

We visit the space, review your brief and the landlord’s requirements and issue an itemised BOQ so you can see the cost by trade. Because we manufacture our own joinery and glass and aluminium in Al Quoz, these items are priced from our own production rather than a sub-contractor’s mark-up.

Rules and approval steps differ by community, building and authority and change over time. Treat this as a guide, and confirm current requirements for your property before work starts.

Frequently asked questions