A turnkey renovation in Dubai costs roughly AED 300 to 800 per sqft (AED 3,230 to 8,610 per sqm) for a standard to premium finish, with everything from design to handover in one contract. A full turnkey apartment renovation runs AED 250,000 to 1,100,000, and a turnkey villa runs AED 900,000 to 2,000,000, depending on size and finish. Cosmetic turnkey packages start nearer AED 150 to 300 per sqft.
What a Turnkey Renovation Means in Dubai
"Turnkey" means the project is delivered complete and ready to use. You sign one contract with one company, and they take responsibility for the whole chain: design, drawings, demolition, all trades, permits and the final clean. When it is done, you turn the key and move in. That single-contract structure is the defining feature, and it is what separates turnkey from the more common route of hiring a designer, a main contractor and separate suppliers yourself.
A standard Dubai turnkey package bundles the interior design and 3D visuals, the full build, MEP works (plumbing, electrical and cooling), joinery, kitchen and bathrooms, flooring and finishes, the building No-Objection Certificate and Dubai Municipality permit, and project management under one point of contact. FF&E (furniture, fixtures and equipment) is where the term gets loose: some contracts include the loose furniture and styling, others quote it as an optional line. Always confirm exactly where your package ends.
Turnkey Renovation Cost by Property Type
Turnkey pricing in Dubai is quoted per square foot, then multiplied by area and adjusted for finish level. The rates below reflect 2026 market pricing for a full-scope turnkey project. Per-sqm figures are included for convenience.
| Property Type | Rate / sqft | Rate / sqm | Typical Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apartment (1 to 2 bed) | AED 300 to 550 / sqft | AED 3,230 to 5,920 / sqm | AED 250,000 to 500,000 |
| Apartment (3 to 4 bed) | AED 350 to 650 / sqft | AED 3,770 to 7,000 / sqm | AED 550,000 to 1,100,000 |
| Villa (3 to 4 bed) | AED 350 to 800 / sqft | AED 3,770 to 8,610 / sqm | AED 900,000 to 2,000,000 |
| Office / commercial | AED 300 to 1,200 / sqft | AED 3,230 to 12,920 / sqm | AED 350,000 to 1,500,000+ |
Apartment (1 to 2 bed): A 900 to 1,200 sqft flat, full strip-out, new kitchen and bathrooms, flooring, joinery and finishes under one contract.
Apartment (3 to 4 bed): Larger unit, two to four bathrooms, more joinery and a bigger kitchen push the total up even at the same per-sqft rate.
Villa (3 to 4 bed): A 2,500 to 3,500 sqft villa. External works, landscaping and a pool sit outside the standard fit-out scope and add more.
Office / commercial: CAT A shells at the low end; full CAT B turnkey with MEP, meeting rooms and FF&E at the top. DIFC and Downtown carry a 20 to 25% premium.
Rates reflect Dubai turnkey market pricing for 2026, design and build inclusive. Appliances, loose furniture and external works are usually separate.
Turnkey Cost by Finish Tier (per sqft)
Two apartments of the same size can differ by AED 500 per sqft, and the reason is almost always the finish level. This table maps the four tiers most Dubai turnkey contractors work to, so you can find where your budget lands before you brief anyone.
| Finish Tier | Rate / sqft | What the scope covers |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetic turnkey | AED 150 to 300 / sqft | Paint, basic flooring, light fixture swaps, minor carpentry and a refresh of existing kitchen and bathrooms. No layout change. |
| Standard turnkey | AED 300 to 500 / sqft | New flooring throughout, full repaint, new mid-tier kitchen and bathrooms, some electrical rework and replaced doors. |
| Premium turnkey | AED 500 to 800 / sqft | Custom joinery, stone worktops, quality tile, feature lighting, smart-home wiring and partial layout changes. |
| Luxury turnkey | AED 800 to 1,500+ / sqft | Bespoke design, imported finishes, marble, integrated appliances, full home automation and structural reconfiguration. |
A 1,000 sqft apartment at the standard tier (AED 300 to 500 / sqft) works out to roughly AED 300,000 to 500,000 turnkey.
Turnkey vs Traditional: Cost and Risk Compared
The question most owners ask is whether turnkey costs more than assembling the trades themselves. On the quoted rate, turnkey is usually 5 to 15% higher. The real comparison is different, because the self-managed route hides its cost in variation orders, coordination time and a separate design fee.
| Factor | Turnkey (single contract) | Traditional (multi-contractor) |
|---|---|---|
| Contracts to manage | One single contract | Designer, main contractor, plus separate MEP, joinery and supply orders |
| Who holds the risk | The contractor, on a fixed price | The owner, in the gaps between trades |
| Design fee | Bundled into the package | AED 50 to 250 / sqft billed separately, or 8 to 15% of build cost |
| Cost certainty | High: lump sum agreed upfront | Lower: variation orders can add 15 to 30% |
| Permits and NOC | Handled by the contractor | Often the owner chases the FM and DM approvals |
| Headline price | 5 to 15% higher on paper | Lower quoted rate, higher real spend after add-ons |
| Owner time input | Low: one point of contact | High: constant coordination between trades |
| Best for | Overseas owners, busy professionals, landlords | Hands-on owners with time and construction knowledge |
The takeaway: a self-managed job can look cheaper on day one and end up costing more by handover once the gaps between trades turn into extra charges. Turnkey trades a slightly higher headline number for a fixed price and far less of your time. For overseas owners and busy professionals, that certainty is usually worth the premium.
Payment Milestone Structure
A professional Dubai turnkey contract ties every payment to a completed stage of work, never to a calendar date. This protects you: if the contractor stalls, you have not overpaid for work that is not done. The structure below is standard across the market in 2026.
| Milestone | Share of contract | Released when |
|---|---|---|
| On signing (advance) | 20 to 30% | Contract signed, design frozen, materials ordered and the NOC application started. |
| Rough stage complete | 30 to 40% | Demolition, first-fix plumbing and electrical, and any partition or block work signed off. |
| Finishes stage | 20 to 30% | Tiling, joinery, kitchen and bathroom installation and painting substantially complete. |
| Handover / snag sign-off | 10 to 20% | Final defect list closed, keys handed over and the acceptance certificate signed. |
Never pay more than 30% before work begins. Hold a retention of 5 to 10% for 30 to 60 days after handover to cover snagging and defects.
Realistic Turnkey Timeline
Because one contractor sequences every trade, a turnkey project usually runs faster than a self-managed job where trades wait on each other. A turnkey apartment takes about 6 to 10 weeks on site; a villa runs 12 to 20 weeks. Design and approvals sit in front of that, so start them early.
| Phase | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Design and specification | 2 to 4 weeks | Concept, drawings, material selection and a fixed FF&E schedule signed off before any site work. |
| NOC and DM permit | 1 to 3 weeks | Building FM NOC plus a Dubai Municipality permit for any MEP, wet-area or structural change. Runs in parallel with procurement. |
| Demolition and first fix | 1 to 2 weeks | Strip-out, plus rough plumbing, electrical and any partition changes. |
| Second fix and finishes | 3 to 8 weeks | Tiling, flooring, joinery, kitchen and bathroom fit, painting and lighting. |
| FF&E and handover | 1 to 2 weeks | Furniture, fittings and equipment installed, deep clean, snagging and the acceptance certificate. |
Design and NOC phases overlap with procurement, so total calendar time for a turnkey apartment is typically 10 to 14 weeks from brief to handover.
How Turnkey Handles the NOC and DM Permits
Approvals are one of the biggest reasons owners choose turnkey, and the single most common cause of delay when they do not. In a turnkey contract, the company handles the whole approval path so you do not chase it yourself.
- Landlord NOC (tenants only). If you rent, a written NOC from the landlord comes first. Owners skip this step.
- Building FM NOC. The contractor applies to the facilities management company with their trade licence, insurance, method statement and drawings. The FM issues the NOC and usually holds a refundable security deposit.
- Dubai Municipality permit. Required whenever the work moves electrical, plumbing or cooling points, changes anything inside a wet area, or alters a wall. The fee is roughly AED 500 to 1,000 and approval takes about 5 to 10 working days. Free-zone communities (Trakhees, DDA) and master developers such as Emaar run their own equivalent process.
- Certified trades for MEP and gas. These changes must be carried out by licensed contractors. Using an unlicensed one for permit-linked work exposes the owner to fines from AED 5,000, stop-work orders, and in serious cases forced removal of the work.
A cosmetic turnkey refresh that only touches paint, flooring and finishes inside the existing layout usually needs the FM NOC but no municipality permit. The moment plumbing, cooling or walls move, budget for the full permit path and the extra one to three weeks it adds.
What Is and Is Not Included
The word "turnkey" is used loosely in Dubai, so the difference between two quotes at the same rate often comes down to scope. Confirm every line below before you sign.
Typically included
- Interior design, drawings and 3D visuals
- All demolition, disposal and site protection
- Structural, MEP and joinery works under one contract
- Kitchen and bathroom supply and installation
- Flooring, tiling, painting and ceilings
- Building NOC and Dubai Municipality permit handling
- Project management and a single point of contact
- Snagging, cleaning and a defects liability warranty
Often excluded (confirm)
- Loose furniture and decor, unless FF&E is written into the contract
- White goods and appliances, often quoted as an optional line
- External landscaping, pools and garden works on villas
- Building security deposits held by the FM (refundable)
- Structural engineering sign-off for major load-bearing changes
- DEWA connection upgrades and district-cooling modifications
Get a Fixed-Price Turnkey Quote
Renovel delivers turnkey apartment, villa and office renovations across Dubai under one contract, with design, permits and handover included. Site visit and consultation are free.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a turnkey renovation cost in Dubai in 2026?
▾
A turnkey renovation in Dubai costs roughly AED 300 to 800 per sqft (AED 3,230 to 8,610 per sqm) for a standard to premium finish, with the design, build, permits and handover all under one contract. A full turnkey apartment renovation typically runs AED 250,000 to 1,100,000 depending on size and finish, while a turnkey villa runs AED 900,000 to 2,000,000. Cosmetic turnkey packages start nearer AED 150 to 300 per sqft.
What does a turnkey renovation actually include?
▾
A turnkey package covers everything from design through to handover under a single fixed-price contract: concept and drawings, demolition, structural work, MEP (plumbing, electrical, cooling), joinery, kitchen and bathrooms, flooring, painting, plus the building NOC and Dubai Municipality permits. Furniture, appliances and villa landscaping are usually optional add-ons, so confirm whether FF&E is written into your quote.
Is a turnkey renovation more expensive than hiring separate contractors?
▾
On the headline number a turnkey package is usually 5 to 15% higher than the lowest separate-trade quote, because the contractor carries the risk and bundles the design fee. In practice the total is often similar or lower, since a multi-contractor route commonly adds 15 to 30% in variation orders, coordination gaps and separate design fees of AED 50 to 250 per sqft. Turnkey buys cost certainty and far less of your time.
How are turnkey renovation payments structured in Dubai?
▾
A standard Dubai turnkey contract ties payment to milestones, not dates: about 20 to 30% on signing, 30 to 40% at rough-stage completion, 20 to 30% at the finishes stage, and a final 10 to 20% on snag sign-off and handover. Never pay more than 30% before work begins, and keep a retention of 5 to 10% for 30 to 60 days after handover to cover defects.
How long does a turnkey renovation take in Dubai?
▾
A turnkey apartment renovation runs about 6 to 10 weeks on site plus 2 to 4 weeks of design and 1 to 3 weeks for NOC and permit approval. A turnkey villa runs 12 to 20 weeks depending on scope. Because one contractor sequences every trade, turnkey projects usually finish faster than a self-managed job where trades wait on each other.
Does a turnkey contractor handle the NOC and Dubai Municipality permits?
▾
Yes. Handling approvals is one of the main reasons owners choose turnkey. The contractor applies for the building FM No-Objection Certificate using their own trade licence, insurance and method statement, and files the Dubai Municipality permit whenever the work moves MEP points, changes a wet area or alters a wall. Using an unlicensed contractor for permit-linked work exposes the owner to fines from AED 5,000 and stop-work orders.