Dubai Villa Renovation Costs in 2026: A Room-by-Room Breakdown
Anyone considering a villa renovation in Dubai runs into the same problem early on: the quotes are all over the place. One contractor says AED 150,000, another says 600,000 for the same villa. Both might be right, because “renovation” means different things to different people. This guide breaks down actual costs by room and scope so you can walk into a conversation with a contractor knowing what each phase should run.
The baseline: what “renovation” includes
A full villa renovation in Dubai typically covers demolition, structural modifications, MEP rework (mechanical, electrical, plumbing), plastering, flooring, painting, joinery, and finishing. The cost per square foot ranges from AED 250 for a cosmetic refresh to AED 1,200 for a high-end fit-out with custom joinery and imported materials.
For a standard 5-bedroom villa of roughly 5,000 square feet, a mid-range full renovation lands between AED 400,000 and AED 800,000. A luxury fit-out with bespoke carpentry, marble surfaces, and designer lighting pushes past AED 1.5 million. These figures align with pricing at our studio, where full project management covers every phase from concept to handover.
Room-by-room breakdown
Kitchen: AED 60,000 to AED 250,000
The kitchen is the most expensive single room in a villa renovation. Cabinets dominate the budget. A standard modular kitchen from a mid-range supplier (Al Kabeer, Pantry) runs AED 40,000 to AED 80,000. Custom joinery with soft-close hardware and imported veneers starts at AED 120,000. Countertops add another AED 8,000 (granite) to AED 45,000 (Calacatta marble). Appliances: a built-in oven, hob, dishwasher, and refrigerator from Bosch or Siemens will cost AED 25,000 to AED 45,000.
Plumbing and electrical rework for a kitchen typically adds AED 8,000 to AED 15,000, especially if you are moving the sink or cooktop to a different wall.
Bathrooms: AED 25,000 to AED 80,000 each
A bathroom renovation includes waterproofing, tiling, sanitaryware, and fittings. Waterproofing is non-negotiable in Dubai. A failure here means ripping out the entire bathroom 18 months later. Budget AED 4,000 to AED 8,000 for proper waterproofing with a 10-year warranty.
Tiles: porcelain floor and wall tiles from RAK Ceramics or Grespania run AED 80 to AED 250 per square meter. Italian tiles (Florim, Atlas Concorde) start at AED 400. For a 6 square meter bathroom, materials alone run AED 2,000 to AED 8,000.
Sanitaryware: a mid-range set (WC, basin, shower mixer) from Grohe or Roca costs AED 6,000 to AED 12,000. High-end (Villeroy and Boch, Dornbracht) can reach AED 30,000 for a single bathroom.
Living areas: AED 30,000 to AED 150,000
Living room renovations usually involve flooring, wall treatments, false ceiling with lighting, and sometimes structural openings. Flooring: vinyl plank (AED 120 to AED 220 per square meter installed), engineered wood (AED 250 to AED 450), or marble (AED 400 to AED 800). For a 60 square meter living space, flooring alone runs AED 7,000 to AED 48,000.
False ceilings with recessed lighting and LED coves cost AED 80 to AED 180 per square meter including electrical. Wall treatments: paint is AED 15 to AED 30 per square meter, while decorative plaster or fluted panels (popular in Dubai villas) run AED 200 to AED 500 per square meter.
Bedrooms: AED 15,000 to AED 60,000 each
Bedrooms are the least complex rooms. Paint, flooring, built-in wardrobes, and lighting. Built-in wardrobes with MDF carcassing and acrylic doors cost AED 8,000 to AED 25,000 depending on size and finish. Walk-in dressing rooms with custom joinery add AED 30,000 to AED 80,000.
Majlis and dining: AED 20,000 to AED 100,000
In UAE villas, the majlis is often the most detailed room after the kitchen. Custom seating, decorative ceilings, and wall paneling drive costs up. A full majlis renovation with built-in seating, gypsum partitioning, and decorative lighting typically runs AED 40,000 to AED 100,000.
Costs you might not expect
Permits and approvals
Dubai Municipality and Trakhees permits are required for any structural modification, MEP rework, or changes to the villa’s external appearance. Permit fees run AED 5,000 to AED 20,000 depending on scope. If your villa is in a community with a homeowners’ association (Arabian Ranches, Emirates Hills, Palm Jumeirah), community approval adds another 2 to 6 weeks and AED 2,000 to AED 5,000 in fees. Read more about the process in our project management overview.
MEP rework
Electrical and plumbing behind walls is where budgets blow out. Rewiring a full villa costs AED 30,000 to AED 80,000. Re-plumbing (water supply and drainage) runs AED 20,000 to AED 50,000. If your villa is older than 10 years, plan for at least partial MEP replacement.
Temporary housing
Most villa renovations take 4 to 8 months. You cannot live in the villa during demolition and MEP phases. Budget for rental accommodation: a 2-bedroom apartment in Dubai Marina or Business Bay runs AED 120,000 to AED 200,000 for 6 months.
Snagging and defects
After handover, a professional snagging inspection costs AED 3,000 to AED 8,000. Contractor defect liability periods in Dubai typically cover 1 year for general work and 10 years for structural elements under UAE construction law.
How to keep costs under control
- Fix the scope before you start. Every change order adds 15% to 30% on top of the original cost of that item.
- Choose materials before signing the contract. Contractors quote on assumptions. If you upgrade from vinyl to engineered wood after the contract is signed, you pay the difference plus a markup.
- Get three quotes, but compare line items, not just totals. A quote that is 40% lower than the others usually skips waterproofing, proper prep work, or permit fees.
- Hold a 10% retention until snagging is complete. Reputable contractors accept this.
What we charge
At LC Interiors, full-service interior design for villas starts at AED 80,000 and scales based on scope. That covers concept design, 3D visualization, material selection, contractor coordination, and site supervision through to handover. We do not take commissions from suppliers, so material recommendations are based on what fits your budget and the design, not what pays us most. Interior architecture work is included in every full project.
The honest summary
A full villa renovation in Dubai in 2026 costs between AED 400,000 (mid-range) and AED 1.5 million (luxury). The biggest variables are the kitchen, bathrooms, and the level of custom joinery. Permits, temporary housing, and MEP rework are the costs that surprise people. Lock the scope early, choose materials before signing, and hold retention. The renovation will cost more than the quote. Plan for 15% contingency and you will be close.
