Office Renovation Cost Dubai: Honest Starting Prices
What an office renovation really costs in Dubai — starting prices per square metre, what drives the quote up or down, timelines, and how to get your exact price in minutes.
Office renovation cost Dubai typically starts from AED 120 per sqm for a basic refresh, from AED 220 per sqm for a standard fit-out quality renovation, and from AED 350 per sqm for a premium Grade-A finish. These are indicative starting prices — your exact quote depends on office size, scope of works, MEP changes and finish level. Message us on WhatsApp with your floor plan or photos for an exact price.
Ask three fit-out companies what an office renovation in Dubai costs and you will hear three completely different numbers — per square metre, lump sum, sometimes both in the same quote. That confusion is exactly why this guide exists. Below are honest, indicative starting prices per square metre based on typical Dubai office projects, a clear breakdown of what pushes a quote up or down, and realistic timelines for offices of different sizes.
One important note before the numbers: office work is quoted per square metre because every office is different — a 100 sqm studio in Al Quoz and a 1,000 sqm floor in DIFC are different projects entirely. Every price below is a "starting from" figure, a planning guide rather than a quotation. Your exact price comes after we see your space — send your floor plan or photos on WhatsApp and we will return an itemised quote. If you want the full-service picture first, see our office renovation in Dubai service page.
If you are researching office renovation cost Dubai options, you will notice most contractors either refuse to publish rates or quote suspiciously round lump sums. We take a different approach: transparent per-sqm starting prices below, a clear explanation of what moves them, and an instant exact quote on WhatsApp when you are ready. No "call for pricing", no obligation — and the site visit and quote are free.
Office Renovation Starting Prices in Dubai
Three typical tiers, priced per square metre. Find the finish level closest to your plans — then read the cost factors to see where your office lands.
Basic Refresh
starting from
AED 120/sqm
- Repainting walls & ceilings
- Floor polish or vinyl overlay
- Lighting tune-up & repairs
- Minor partitioning tweaks
- Pantry & washroom refresh
- Deep clean & snagging
Best for a quick refresh between tenancies or a tidy-up before client visits.
Standard Renovation
starting from
AED 220/sqm
- New flooring throughout
- Glass & gypsum partitioning
- New ceiling with LED lighting
- Full repaint in brand colours
- MEP adjustments & upgrades
- Pantry & washroom upgrade
The most popular choice — a genuinely transformed workspace.
Premium Grade-A
starting from
AED 350/sqm
- Designer flooring & finishes
- Frameless glass partitioning
- Feature ceilings & lighting design
- Custom joinery & branding
- Full MEP reconfiguration
- Smart controls & acoustics
Headquarters-grade finish for DIFC, Downtown and Business Bay towers.
Where the Money Goes: Cost Breakdown
Understanding the office renovation cost Dubai businesses pay means seeing the components. Here is how a typical standard-tier budget divides up — and which lines you control:
Partitioning — 20–30% of budget
Usually the largest line in a real reconfiguration. Gypsum partitions are the economical choice; frameless glass partitions — the Dubai office staple — cost several times more per linear metre but transform how a space feels. The amount of partitioning is the biggest lever on total office renovation cost Dubai quotes.
Flooring — 15–20%
Carpet tiles are the standard for offices: affordable, replaceable per tile, and good for acoustics. Vinyl and laminate sit mid-range; engineered wood or designer carpet tiles push this line up. Polishing existing floors is the budget alternative.
MEP works — 15–20%
Mechanical, electrical and plumbing: AC ducting modifications, lighting circuits, power and data points, fire-alarm adjustments. Like-for-like is cheap; adding meeting rooms or relocating the pantry means re-routing services above the ceiling.
Ceiling & lighting — 10–15%
New gypsum or tile ceilings with LED panels are standard. Feature ceilings, linear lighting and acoustic baffles move a project toward the premium tier quickly.
Painting & finishes — 8–12%
Full repaint in brand colours, feature walls, wall graphics. Our office painting team handles this as a standalone service too — sometimes a quality repaint is all a tired office needs.
Joinery & pantry — 8–12%
Reception counters, pantry cabinets, storage walls and washroom vanities. Custom joinery is priced per item and adds up fast; modular pantry units keep costs predictable.
Notice what this breakdown tells you: anyone quoting a suspiciously low figure is almost certainly cutting one of these lines — usually MEP compliance, ceiling quality, or proper debris removal and site protection. When comparing quotes, ask each contractor to break theirs down the same way. The honest quote is the itemised one.
8 Factors That Decide Your Quote
Two offices of the same size can differ by AED 50,000+. Here is what actually moves the number:
1Office size & layout
The base multiplier — but not linear. Small offices cost more per sqm because mobilisation, supervision and MEP setup are spread over fewer metres. Open plans are cheaper to renovate than cellular layouts with many rooms.
2Tower grade & location
A DIFC or Downtown Grade-A tower has stricter building rules, limited working hours and costlier logistics than an Al Quoz warehouse office. The same scope can cost 20–30% more in a premium tower purely on access and compliance overhead.
3Partitioning scope
Keeping existing partitions and just refreshing finishes is cheap. Reconfiguring the layout with new glass and gypsum partitions is where budgets grow — every new meeting room means partitioning, ceiling, MEP and flooring changes together.
4MEP changes
Adding AC zones, relocating FCUs, new power/data points and fire-alarm modifications require specialist subcontractors and testing. Cosmetic-only projects avoid this line almost entirely.
5Flooring choice
Carpet tiles over existing flooring are the economical route; new flooring with screed repair, or premium finishes like timber, shift the budget significantly.
6Working hours
Daytime work in an occupied building is cheapest. Night or weekend-only work — common in live towers — carries labour premiums that flow straight into the per-sqm rate.
7Existing condition
A well-kept office needing cosmetic updates costs far less than one with damaged ceilings, failing AC ducting or worn-out flooring that must be stripped back first.
8IT, AV & security
Data cabling, access control, CCTV and meeting-room AV are often quoted separately — confirm whether your quote includes them or not before comparing figures.
What a Full Office Renovation Includes
When Dubai Profixer quotes a standard office renovation in Dubai, the price covers the complete scope — not just paint and flooring. A proper standard-tier scope typically includes: site protection and strip-out; new flooring; gypsum and glass partitioning; new ceiling with LED lighting; full repaint; MEP adjustments for the new layout; pantry and washroom upgrades; and final deep clean with snag inspection. Furniture, IT equipment and AV systems are usually quoted separately — we will always tell you exactly what is in and what is out.
Starting from a bare shell instead of an existing office? That is a fit-out rather than a renovation — see our office interior design team for layout planning before works begin.
How Long Does an Office Renovation Take?
When planning your office renovation cost Dubai budget, factor in time as well as money. Basic refresh (up to 200 sqm): 1–2 weeks. Standard renovation (200–500 sqm): 3–5 weeks including partitioning, MEP and snagging. Premium or large offices (500+ sqm): 6–10 weeks. The stages most people underestimate are material lead times — glass partitions, custom joinery and branded finishes are made to order — and building approvals for noisy work, which follow the tower's schedule, not yours. A realistic programme agreed in writing beats an optimistic one every time.
Small vs Large Offices: How Size Changes Cost
When comparing office renovation cost Dubai quotes, size is the first variable to normalise — and per-sqm rates do not scale linearly. A 100 sqm office costs more per square metre than a 1,000 sqm floor because fixed costs (site setup, supervision, MEP design, debris removal) are spread over fewer metres.
Small office (under 200 sqm): expect effective rates at the top of each tier — a standard renovation often lands around AED 250–280/sqm all-in. Mid-size office (200–500 sqm): the published tiers apply most directly — starting from AED 120 / 220 / 350 per sqm. Large floor (500+ sqm): economies of scale pull the effective rate down 10–20%, especially with repeatable meeting-room and workstation modules. Whatever your size, the office renovation cost Dubai principle holds: get an itemised per-sqm quote, not a single lump sum nobody can explain.
5 Honest Ways to Keep Costs Down
Smart choices that lower your office renovation cost Dubai total without cutting corners:
1Keep the layout
Moving the pantry, washrooms or meeting rooms means re-routing MEP above the ceiling — the fastest way to inflate a quote. Refreshing finishes within the existing layout saves enormously.
2Reuse what works
Sound partitions, ceiling grids and flooring can often be retained and refinished. A full strip-out feels thorough but you pay to demolish things that were fine.
3Choose carpet tiles
Carpet tiles are the value king for offices — affordable, quick to lay, and individual tiles can be replaced later without redoing floors.
4Phase the works
Renovating in phases keeps parts of the office operational and spreads cost across quarters — useful when budgets are approved annually.
5Bundle trades
One contractor handling civil, MEP, painting and joinery avoids the margin-stacking of separate subcontractors and the blame game when something goes wrong.
Before You Start: Quick Checklist
Ready to move from researching office renovation cost Dubai figures to getting your project done? Run through this checklist first:
Floor plan ready
A CAD or PDF floor plan with dimensions gets you an accurate per-sqm estimate in minutes. Photos of the current space help us see the condition.
Building rules checked
Ask your building management about fit-out working hours, material delivery slots and noisy-work restrictions before booking — Grade-A towers are strictest.
Must-haves listed
Decide non-negotiables first: how many meeting rooms, pantry size, workstation count, branding elements. This focuses the quote and avoids mid-project changes.
Budget band set
Use the starting prices above to set a realistic per-sqm band — basic, standard or premium — then let the itemised quote show exactly where the money goes.
The bottom line on office renovation cost Dubai pricing: expect a clear per-sqm starting point, demand an itemised breakdown, and never accept a lump-sum quote for a space nobody has measured. Do that, and you will pay a fair price for an office that works as good as it looks.
Get Your Exact Price in Minutes
Starting prices are useful for planning — but your office is unique. Send us your floor plan or photos on WhatsApp and tell us what you want changed. We will reply with an honest, itemised exact price — free site visit available, no obligation.
Office Renovation Cost FAQs
Related Office Guides
Planning a bigger project? These related services are handled by the same Dubai Profixer team:
Office Renovation in Dubai
Our full office renovation service — civil, MEP, partitioning and finishes.
Office Fit Out in Dubai
Shell-to-office fit-outs: Cat A base to fully fitted Cat B workspace.
Office Interior Design in Dubai
Layout planning and design before works begin.
Office Painting Services in Dubai
Professional repaints in brand colours — sometimes all an office needs.
Maintenance Services in Dubai
Keep your renovated office in top condition with planned maintenance.
Villa Renovation in Dubai
Whole-property renovations handled by the same experienced team.