Office fit out cost Dubai — designed office interior by Dubai Profixer

Cost Guide

Office Fit Out Cost Dubai: Honest Starting Prices

Q: How much does an office fit-out cost in Dubai?

A Cat A upgrade starts from around AED 80 per sqm, a Cat B basic fit-out starts from around AED 150 per sqm, and Cat B premium starts from around AED 300 per sqm. These indicative office fit out cost Dubai starting prices assume a typical shell; rough shells and complex MEP move the figure up. Send your floor plan on WhatsApp for an itemised exact quote.

Q: What is the difference between Cat A and Cat B fit-out?

Cat A is the landlord's base build — ceilings, basic lighting, painted walls, base AC — lettable but not usable. Cat B is the tenant's fit-out: partitioning, meeting rooms, MEP for the new layout, pantry, joinery and branding — everything that makes it your office. Most Dubai leases hand over shell or Cat A, and the tenant funds the Cat B works.

What an office fit-out really costs in Dubai — Cat A vs Cat B explained, starting prices per square metre, cost factors, timelines, and how to get your exact price in minutes.

Office fit out cost Dubai typically starts from AED 150 per sqm for a Cat B basic fit-out, from AED 300 per sqm for Cat B premium, while a Cat A shell upgrade starts from AED 80 per sqm. These are indicative starting prices — your exact quote depends on the shell condition, partitioning scope, MEP works and finish level. Message us on WhatsApp with your floor plan for an exact price.

Leasing a new office in Dubai usually means taking it as a bare shell or a basic Cat A space — and turning that empty box into a working office is called a fit-out. It is a different project from an office renovation (which refreshes an already-fitted office), with its own pricing logic. This guide gives you honest, indicative starting prices per square metre for Dubai office fit-outs, explains the Cat A / Cat B terminology every landlord and contractor uses, and shows what pushes a quote up or down.

One important note before the numbers: fit-out quotes are per square metre because no two shells are alike — ceiling heights, column grids, base-build MEP and floor condition all vary by tower. Every price below is a "starting from" figure, a planning guide rather than a quotation. Your exact price comes after we see your unit — send your floor plan or shell photos on WhatsApp and we will return an itemised quote. If you want the full-service picture first, see our office fit-out in Dubai service page.

If you are researching office fit out cost Dubai options, you will notice most contractors either refuse to publish rates or bury them in jargon. We take a different approach: transparent per-sqm starting prices below, plain-English explanations of Cat A and Cat B, 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.

Cat A vs Cat B: What They Actually Mean

Every office fit out cost Dubai quote assumes one of these two starting points. Knowing which one you are leasing changes the budget completely:

ACat A — the landlord's base build

Cat A is how the landlord hands the space over: raised access flooring or screed, suspended ceiling grid, basic lighting, painted walls, base-build air-conditioning, and core toilets and lobby. It is lettable but not usable — there are no meeting rooms, no pantry, no partitioning, no branding. A "Cat A upgrade" (starting from around AED 80/sqm) refreshes this base layer: new ceiling tiles, repaint, flooring overlay and lighting tune-up.

BCat B — your fitted office

Cat B is the tenant's fit-out: everything that makes the space yours. Partitioning and meeting rooms, feature ceilings, full MEP reconfiguration for the new layout, pantry and washroom upgrades, joinery, branding and signage. This is the real project — and the real budget. Cat B basic (starting from around AED 150/sqm) covers standard partitioning, flooring and MEP; Cat B premium (starting from around AED 300/sqm) adds glass walls, designer finishes and full customisation.

Most Dubai offices are leased as shell-and-core or Cat A, with the tenant funding the Cat B works — sometimes with a landlord contribution negotiated into the lease. When comparing fit-out quotes, always confirm which Cat the price assumes: a "cheap" Cat B quote that secretly assumes a perfect Cat A base is not comparable to one priced for a rough shell.

Office Fit-Out Starting Prices in Dubai

Three typical tiers, priced per square metre. Match your shell condition and ambition to the right tier:

Cat A Upgrade

starting from

AED 80/sqm

Ceiling tile replacement
Full repaint
Flooring overlay / polish
Lighting tune-up
Minor MEP tweaks
Deep clean & snagging

For a Cat A space that just needs refreshing before you plan the real fit-out.

Where the Money Goes: Cost Breakdown

Understanding the office fit out cost Dubai tenants pay means seeing the components. Here is how a typical Cat B basic budget divides up:

Partitioning — 22–30% of budget

The defining Cat B work: turning open shell into rooms. Gypsum partitions are economical; frameless glass — the Dubai standard for meeting rooms — costs several times more per linear metre. Partitioning quantity is the single biggest lever on total office fit out cost Dubai quotes.

MEP works — 18–25%

Bigger in fit-outs than renovations because you are building services for a new layout from the base build: AC ducting and FCU adjustments, power and data for every workstation, lighting circuits, fire-alarm and emergency lighting modifications with testing and commissioning.

Flooring — 12–18%

From screed or bare slab to finished floor: carpet tiles are the office standard (affordable, acoustic, replaceable), with vinyl, laminate or timber options above. Shell floor condition decides how much preparation this line needs.

Ceiling & lighting — 10–15%

New tile or gypsum ceilings with LED panels, plus any feature lighting. In Cat B the ceiling is rebuilt around the new MEP layout rather than just refreshed.

Joinery — 8–12%

Reception counter, pantry build-out, storage walls, washroom vanities — all built from scratch in a fit-out, unlike a renovation where some may exist. Custom pieces are priced per item.

Painting & branding — 6–10%

Full paint, feature walls, manifestation graphics on glass, and signage. Our office painting specialists finish every fit-out to a handover standard.

The pattern is clear: a fit-out builds an office, while a renovation refreshes one — which is why office fit out cost Dubai budgets run higher per square metre than renovation rates for the same space. Anyone quoting Cat B at renovation prices is either misunderstanding your shell or planning to cut MEP and ceiling scope. Ask for the itemised breakdown and compare like with like.

Designed office interior Dubai fit-out — Office design visual: finished Cat B workspace with designed zones.

Modern office interior Dubai — Office design visual: open-plan fitted office, handover ready.

8 Factors That Decide Your Quote

Two identical-size shells can differ by AED 60,000+. Here is what actually moves the number:

1Shell condition

A clean Cat A handover with working base-build MEP needs far less remedial work than a rough shell with damaged screed, missing ceiling grids or capped-off services that must be extended and tested.

2Partitioning scope

Open-plan with two meeting rooms versus a cellular layout with ten offices — the linear metres of partitioning (especially glass) swing the budget more than any other single decision.

3MEP complexity

Each new meeting room needs AC, power, data, lighting and fire-alarm points. Server rooms, large pantries and high-density seating add dedicated cooling and power that base-build systems were never designed for.

4Tower rules & hours

Grade-A towers restrict noisy work to nights and weekends and control every delivery. Those constraints add labour premiums and extend programmes — confirm your tower's fit-out rules with building management before budgeting.

5Flooring & finishes

Carpet tiles on prepared screed are the value route; timber, stone or designer carpets multiply material and preparation cost. Finish level is the clearest basic-vs-premium divider.

6Joinery & branding

A simple pantry and reception versus a full custom reception wall, boardroom joinery and branded super-graphics — joinery is priced per piece and adds up quickly at the premium end.

7Programme pressure

A standard 8-week programme is cheapest. Crashing to 5 weeks means double shifts and weekend premiums; a relaxed 12-week programme can actually reduce cost through better sequencing.

8Furniture & AV

Usually excluded from per-sqm fit-out rates — confirm whether your quote includes workstations, meeting-room AV, access control and CCTV, or civil-and-MEP only.

What a Cat B Fit-Out Includes

When Dubai Profixer quotes a Cat B basic office fit-out in Dubai, the price covers the complete transformation from shell to working office: site setup and protection; partitioning (gypsum and glass); new ceilings with LED lighting; flooring throughout; full MEP reconfiguration for the new layout including AC, power, data and fire-alarm adjustments; pantry and washroom construction; joinery; painting and branding basics; and final deep clean with snag inspection and handover documentation. Furniture, IT hardware and AV systems are quoted separately — always stated clearly in or out.

Only refreshing an existing fitted office rather than building from shell? That is an office renovation — different scope, different pricing. Our office interior design team can also plan your layout before works begin.

Office fit-out partitioning works Dubai — Office design visual: partitioning and ceiling works during fit-out.

Office painting finishing Dubai — Office design visual: painting and finishing to handover standard.

How Long Does an Office Fit-Out Take?

When planning your office fit out cost Dubai budget, plan the programme too — rent often starts while works run. Cat A upgrade (up to 300 sqm): 2–3 weeks. Cat B basic (200–500 sqm): 6–8 weeks including MEP commissioning and snagging. Cat B premium or 500+ sqm: 10–14 weeks. The stages most people underestimate: building approval for the fit-out proposal (tower timelines vary widely), lead times for glass partitions and custom joinery (made to order), and MEP testing and authority inspections at the end. Agree the programme in writing with milestones — and never let anyone promise handover before materials are even ordered.

Small vs Large Units: How Size Changes Cost

When comparing office fit out cost Dubai quotes, normalise by size — and remember per-sqm rates are not linear. A 150 sqm unit costs more per square metre than a 1,000 sqm floor because design, approvals, supervision and MEP commissioning are spread over fewer metres.

Small unit (under 200 sqm): expect effective Cat B basic rates around AED 170–200/sqm all-in. Mid-size (200–500 sqm): the published tiers apply most directly — starting from AED 80 / 150 / 300 per sqm. Large floor (500+ sqm): scale pulls effective rates down 10–20%, especially with repeatable meeting-room modules. Whatever your size, the principle holds: demand an itemised per-sqm quote tied to a defined Cat B scope — never a lump sum.

5 Honest Ways to Keep Costs Down

Smart choices that lower your office fit out cost Dubai total without cutting corners:

1Keep the plan simple

Every additional meeting room means partitioning, MEP, ceiling and flooring changes together. An open plan with fewer enclosed rooms is dramatically cheaper per square metre.

2Accept the base build

Work with the landlord's Cat A where it is sound — ceiling grids, base lighting and floor boxes can often be retained and adapted rather than ripped out.

3Standardise rooms

Repeatable meeting-room and workstation modules cut design time, material waste and labour learning curves across the floor.

4Order early

Glass partitions and joinery are made to order — late decisions cause rush premiums or programme delays that cost more than the materials saved.

5One contractor

A single fit-out contractor for civil, MEP, joinery and painting avoids margin-stacking across subcontractors and keeps one party accountable for handover.

Before You Start: Quick Checklist

Ready to move from researching office fit out cost Dubai figures to getting your project done? Run through this checklist first:

Lease & handover docs

Confirm in writing whether your unit is shell, Cat A or somewhere between — and what the landlord contributes. The handover condition defines the whole budget.

Floor plan & dims

A CAD or PDF plan with dimensions and ceiling heights gets you an accurate per-sqm estimate fast. Shell photos show the real starting condition.

Tower fit-out rules

Ask building management about the fit-out approval process, working hours, delivery slots and protection requirements — they shape programme and cost.

Scope in writing

List must-haves: meeting rooms, pantry size, workstation count, branding. A defined Cat B scope is what makes quotes comparable.

The bottom line on office fit out cost Dubai pricing: confirm your Cat, expect a clear per-sqm starting point, demand an itemised scope — and never sign a lump-sum contract for a shell nobody has surveyed. Do that, and your fit-out lands on budget and on programme.

Get Your Exact Price in Minutes

Starting prices are useful for planning — but your shell is unique. Send us your floor plan or shell photos on WhatsApp and tell us the Cat B scope you want. We will reply with an honest, itemised exact price — free site visit available, no obligation.

WhatsApp Your Floor Plan Call 052 460 1612

Office Fit-Out Cost FAQs

A Cat A upgrade starts from around AED 80 per sqm, a Cat B basic fit-out starts from around AED 150 per sqm, and Cat B premium starts from around AED 300 per sqm. These indicative office fit out cost Dubai starting prices assume a typical shell; rough shells and complex MEP move the figure up. Send your floor plan on WhatsApp for an itemised exact quote.

Cat A is the landlord's base build — ceilings, basic lighting, painted walls, base AC — lettable but not usable. Cat B is the tenant's fit-out: partitioning, meeting rooms, MEP for the new layout, pantry, joinery and branding — everything that makes it your office. Most Dubai leases hand over shell or Cat A, and the tenant funds the Cat B works.

A Cat A upgrade takes 2–3 weeks; a Cat B basic fit-out of 200–500 sqm takes 6–8 weeks; Cat B premium or 500+ sqm takes 10–14 weeks. Building approval windows, glass and joinery lead times, and final MEP testing are the stages most people underestimate. When you request your office fit out cost Dubai quote, we will include a realistic programme with milestones.

Check your handover documents and walk the unit: Cat A has finished ceilings, lighting, painted walls and working base AC; a shell has exposed slab, no ceilings and capped services. If unsure, send us photos on WhatsApp — we will tell you in minutes, because the handover condition defines the budget.

Typically not — our per-sqm starting prices cover civil works, partitioning, ceilings, flooring, MEP, joinery, painting and branding. Workstations, loose furniture, IT hardware and AV are quoted separately so every cost is visible. We always state clearly what is in and out.

It depends on the tower. Many Dubai buildings restrict noisy work to nights and weekends, with quiet works allowed in the day — confirm the exact rules with your building management early, as night premiums affect both cost and programme.

Yes, in almost every Dubai tower. The fit-out proposal, drawings and contractor credentials typically need building management approval before work starts, and the process follows the tower's timeline. Confirm requirements directly with your building management at the start — it is the most common cause of programme slippage.

Send your floor plan or shell photos on WhatsApp and describe the Cat B scope you want. We reply with an honest, itemised exact price so you can see exactly where every dirham of your office fit out cost Dubai budget goes. Free site visit available, no obligation.

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