Villa renovation cost Dubai: 2026 AED price guide
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A full villa renovation in Dubai in 2026 costs between AED 250 and AED 900 per sq ft depending on scope and finish. A 3 bedroom villa of 2,000 to 2,800 sq ft usually lands between AED 700,000 and AED 2.2 million. A 6,500 sq ft villa runs from about AED 2.3 million to AED 5.8 million. Every figure here is an indicative band, not a fixed quote.
Why work with Chadi Baaklini
- Premium finishes specified by the studio, not left to a subcontractor
- Architecture, interiors and fitout handled by one team from concept to handover
- Direct contact with Chadi Baaklini through design, site work and snagging
- Google rating of 5.0 from 8 reviews
- Villa renovation work across Dubai, from one wing to a full rebuild
What a villa renovation costs in Dubai in 2026
Cost tracks size and finish, and the spread inside one size band is wide.
Indicative whole villa bands, 2026
| Villa size | Indicative renovation cost |
|---|---|
| 3BR, 2,000 to 2,800 sq ft | AED 700,000 to 2,200,000 |
| 4BR, 3,000 to 4,000 sq ft | AED 1,100,000 to 3,200,000 |
| 5BR, 4,500 to 5,500 sq ft | AED 1,600,000 to 4,400,000 |
| 6BR+, 6,500 sq ft and above | AED 2,300,000 to 5,800,000+ |
Villa renovation cost per square foot Dubai
| Scope | AED per sq ft |
|---|---|
| Light refresh: paint, flooring, fittings, small joinery | 250 to 400 |
| Mid range full renovation: kitchen, bathrooms, joinery, some MEP | 400 to 650 |
| Premium full renovation: imported stone, bespoke joinery, specialist plaster, full MEP | 650 to 900+ |
| Structural change, extensions, new MEP risers | add 100 to 250 |
Per sq ft is calculated on built up area, not plot size. A 6,500 sq ft villa on an 8,000 sq ft plot is priced on 6,500. Villa refurbishment cost Dubai follows the same bands, except a refurbishment normally leaves structure and services alone, which is why it sits at the lower end. Read our villa renovation and extension services page for how scope is defined before pricing starts.
villa renovation in Dubai with a round marble table on a sculptural brass base, fluted wall and illuminated stone arch" loading="lazy" decoding="async" /> Round marble table on a sculptural brass base, set against a fluted wall with an illuminated stone arch.
What drives the number
Four things move a villa renovation Dubai price more than finish choices do.
Scope
A kitchen and two bathrooms is a different project from a whole villa. Every element you add carries design time, procurement and supervision with it.
Villa age and build era
Older villas in Jumeirah and Al Barsha, many built between the 1980s and early 2000s, usually need new plumbing, rewiring, roof and waterproofing work before any finish goes on. A recently handed over villa on Palm Jumeirah or in an Emaar community needs less MEP work, but finish expectations are higher and the joinery and stone budget climbs.
Structural versus cosmetic
Moving walls, adding a floor or extending the footprint pulls in engineer fees, Municipality approval and longer site time. Cosmetic work does not.
MEP replacement
AC, plumbing and electrical are the lines people forget. A full AC replacement on a large villa can pass AED 400,000 on its own.
Element by element cost breakdown in AED
These are the lines that appear in a real bill of quantities. Indicative 2026 ranges.
- Kitchen: AED 90,000 to AED 400,000. Bespoke cabinetry, stone worktops, appliance package.
- Bathrooms: AED 35,000 to AED 120,000 each at mid range, AED 150,000 and above with imported stone and premium sanitaryware.
- Wardrobes and internal joinery: AED 1,500 to AED 4,000 per linear metre.
- Flooring: marble AED 250 to AED 700 per sq m supplied and laid, engineered wood AED 180 to AED 450, large format porcelain AED 150 to AED 350.
- Feature walls and ceilings: AED 250 to AED 600 per sq m for microcement, specialist plaster or fluted timber.
- Façade, windows and external works: AED 150,000 to AED 600,000.
- Pool and landscape: pool refurbishment AED 80,000 to AED 350,000, new pool AED 250,000 to AED 600,000, landscaping AED 100 to AED 400 per sq m.
- AC and MEP: full AC replacement AED 120,000 to AED 450,000, rewire AED 60,000 to AED 200,000, plumbing AED 40,000 to AED 150,000.
The premium finish uplift
Premium finishes are where a luxury villa renovation cost Dubai figure separates from the mid range. The gap is roughly AED 250 to 300 per sq ft.
Where the money goes:
- Imported stone: book matched marble at AED 400 to AED 1,200 per sq m before laying.
- Bespoke joinery: 30 to 60 per cent above a standard carcass, and it is the difference between a fitted wardrobe and a piece of furniture.
- Specialist plaster and microcement: AED 250 to AED 600 per sq m, plus the skill to apply it.
- Lighting and control: recessed profiles, cove detail, dimming.
It is worth spending on rooms you touch every day and any space a buyer will walk through. Skip it in back of house areas. You can check the finish level in our completed premium villa renovation projects before deciding how far to go.
A modular bookshelf dividing open plan living space, with light marble flooring running through.
From scratch to handing over, nothing but creativity and professionalism. Well done Baclini Design Studio Nicolas el khoury, 5 star Google review
Hidden costs and approvals in Dubai
Permits and community fees sit outside the construction number and catch people out. The sequence usually runs like this.
- Confirm scope and drawings with a licensed consultant.
- Apply for the Dubai Municipality or DET renovation permit.
- Apply for the community NOC if the villa sits in a managed development such as an Emaar or Nakheel community.
- Arrange the DEWA connection or temporary power.
- Start on site and follow the inspection sequence.
- Snag, hand over, then close out the permit.
Costs to allow: permit AED 3,000 to AED 15,000, community NOC AED 1,000 to AED 5,000 plus refundable deposits of AED 5,000 to AED 20,000, and consultant and supervision fees of 5 to 10 per cent of construction value. Keep a contingency of 10 to 15 per cent on top. On a AED 4.5 million project that is about AED 485,000, and it does get used.
Worked example: a 6,500 sq ft premium villa renovation in Dubai
Roughly how a quote is built for a villa of this size at mid to premium finish.
| Item | AED |
|---|---|
| Kitchen, bespoke joinery and appliances | 385,000 |
| Six bathrooms, average AED 145,000 each | 870,000 |
| Wardrobes, TV units and internal joinery | 420,000 |
| Marble and stone flooring | 520,000 |
| Feature walls, ceilings and specialist plaster | 260,000 |
| AC and full MEP replacement | 380,000 |
| Electrical and lighting control | 210,000 |
| Doors, ironmongery, staircase | 180,000 |
| Façade, windows and external works | 340,000 |
| Pool refurbishment and landscape | 290,000 |
| Permits, NOCs, consultant and supervision | 190,000 |
| Contingency at 12 per cent | 485,000 |
| Total | 4,530,000 |
| Per sq ft | 697 |
This is one villa and one brief, so your scope will differ. The shape of the quote should still look like this, line by line. Compare it against the other cost guides in our Dubai villa renovation cost and finish guides hub.
How to compare villa renovation quotes
A real quote itemises. Anything else is a guess with a price on it.
Ask for a bill of quantities, a programme with dates, a list of exclusions, the payment schedule, and the name of the person supervising site.
Red flags:
- One lump sum with no breakdown
- No BOQ, no quantities, no brands
- No programme or completion date
- Exclusions buried or missing
- Payment loaded to the front
- VAT unclear
Cheapest rarely wins. The saving usually returns later as variation orders.
Highly recommend! Excellent design and architecture services with a professional and creative team. printu titus, 5 star Google review
Chadi Baaklini holds a 5.0 rating from 8 Google reviews. If you want a real number for your villa, request a villa renovation quote in Dubai or message 052 580 9949 on WhatsApp.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does villa renovation cost in Dubai?
In 2026, indicative bands run from AED 250 to 400 per sq ft for a light refresh, AED 400 to 650 for a mid range full renovation, and AED 650 to 900 and above for a premium rebuild. A 3 bedroom villa of 2,000 to 2,800 sq ft usually falls between AED 700,000 and AED 2.2 million, while a 6,500 sq ft villa sits between AED 2.3 million and AED 5.8 million. Final pricing depends on villa age, structural work and finish level.
What is the villa renovation cost per square foot in Dubai?
Per sq ft rates are calculated on built up area, not plot. Expect AED 250 to 400 for cosmetic work, AED 400 to 650 for a full mid range renovation, and AED 650 to 900 and above for premium finishes such as imported stone and bespoke joinery. Add AED 100 to 250 per sq ft where walls move, floors are added or MEP risers are replaced.
How long does a villa renovation take in Dubai?
A light refresh takes 8 to 12 weeks. A full mid range renovation runs 5 to 8 months, and a 6,500 sq ft premium villa with structural work can take 9 to 14 months. Permit and community NOC approvals add 4 to 10 weeks before site work starts, so build that into the programme.
Are permits and approvals included in the villa renovation cost?
Usually they appear as separate lines. Budget AED 3,000 to AED 15,000 for the Dubai Municipality or DET permit, AED 1,000 to AED 5,000 for a community NOC plus refundable deposits of AED 5,000 to AED 20,000, and 5 to 10 per cent of construction value for consultant and supervision fees. Keep 10 to 15 per cent contingency on top of that.
What is the difference between a light refresh and a full villa renovation?
A light refresh covers paint, flooring, fittings and small joinery, typically AED 250 to 400 per sq ft, with no MEP or structural change. A full renovation replaces the kitchen, bathrooms, joinery and often AC, plumbing and electrical, which is where the cost moves to AED 400 to 900 per sq ft and above.
