Renovation Timeline in Dubai: From Design to Handover

One of the first questions CYFR clients ask:

"How long will renovation in Dubai actually take?"

The answer always depends on the type of property, depth of intervention, and approvals. But there's a common logic of stages that repeats in almost every project:

preparation and design,

approvals and NOC,

procurement,

construction work,

final finishes, inspection, and handover.

In this article, we'll break down what the timeline looks like from idea to handover and why a "couple of months" renovation turns into a six-month project.

1. From Idea to Clear Brief (0.5 - 3 weeks)

Before calculating construction timelines, you need to formulate exactly what you want to do.

At this stage, CYFR helps:

clarify the property usage scenario (live, rent, sell);

determine zones and depth of intervention;

gather baseline data and constraints.

This typically includes:

initial call or meeting;

site visit and measurements;

photo and video documentation;

collection of property documents and community rules;

basic brief on taste, budget, and timeline.

If the owner provides quick feedback and documents, this stage takes from a few days to 1-2 weeks. If decisions are difficult, it stretches out.

2. Design and Layout Solutions (2 - 6 weeks)

Second step: turn "I want to update the apartment" into a concrete plan.

Typical tasks:

layout solutions (before/after);

functional zoning;

lighting and outlet schemes;

material and finish concept;

understanding what will be done "now" and what can be postponed.

For different properties, this might look like:

rental apartment: focus on functionality, durable materials, simple solutions;

apartment or villa for living: more attention to ergonomics, feel, details;

office: logic of workstations, meeting rooms, engineering, and branding.

If the project requires full architectural and visual design, this stage can take 1-1.5 months. If tasks are simpler and the client makes decisions quickly, you can finish in 2-3 weeks.

Important to remember: the quality of this stage directly affects construction timelines. The worse the project is developed, the more "changed our minds" and "let's redo it" happens on site.

3. Approvals, NOC, and Approvals (2 - 8 weeks and more)

In Dubai, you can't just start renovation "tomorrow." For most properties, you need:

NOC from the developer or management company;

sometimes additional approvals from Dubai Municipality, Trakhees, or other regulators;

for commercial and complex cases – fire safety (DCD) and engineering (MEP) approvals.

What affects timelines:

property type (apartments, villa, office, restaurant);

who the developer is (Emaar, Nakheel, DAMAC, etc.);

depth of intervention (cosmetic or replanning with engineering);

speed of client response (signatures, answers to requests, documents).

On average:

simple projects inside an apartment with minimal changes can get NOC in 1-3 weeks;

more serious changes in layout and engineering, especially in villas and commercial, with MEP consultations and possible approvals take 4-8 weeks and more.

For more on NOC, DCD, and MEP, see the article

"Renovation Permits in Dubai: NOC, DCD, MEP" (/blog/renovation-permits-in-dubai-noc-dcd-mep).

CYFR usually takes the approvals block on itself so the client doesn't go through this process alone.

4. Estimate, Contract, and Procurement (1 - 3 weeks)

In parallel or immediately after design and basic approvals, you need to:

compile a detailed estimate (BoQ);

agree it with the client;

sign the contract;

launch procurement of materials and equipment.

This includes:

selection and finalization of materials (tiles, sanitary ware, kitchen solutions, hardware);

interaction with suppliers;

understanding delivery timelines (especially if something is custom-ordered);

planning storage and logistics to site.

If most materials are selected from UAE stock, this stage takes 1-2 weeks.

If there are many custom-ordered items with long lead times, supply planning can stretch.

CYFR in its projects strives to:

see long lead-time items in advance;

not start demolition "ahead of schedule" if key materials aren't on the way yet;

link construction schedule with supply schedule to avoid long downtime.

5. Demolition, Rough Work, and Engineering (2 - 8 weeks)

This is the "dirtiest" and often most important stage in content.

What this includes:

demolition of old finishes, partitions, plumbing, and kitchen;

preparation of floor and wall bases;

installation or relocation of engineering (electrical, HVAC, plumbing);

new partitions and basic space framework.

Examples by property type:

apartments with basic scope: rough and engineering work can take approximately 2-4 weeks;

large apartments with replanning or complex engineering: 4-6 weeks;

villas involving facades, garden, and external engineering: 6-8 weeks and more, depending on scope.

Duration strongly depends on:

quality of existing condition (sometimes old mistakes need fixing);

depth of intervention in engineering systems;

restrictions on noisy work times in a specific building or community.

6. Finishing Work and Assembly (3 - 8 weeks)

After engineering and rough stages are closed, the "visible" part of renovation begins:

installation of finished floor coverings;

wall tiling and decorative materials;

door and baseboard installation;

kitchen and built-in furniture installation;

installation of plumbing, lighting, and electrical fixtures;

painting and final decorative elements.

For a small apartment:

finishing work can take 3-5 weeks if material and team logistics are set up.

For large apartments and villas:

finishing phase often takes 6-8 weeks and more, especially if there are many custom solutions, joinery, and non-standard elements.

CYFR at this stage:

synchronizes schedules of different trades (tilers, painters, joiners, electricians, plumbers);

monitors sequence so already finished work isn't "ruined" by subsequent work;

maintains photo and video documentation of key stages.

7. Snagging, Corrections, and Preparation for Handover (1 - 3 weeks)

Even with careful implementation, there's always:

minor finish defects;

nuances in furniture fitting;

questions on lighting, equipment, and engineering setup.

The snagging stage includes:

detailed site walkthrough;

compilation of defect and incomplete work list;

cosmetic and technical corrections;

final cleaning and preparation for move-in or rental launch.

If the owner is in Dubai, some of these issues are resolved on site.

If the owner is abroad, CYFR usually:

prepares detailed photos and videos,

records the list of remarks in a clear format,

agrees which elements are considered closed.

Snagging duration depends on client requirements and property scale, but 1-3 weeks for final finishing is normal practice.

8. Examples of Overall Timelines by Typical Scenarios

Important: these are not promises, but guidelines if design, approvals, and supplies go without hiccups.

Studio or 1BR apartment with moderate scope:

design and preparation: 2-3 weeks;

approvals and NOC: 2-4 weeks (partially parallel with design);

construction and finishing: 6-8 weeks;

snagging and handover: 1-2 weeks.

Total: approximately 3-4 months from design start to apartment handover.

2BR apartment with deeper rework:

design and layout: 3-4 weeks;

approvals: 3-6 weeks;

construction and finishing: 8-10 weeks;

final finishing: 2 weeks.

Total: 4-5 months.

Villa with comprehensive interior renovation, partial facade, and plot:

preparation and concept: 3-5 weeks;

project and approvals: 4-8 weeks and more (depends on developer and affected zones);

rough work and engineering: 8-12 weeks;

finishing and plot: 8-12 weeks;

final snagging: 2-3 weeks.

Total: six-month and longer horizon, especially if facades, garden, pool, and deep engineering are involved.

9. What Most Often Increases Renovation Timelines in Dubai

Based on CYFR experience, the main "timeline killers" are:

long approvals within family or partners on basic decisions;

changing concept on the fly when materials are already purchased;

delays with document signing and payments;

unexpected restrictions from the building or community that weren't known in advance;

long material delivery times for items ordered "on inspiration" rather than by plan;

attempt to "speed up" the process by skipping proper approvals and engineering, which later returns as rework.

Some of these risks can be mitigated at the start if renovation is designed as a managed process, not a chain of separate tasks.

10. How CYFR Helps Make Timelines More Realistic and Manageable

CYFR's approach to timelines:

not promising "renovation in a month" where objectively a different horizon is needed;

breaking the project into clear stages with understandable logic;

accounting for approval and supply time, not ignoring it in presentation.

In practice, this looks like:

at start, a general roadmap is formed: from brief to handover;

owner understands where "bottlenecks" are and what affects timelines;

during the project, CYFR provides updated status: what's done, what's in work, and what decisions are needed from the client.

With this approach, timelines stop being a surprise.

Renovation in Dubai becomes not a set of chaotic steps, but a sequential project with clear stages and control points.

If you want to understand the real timeline for a specific apartment or villa, CYFR team can assess:

scope and depth of work,

features of your building and community,

reasonable horizon from design to handover,

to rely on practice, not myths, from the start.

Renovation Timeline in Dubai: From Design to Handover