Fit-Out Services in Dubai

Fit-out is the work between an empty shell and a finished, usable space. Walls, flooring, ceilings, lighting, electrical, plumbing, finishing, joinery, and furniture installation. We offer turnkey fit-out services across the UAE, residential apartments and villas, commercial offices, hospitality venues, and retail spaces. The work covers everything from a single-room refurbishment to a complete shell-to-handover delivery.

What Turnkey Fit-Out Actually Means

Turnkey means you hand us an empty space and walk back in to a finished one. The single point of contact and accountability is us. No coordinating multiple contractors, no chasing the electrician about why the AC isn't working before the painters arrive, no figuring out who's responsible when something falls through the cracks.

This delivery model works because we manage every stage of the project as a single coordinated effort. Design and concept lead into construction and MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing), which lead into finishing (paint, flooring, joinery, tiling), which lead into installation (lighting fixtures, sanitaryware, appliances) and finally furnishing and styling.

The alternative is the traditional model where you hire an architect, then a main contractor, then an interior designer, then a furniture supplier, and you (or a project manager you pay separately) coordinate between them. That works but adds complexity, more contact points, more potential for things to fall between gaps in responsibility, and usually more total cost when handover delays are factored in.

Residential Fit-Out

We undertake fit-out work for apartments, villas, and townhouses across Dubai and the wider UAE. Most projects are renovations or refits of existing properties rather than new-build shell deliveries.

Apartment refits. Common projects include kitchen overhauls, full bathroom renovations, removing internal walls to open up layouts (subject to building management approval), and complete refits of recently purchased properties. Building management permissions and DEWA approvals are handled as part of the project management.

Villa fit-out. Villa projects can range from single-room renovations through to complete shell-to-finish builds when buying off-plan or post-handover. Common villa work includes kitchen extensions, majlis refits, master suite renovations, and full home refits when families purchase or move into a property and want to redesign before moving in.

Townhouse and compound projects. Similar to villas but typically with HOA or developer rules to navigate. We handle the approvals and ensure work complies with community standards.

Commercial Fit-Out

Beyond residential, we deliver commercial fit-out across Dubai. Offices, retail, hospitality, and clinic environments each have specific requirements.

Office fit-out. From small private offices through to full-floor corporate fit-outs in DIFC, Business Bay, JLT, and the wider commercial districts. The work covers partition systems, electrical and data infrastructure, meeting room AV, kitchen and break-out areas, and the soft furnishing that makes a space pleasant rather than purely functional.

Retail fit-out. Boutique retail and showroom fit-out in malls and standalone locations. The work includes brand-aligned interior design, custom joinery, display systems, lighting design, and the operational considerations like POS positioning and stock storage. Mall fit-out has specific timeline and approval constraints we manage.

Hospitality fit-out. Restaurants, cafes, and bars require fit-out work that addresses commercial kitchen requirements, customer flow, FOH/BOH separation, regulatory approvals (Dubai Municipality, food safety), and brand alignment. We've completed hospitality fit-outs across Dubai and understand the operational requirements alongside design.

How We Manage Projects

Single project manager. Every project has a single project manager as your point of contact throughout. They coordinate the sub-trades, manage the timeline, and update you on progress. You don't speak to ten different people about ten different aspects of the work.

Defined milestones and timelines. Before work starts, we agree a written project plan with milestones, expected timelines, and decision points. Slippage happens occasionally but is communicated immediately when it does, not discovered at the end.

Approvals and permissions handled. Building management approval, DEWA notifications, DDA permissions where required, civil defence approvals for commercial work, we handle the regulatory side. You don't need to learn Dubai's approval processes.

Quality control. Each stage is signed off before the next begins. Walls aren't tiled over uncorrected wiring. Floors aren't laid before MEP is tested. This avoids the expensive rework that comes from rushing through stages.

Handover and snagging. Projects end with a structured handover walkthrough and snag list. Anything not right is corrected before final sign-off.

Combined Design and Fit-Out

Many of our projects combine interior design and fit-out as a single engagement. The advantage is integration, the design is being built by the team that designed it, with no translation losses between separate firms. Issues get resolved by one decision-maker rather than escalated between two parties.

Combined projects also tend to deliver faster and at predictable cost because the design respects the construction realities and the construction is informed by the design intent from day one. The two are not separate phases, they're a single workflow.

Where clients prefer to engage interior designers and fit-out contractors separately, we can do either role independently. The combined approach is offered as the simpler option, not the only option.

What's the difference between fit-out and interior design?

Interior design is the planning and creative direction, layouts, materials, finishes, furniture selection. Fit-out is the physical construction and installation, building partitions, running electrical and plumbing, applying finishes, fitting joinery, and installing fixtures. The two are related but separate disciplines. Turnkey fit-out combines both into a single delivery.

How much does fit-out cost per square metre in Dubai?

Residential fit-out in Dubai typically ranges from AED 800 to AED 2,500 per square metre for standard work, and AED 2,500 to AED 5,000+ for high-end finishes and bespoke joinery. Commercial fit-out ranges AED 600 to AED 1,500 per square metre for offices and AED 1,500 to AED 4,000 for hospitality. These ranges are indicative and depend significantly on finish specifications and scope. We provide detailed quotes at the proposal stage.

How long does a fit-out project take?

Single-room refits typically run 3-6 weeks. Full apartment fit-outs run 8-16 weeks. Villa fit-outs run 4-9 months depending on scope. Commercial office fit-outs run 6-16 weeks. Hospitality fit-outs run 12-24 weeks. Timelines depend heavily on approvals, lead times for custom items, and scope of structural work.

Are you licensed as a fit-out contractor in the UAE?

Yes. Hive Living operates with appropriate UAE business licensing for design and fit-out services. We work with vetted sub-contractors and handle the necessary approvals through Dubai Municipality, DEWA, DDA, and building management as required by project type.

Can you handle MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) work?

Yes. MEP works are coordinated and delivered as part of fit-out projects. We work with licensed MEP contractors and ensure compliance with UAE regulations and approvals through DEWA and other relevant bodies.

Do you do small fit-out jobs or only large ones?

Both. We undertake single-room refits, kitchen renovations, bathroom overhauls, and small commercial fit-outs alongside larger full-property projects. The minimum project size we typically engage on is around AED 50,000 in scope. Smaller jobs can sometimes be referred to specialized contractors.

Can you do fit-out without doing interior design too?

Yes. We can execute fit-out based on designs from another interior designer or architect. Many clients have their own design team and engage us specifically for construction delivery. We can also do design without fit-out if the client has a preferred contractor. The combined service is offered as the easier option, not the only one.

Do you handle building management approvals?

Yes. Approvals through building management, DEWA notifications, civil defence (for commercial work), DDA permissions, Dubai Municipality submissions, and any other regulatory clearances are handled as part of project management. Clients don't need to navigate UAE approval processes.

Can fit-out be done while we're still living in the property?

Sometimes, depending on scope. Single-room renovations can often proceed with residents present, with dust protection and noise management. Full-home refits typically require the property to be unoccupied for safety and practical reasons. We discuss the realistic options during the project planning stage.

What's included in turnkey fit-out?

Turnkey fit-out includes design, construction and MEP, finishing (paint, flooring, ceilings, joinery), lighting and electrical installation, sanitaryware fitting, kitchen installation, furniture supply and placement, decor and styling, and final handover. Some elements (appliances, soft furnishings, technology) can be included or excluded based on client preference and scope.

How do I start a fit-out project with Hive Living?

Book a consultation by emailing info@hiveliving.ae or calling our Dubai showroom. The initial consultation is free, usually at your space, and covers what you want done and approximate scope. We follow up with a written proposal covering timeline, deliverables, and cost.