Renovating an apartment in Dubai is not as easy as it sounds. You need to have tons of approvals, check-ins with the local building or society manager, and choose the best contractors. These three things are the main pillars of a successful apartment renovation. While you can take care of everything else, you can avoid the inevitable delays. According to the Royal Institute of Professional Surveyors, there is commonly a 30-50% delay in the arrival of permits and approvals. A contingency period of 20-30% of the timeline is a sane practice for the sake of your own mental peace. In this thorough guide by Apartment Renovation Dubai, we will talk about all the factors that would contribute positively and negatively to the apartment renovation timeline.
The Importance Of The Apartment Renovation Timeline Why Does It Matter?
Time becomes so much more than just a date on the calendar when it comes to the apartment renovation. A realistic project timeline can help you in the long run.
- Budgeting: It helps you to budget accordingly. Exceeding the timeline means higher labour costs.
- Logistics: Families need to relocate for the renovation process. If your project exceeds the timeline, it means longer rentals, and thus more expenses.
- Regulation: The regulatory bodies of Dubai check if your project exceeded the timeline. Ill-planned timelines can face penalties and fines.
- Sanity: A properly devised timeline for the renovation project is only good for your own mental peace as well.
The above 4 points show the importance of a clear timeline.
The Average Time To Renovate The Apartment Locally And Globally
Now, let’s talk about the average timeline for renovation projects locally and globally.
- For the UAE and Dubai, the average timeline for a cosmetic renovation project is at least 8 weeks.
- For a full-scale renovation project, it usually takes up to 4 – 7 months, approximately.
- Add another 4 to 8 weeks for local and government permits for renovation.
If we talk about the global market:
- Cosmetic Renovation requires only 3 – 6 weeks.
- Full-scale apartment remodeling takes up to 3 to 6 months.
- In the case of a luxury apartment or villa renovation, it usually takes more than 12 months.
Underestimating The Timeline Common Mistake By Dubai Homeowners
Underestimating the renovation timeline is the worst thing you can do while planning one. Most Dubai homeowners think that an apartment renovation is a process of 1 to 2 months maximum. Nothing could be further from the truth. And that’s the reason most people are seen to be losing their peace of mind over the most natural delays in the renovation process.
Take an example of a complete kitchen renovation. The initial timeline was set to only 8 weeks without any buffer periods. But it was stretched to 4 months due to the initial delay in the permits and then the shortage of materials.
That’s the sole reason for planning the timeline of the renovation and remodeling process. It is to protect your own sanity.
Apartment Renovation In Dubai Complete, Step-By-Step Process With Timelines
Here, you will find a realistic breakdown of the apartment renovation in Dubai. We have covered all the areas below, from the permits to the final touch-ups and handing over. We have also added the perfect amount of buffer period to protect your peace of mind.
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Planning And Design (2 to 4 Weeks)
The first step is to plan the renovation. Hire a licensed renovation company and share your plans with them. Tell them in detail about your plans. They would make you the plans for the renovation. This step alone could take from 2 weeks to a whole month. Sometimes, it can take even longer if you want a gut renovation for your space.
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Submission Of The Designs And Waiting For Approvals (4 to 8 Weeks)
After the designs are finalized, submit those designs for approval from the Dubai authorities. Most commonly, if you hire a professional and licensed company for the renovation, they themselves apply for the permits. The submission, waiting, and approval of these permits can easily take up to a couple of months.
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Site Preparation (2 Weeks)
After that, you need to declutter your space. You can’t just start the renovation process right after getting the approvals from the Dubai Municipality and Dubai Land Department. You have to first clear out the old fixtures and furniture. An ingenious practice is to declutter your space while you get your approvals.
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Major Upgrades, HVAC, Electrical Wiring, And Plumbing (2 to 4 Weeks)
After you get your approvals and declutter your space, comes the groundwork. Start with the air-conditioning and ventilation systems in your apartment. Upgrade the electrical wiring and look into the plumbing. While upgrading the plumbing, look deeper into the sewage pipes. If the pipes need a change, go for it.
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Flooring, Wall Treatments, And Bathroom Upgrades (3 to 6 Weeks)
After the foundational work, start the major renovations. For example, change the flooring of your apartment and upgrade your walls. Before reflooring, check the subfloor. It probably needs a thorough cleanup. Inspect and disinfect the sufloor to prevent mold growth. Apply a base layer or an underlayment prior to the main flooring. The same goes for the bathroom. Check the floor and the walls for any kind of water damage. For bathroom renovation, it is necessary to thoroughly protect the walls and the subfloor before diving into major changes.
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Fixtures, Final Fittings, And Cabinetry Upgrades (2 to 4 Weeks)
The minor but most important renovations follow the foundational works. Electrical fixtures and fittings take time. The team has to double-check all the electrical fixtures for any uncontrolled current flow. And custom fitting and cabinetry take even longer to be made and installed.
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Final Touches: Interior Decor And Detailing (1 to 3 Weeks)
After the major work is done, come the finer details. Arranging the furniture according to the newest layout decided. The lamp’s placement and the curtain hangings. Decorating the newly renovated walls with custom artwork. Placing the rugs to enhance the depth and character, this process can take up to 3 weeks easily.
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Final Inspection, Cleanup, And Handing Over (One Week)
The last week of renovation is basically for the cleanup. The space is cleaned and polished. After double-checking every appliance and the plumbing fixture, your apartment is handed over to you. Now, you can fully enjoy your newly renovated home.
Duration For Partial Or Area Specific Renovation
Cosmetic Renovation Or Touch Ups
As the cosmetic renovation is not a full-scale renovation, it doesn’t take as much time as the gut renovation. A cosmetic touch can at most take up to 3 or 4 weeks.
Kitchen Renovation
A full kitchen remodel and renovation can easily stretch up to 10 to 12 weeks.
Bathroom Renovation
If you need a full gutted renovation and remodeling of your bathroom, it can take longer than a normal renovation. A normal bathroom renovation or remodeling can take 3 to 4 weeks, while a full-scale renovation can take up to 8 weeks easily.
Office Renovation
For a full office overhaul, you need to make up your mind. A complete office renovation requires at least 9 to 10 months with a massive team working tirelessly. That’s why it is important to decide the timeline for this scale of renovation.
Factors That Affect The Renovation Timeline
Apartment Size And Layout
Smaller apartments can be renovated at lightning speed sometimes. They take around 6 to 8 weeks. Larger apartments can take an extensive time for renovation.
Similarly, smaller apartments with a complex layout and full-scale renovation can take much more time than the larger apartment with a simple layout and smaller-scale renovation.
Type Of Renovation Wanted
The type of renovation is also important while determining the timeline. As we talked earlier, longer and more complex renovations take more time than the simpler touch-ups.
Moreover, custom renovations, like personalized cabinetry, furniture, and matching fixtures, can take longer to manufacture than standard ones. This is another factor that affects the timeline of the project.
Delayed Permits And Approvals
It is very common for permits and approvals to be delayed. Dubai has a lot of renovation going on at any standard time. The permit you were going to get in 2 weeks may now take up to 5 or 6 weeks.
Material Shortage And Delayed Deliveries
While renovating, another thing that must be kept in mind is to have a buffer period for the unexpected, but always predictable delays in the material deliveries. Sometimes, the required materials face a shortage in the market and are not expected to be in stock any time soon. Managing the unhindered supply of the material before the start of the renovation process would save you from this debacle.
Contractor Efficiency And Team Professionalism
If your renovation company is efficient and swift, it can make up for the unexpected delays in material delivery, shortages, and other things. The size of the renovating team also positively affects the renovation speed. The task done by 3 members in 2 days can be easily done by 5 members in the same day.
How You Can Speed Up The Renovation Process
Hire Experienced And Licensed Contractors
Never compromise on the quality of the service. The highest quality services might seem a little bit overboard at the time, but they will serve you with cost efficiency and peace of mind in the long run.
Always hire the best professionals and the renovation company which have an approved license to work in Dubai. Check their credentials and their prior experience with similar projects.
Planned Prior Supply Of Material
Get an estimate from the renovation company you have hired. Ask them to provide a rough estimate of how much of each specific material is required. After the estimate, ensure the availability of the material so that your renovation process is smooth and uninterrupted.
Weekly Rapport And Regular Check-Ins
Check in weekly with the contractor and ask them to give you updates about the progress. Some legit and high-scaling companies schedule weekly meetings on their own. They even update every week, even if you are not present at the renovation site.
This is another point in favor of the legit and licensed renovation companies.
Conclusion
Now, we have covered it all. We have discussed each aspect of the apartment renovation process. In the above discussion, we have debated about the importance of a well-structured, well-thought-out, and well-executed timeline for the renovation. We also talked about the benefits of buffer periods between every phase of the renovation. Lastly, we informed you about the benefits of hiring licensed professionals for your renovation services.
