How to Choose a Fit-out Contractor in Dubai: Checklist and Questions

What to check before you appoint a fit-out contractor in Dubai: similar projects, who makes the joinery, permits, comparable quotes and the questions to ask.

What to check before you appoint a fit-out contractor in Dubai: similar work, who makes the joinery, permits, comparable quotes, programme and commercial basics.

Short answer: choose a fit-out contractor in Dubai on evidence, not on the lowest price. Visit projects similar to yours, check who actually makes the joinery, ask how they handle the permits for your building, and compare quotes line by line against the same drawings. A clear scope and programme matter more than a low headline number.

1. Look at work like yours

A contractor that builds restaurants is not automatically right for a jewellery boutique or an office floor. Ask for two or three projects of a similar type and size, and visit at least one if you can. Look at the details close up: door alignment, edges, joints between materials, how lighting is integrated.

2. Find out who makes what

Many fit-out companies subcontract the joinery, metalwork and glass. That is not wrong, but you should know it. Ask:

• Which items are made in their own workshop, and which are bought in?
• Can you visit the workshop?
• Who prepares the shop drawings?

Joinery is usually the most visible part of an interior and a common cause of delay, so the answer matters.

3. Ask how they handle permits for your location

Fit-out permits in Dubai depend on where the space is: Dubai Municipality, a free zone authority, a mall or a master developer, plus Civil Defence for fire and life safety. Ask which authorities the contractor has submitted to before, who prepares the drawings, and who books the inspections. See our guide to fit-out approvals in Dubai.

4. Compare quotes on the same basis

Quotes are only comparable when they price the same drawings and specification. Check:

• Is there a bill of quantities, or only a lump sum?
• What is excluded (MEP changes, authority fees, furniture, signage, IT)?
• Which items are provisional sums that may change?
• Are materials named by brand and code, or described loosely?

A low quote with long exclusions often ends up costing more.

5. Ask for a programme

A credible contractor can show a programme with the main stages: drawings, permits, procurement, fabrication, site works, inspections and handover. Ask where the programme depends on you (approvals of drawings and samples, landlord permits) and on the authorities.

6. Check the commercial basics

• Trade licence that covers fit-out works
• Insurance for the works and third-party liability
• Payment terms linked to progress, not front-loaded
• Defects liability period and what it covers
• One named project manager as your contact

Questions to ask before you sign

1. Which similar projects can we visit?
2. What do you make in-house, and what do you subcontract?
3. Who prepares the shop drawings and when do we approve them?
4. Which permits does our location need, and who handles each one?
5. What is excluded from your price?
6. What does the programme depend on?
7. Who is our day-to-day contact on site?
8. What happens if a defect appears after handover?

How Prastara works

Our joinery and specialist fabrication are made in our own workshop in Jebel Ali, Dubai. We prepare shop drawings and material samples for your sign-off before production, and you can see our projects or send drawings for a priced proposal.

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