Villa Renovation in Dubai

Three scales of villa renovation

The word renovation covers a wide range of work, so the first conversation is about scale. The right scale depends on the condition of the villa, how you want to live in it and the budget you have in mind.

Knowing which of these describes your project shapes everything that follows, from the survey to the way the budget is divided. Our villa interior design page explains how the design stage fits into each route.

• Refreshing rooms: new finishes, joinery and lighting in selected spaces, with the existing layout kept.
• Reconfiguring layouts: walls moved, kitchens opened up, bathrooms rearranged or rooms given a new purpose.
• Full turnkey renovation: the whole villa taken back and delivered from design to handover, including MEP, joinery, fit-out and furniture.

Surveying the villa before anything is drawn

An existing villa rarely matches its original drawings exactly. Earlier owners may have altered rooms, replaced equipment or extended into the garden. We survey the villa before design begins, so the proposals you see are based on the building as it stands rather than as it was first handed over.

The survey tells us what the design has to work around and where the budget is likely to go. It also shows whether a room refresh would be enough, or whether ageing systems mean a deeper renovation makes more sense. These are the things we look at first.

• The condition of wiring, plumbing, drainage and air conditioning
• Evidence of damp, leaks or cracking in walls, roofs and wet areas
• Previous alterations and the paperwork that goes with them
• The state of the garden, terraces, pool and outdoor equipment

Kitchens and bathrooms

Kitchens and bathrooms usually take the largest share of a villa renovation, because they combine plumbing, drainage, ventilation, electrics, stone, tiling and joinery in a small area.

In a kitchen we start with how the household cooks and entertains, then plan storage, appliances and work surfaces around it. At Emirates Hills Villa, concealed storage kept the kitchen calm and uncluttered within a strict neutral palette. In bathrooms we check drainage positions and waterproofing before choosing stone and sanitaryware, since what sits under the tiles decides how well the finish lasts. For more on planning both rooms, read our kitchen renovation planning guide and our bathroom renovation guide.

MEP and air conditioning upgrades

The mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems in an older villa are often the part of a renovation owners see least and notice most. Tired air conditioning, overloaded circuits and ageing pipework all affect comfort long after the new finishes are in place.

We assess these systems during the survey and recommend what should be upgraded while walls and ceilings are open. Replacing air conditioning units, rerouting ducts, rewiring rooms and adding smart home controls are far simpler before new ceilings and joinery go in.

Joinery, flooring and lighting

These three elements set the character of a renovated villa. Bespoke joinery, from kitchens and wardrobes to vanities, wall panelling and fitted furniture, is drawn for each room and built to the exact dimensions of the space. That matters in an existing villa, where walls are seldom perfectly square and standard units leave awkward gaps.

New flooring is planned around levels, thresholds and the services beneath it, so rooms meet cleanly and doors still clear the finished surface. Lighting is designed in layers, combining general, feature and concealed light. At MK Villa on Palm Jumeirah, customised imported fixtures were chosen to highlight architectural features, alongside high gloss finishes, golden accents and a black marble dining area.

Exterior, pool and landscape

In Dubai, a villa renovation often reaches beyond the front door. Terraces, gardens, façades and pools age alongside the interior, so it makes sense to include them in the same programme.

MK Villa included a custom designed infinity pool as part of our design and build work. If your plans include the outside of the villa, our exterior and landscape design service covers façades, outdoor living, pools, gardens and landscape lighting, and we order the outside works to protect areas that are already complete.

Living in the villa during the works

Many owners stay at home while their villa is renovated, and with careful planning that is often possible. We phase the work room by room, so the household keeps a working kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms for as long as possible, and we agree the order of rooms with you before work starts.

Dust screening seals each work area off from the rooms still in use. Working hours are agreed in advance with you and within the community's rules. Some scopes, such as replacing the air conditioning throughout, are harder to live with, and we will tell you plainly if moving out for part of the programme would be wiser.

Approvals for villa renovation work

Many renovations need permission before work begins, particularly where layouts, structure, MEP or the exterior change. The approval route may involve the master developer or community management and the relevant authority. We confirm the route for each address before the programme is fixed.

We prepare the drawings and submissions, coordinate with the parties involved and keep site work consistent with what was approved. Authority approvals were part of our design and build scope on the 6,700 sq ft Emirates Hills Villa, finished in 2024. Our authority approvals page explains our role in more detail.

How a renovation budget is structured

We do not publish standard prices, because two villas of the same size can need very different work. The budget is divided into the same packages as the work, so you can see where the money sits and what changes if the scope grows or shrinks.

The biggest influences on cost are the scale of renovation you choose, the condition found in the survey, how much of the layout moves, the extent of MEP works, the amount of bespoke joinery and the grade of stone, finishes and fittings. We can tailor the design and materials to an approved budget, and our villa renovation cost guide is useful further reading.

• Survey, design, working drawings and approvals
• Strip out, civil works, ceilings and flooring
• MEP, air conditioning, lighting and smart home systems
• Kitchens, bathrooms and bespoke joinery
• Finishes, sanitaryware and fixtures
• Furniture, exterior and pool works, where included
• A contingency for conditions found once walls and floors are opened

Comparing villa renovation quotes

Renovation quotes are hard to compare because each contractor makes different assumptions about the existing villa. A low figure may leave out work that a survey would have revealed. Before comparing totals, check that each quote covers the same scope to the same standard. These questions help.

• Was the quote based on a survey of the villa, or on photographs alone?
• Are MEP and air conditioning works priced, or excluded?
• Are materials and fittings named, or listed as allowances?
• Who prepares the approval submissions for your community?
• How will the works be phased if you live in the villa?
• What does the contract say about defects after handover?

Handover and snagging

As each phase finishes, and again at the end, the work is checked against the approved drawings and specifications. Items that fall short are recorded on a snagging list and put right before handover, so you return to finished rooms rather than a list of outstanding jobs.

When the keys come back to you, we pass on the manufacturers' product documentation and guarantees for appliances, fixtures and equipment. The works are then covered by a 12-month defects liability period set out in your contract, and we remain on hand after completion if anything needs adjusting once you have settled back in.

Guides from the studio

• Bathroom Renovation in Dubai: Cost Drivers and Design
• Kitchen Renovation in Dubai: A Luxury Planning Guide
• Villa Renovation Cost in Dubai: What Drives Your Budget