Renovating in Dubai: Approvals, Costs and What Actually Adds Value

Thinking of buying a property in Dubai and renovating it? Watch this before you spend a dirham. James has spent 20 years in construction and renovation and is now a broker at Apricity. He sits down with Aaron to talk about what really goes into a Dubai renovation. They cover how to spot a bad renovation on a viewing, why the same size of renovation can cost AED 500k or AED 1M, the approvals nobody warns you about (Dubai Holdings, DDA and Civil Defence), and the layout changes that actually add value when you come to sell. In this episode: • The red flags in expensive "renovated" villas and apartments • The mechanical work you can't see, and why buyers should ask about it • Why most agents can't explain what's actually been done to a property • Drawings, scope of works and getting quotes everyone can compare • Budgeting: don't spend it all on finishes and forget the build • Why the half-price contractor always costs you more • Layouts, copy-paste renovations and what buyers will pay more for • The real approval process for moving a kitchen in Dubai • Should you stage a property before selling it? Chapters 0:00 Things falling off the walls 0:26 Why a builder on the viewing matters 1:20 Not all renovations are equal 2:13 The stuff you can't see 3:23 Agents can't explain the work 4:29 AED 500k vs AED 1M renovations 4:52 Dragon Mart cabinets in AED 20M villas 5:37 What to do before you start 8:33 The cheap contractor trap 11:31 Exit values: bad work costs you on resale 12:58 Copy-paste renovations and better layouts 14:56 Approvals: Dubai Holdings, DDA and Civil Defence 16:08 Moving the kitchen 17:35 Staging before you sell Thinking about buying to renovate in Dubai? Get in touch with the Apricity team. #Dubai #DubaiRealEstate #Renovation #DubaiProperty #PropertyInvestment #Apricity