Frequently Asked
Questions
asked question
What clients ask before starting
Approvals, cost drivers, programme and handover, answered as plainly as we can. If your question is not here, contact us and we will answer it directly.
They are planned into the design from the start. Which authority applies, and whether a developer NOC is needed, depends on where the property sits, and we confirm both for your address before design is fixed. Approvals, developer NOCs and community deposits are commonly left out of quotations, so ask for written confirmation of whether your quotation includes them.
Six things move the number more than floor area does. Joinery is usually the largest single line: kitchens, wardrobes, wall panelling and media units. Stone and flooring is the next swing, and imported marble against porcelain across a large villa is one of the biggest differences in a budget. MEP scope matters because relocating kitchens or bathrooms means rerouting services and resubmitting to the authority, which is the most common reason a quote moves after signing. Structural changes, furniture and appliances, and a compressed programme make up the rest.
Timelines vary with scope and the level of customisation, and we work to clear milestones and transparent schedules rather than a single headline date. A cosmetic refresh inside an existing layout moves quickly. Anything that relocates a kitchen or a bathroom adds MEP rerouting and an authority resubmission, and anything structural adds engineering and approval time on top of the build. Compressing a programme is possible but it is paid for in overtime and parallel trades, so it raises cost. We will give you a milestone schedule before work starts.
Vastu-compliant interior design applies directional principles from Vastu Shastra to the layout, zoning and flow of a home. In Dubai there is a real constraint to work with: plot orientation is fixed by the community master plan and floor plans follow the developer's template, so the work is about what can genuinely be improved inside those limits. We start with compass readings taken at the property and map the existing plan against directional zones. Common moves include a South-East kitchen and a North-East prayer space. We will tell you plainly what can be corrected without structural demolition and what needs approvals.
Yes, and the difference is structural rather than stylistic. A villa gives you more freedom over layout, external elevations and landscape, so directional and zoning changes are more achievable and joinery runs longer. An apartment has a fixed core, service risers and external walls, which sets hard limits on where wet areas and kitchens can go, and it usually adds building management rules and access windows on top of the authority process. We cover villas, apartments and penthouses across Dubai.
Yes. We design hotels, restaurants and resorts, and we approach hospitality as creating experiences rather than just spaces. That means lobbies and guest-focused amenities in hotels, and dining atmospheres in restaurants where layout, lighting and materials are resolved together. All designs are made to meet local regulations, safety codes and operational standards. On live premises we plan carefully to minimise downtime and coordinate schedules to keep the business running. You will be part of key milestones, from concept development through to final detailing.
Our process runs in four phases: discovery and vision mapping, concept and design development, execution and on-site management, then final styling and handover. Handover is a defined phase, not an afterthought. We are based at Sidra Tower on Sheikh Zayed Road and we work across Dubai and the wider UAE, including Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. For the specific terms on your project, contact us at info@interiohaven.com.