asked question
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.
Yes. Design, authority approvals and fit-out are handled under one roof, so the same team that draws the scheme submits it. Which authority applies depends on where the property sits: Dubai Municipality for mainland, DDA for the TECOM free zones, and Trakhees for Nakheel communities. Developer no objection certificates are managed alongside the authority submission. This matters commercially as well as practically, because approvals, developer NOCs and community deposits are commonly left out of quotations and can add a six figure sum on a major project. Ask us to confirm in writing that your quotation includes them.
Six things move the number more than floor area does. Joinery is the largest single line, and kitchens, wardrobes, wall panelling and media units typically account for 25 to 35 percent of a residential fit-out. Stone and flooring is the next swing: imported marble against porcelain across 5,000 square feet is frequently a difference of AED 200,000 or more. 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. Both are delivered the same way, as design, approvals and fit-out under one contract. We cover villas, apartments and penthouses across Dubai.
Yes. We design hotels, restaurants, resorts, fitness clubs and event halls, 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, and turnkey projects are delivered under one contract covering demolition, MEP, joinery, finishes, furniture and handover. 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.