Methodology

How figures and sources are handled

Published figures, estimates and practical guidance have different limits. This page explains the sources and the assumptions behind the budget calculator.

The problem with Dubai cost data

The cost ranges used here come from contractor and agency pages. They are promotional estimates, with different inclusions, and cannot be combined into a market average or treated as quotations.

So this site publishes ranges rather than averages, names the source of each range on the page, and states plainly that the underlying material is promotional. The aim is that a reader can judge a figure rather than simply receive it.

What is published, and from where

Source categories used across this site
Category	Used for	Reliability
Developer press releases	Handover counts, villa numbers, contract values, delivery phases	Primary source for the fact being announced; promotional in tone but authoritative for its own project
Authority service descriptions	Approval routes, tracks, document lists, process order	Primary; formats and portal steps change, so confirm before filing
Weather observations	Nearby airport humidity and rainfall	Timeanddate uses Dubai International Airport, 43 km from Jebel Ali Free Zone, for its 1992–2021 averages. Conditions at a property can differ.
Contractor and agency pages	AED per square foot rates, design fees, project totals	Promotional. Published as ranges with the source named per row
Developer community pages	Community layout and advertised property mix	Descriptions of the developer's own projects; check the particular building or plot
Editorial guidance	Material checks, detailing and planning questions	Suggestions to investigate with a qualified professional, not measurements of local failure rates

Measured values versus rules of thumb

The nearby airport series reports 54.4 mm annual precipitation and 54% annual average relative humidity for 1992–2021. Its page labels the location Jebel Ali Free Zone, but explicitly uses Dubai International Airport observations, 43 km away. These values do not establish local overnight humidity or rainfall at an individual property. Material guidance is editorial advice to check in the actual building, not a measured local failure rate.

Material checks depend on the selected product, the assembly and site conditions. Confirm specifications against manufacturer instructions and measurements at the property.

Why the outlier stays

One published renovation guide gives higher figures than several package ranges shown here. The scopes differ, so the figures cannot be ranked as though they measured the same work.

The extra published range remains visible as another example of a possible quote. A reader should compare its written inclusions with the other sources before drawing a conclusion about price.

The budget calculator offers three published turnkey ranges. Basic and mid-range design services and the additional renovation example have different scopes, so they are shown in the guide without being offered as full fit-out estimates.

How the calculator works

The calculator multiplies your floor area by the low and high rates in a selected published turnkey band. Basic and mid-range design-only bands appear in the cost guide but are not full fit-out calculator choices. It does not add a property-type multiplier or automatic percentage for preliminaries. Fees, furniture, external works and preliminaries are optional AED amounts that start at zero. Enter only items excluded from the written scope of your chosen band to avoid counting them twice.

A contingency reserve is then applied to the package plus any additions. The displayed 10% default is an editable planning assumption, not a sourced market rate. The package bands are shared by the calculator and the cost data so the displayed figures match.

Updates and corrections

Project dates, rates and permit steps can change. Check the linked publisher before relying on a time-sensitive detail. Corrections can be sent through the contact page with a source.

What this site will not do

Publish a single "average" cost per square foot. The spread is real and collapsing it would mislead.
Name, rank or recommend contractors, designers or suppliers.
Accept paid placement, sponsorship or referral arrangements.
Present a marketing figure as though it were audited data.
Give property-specific structural, legal or financial advice.

Full source list

Each guide lists sources near the claims it discusses. This index collects those links for checking; a source may support only part of a guide, so check the relevant passage and date.

Stone sample cubes in limestone, marble and granite on a plaster surface

Solid brass and stainless lever handles laid on pale stone

Rolled construction drawings and a scale ruler on a site table