What does a fit-out contractor do in Dubai?
A fit-out contractor turns a bare or shell-and-core unit into a finished, occupiable space — partitions, ceilings, flooring, joinery, MEP services and finishes. In Dubai the contractor also carries the authority approvals: Dubai Municipality or the relevant free-zone authority, Civil Defence for fire and life safety, and DEWA for power and water connections.
What approvals do you need for an office fit-out in Dubai?
Most Dubai fit-outs need fit-out approval from the authority governing the plot — Dubai Municipality, DDA, Trakhees, DMCC or another free zone — plus Civil Defence approval for fire alarm, suppression and means of escape, and DEWA approval where power, water or drainage change. The landlord’s NOC comes first.
Which authorities approve construction work in Dubai?
Approval depends on the plot. Dubai Municipality governs most mainland areas; Trakhees covers Jebel Ali and Palm Jumeirah; DDA covers Dubai Design District and the TECOM communities; DMCC, Dubai Silicon Oasis and other free zones govern their own plots. Civil Defence approves fire and life safety everywhere, and DEWA approves utility connections.
What is the difference between shell and core, Cat A and Cat B?
Shell and core is a bare structural envelope with base building services only. Cat A adds the landlord’s finish — raised floors, suspended ceilings, basic lighting and HVAC — making a lettable but unoccupiable space. Cat B is the tenant’s own fit-out: layout, partitions, joinery, branding and everything the occupier actually uses.
What is the difference between a fit-out and a refurbishment?
A fit-out completes a space that has never been occupied, working from a shell or a landlord’s Cat A finish. A refurbishment replaces or upgrades an existing finished space, which means demolition, protecting what stays, working around live services, and usually working around people still using the building.
Can a fit-out be carried out in a live hospital or hotel?
Yes, and it is a different discipline from an empty shell. Live-environment work is phased around the operating timetable with sealed hoardings, controlled access, dust and infection-control measures, and noisy activities restricted to agreed windows. The method statement is agreed with the facility’s operations team before any work starts.
Who is responsible for defects after handover in the UAE?
The contractor carries the defects liability period stated in the contract — commonly twelve months from handover — covering workmanship and materials, but not fair wear or misuse. Under UAE law, contractors and designers also carry a ten-year decennial liability for structural collapse or defects threatening the building’s stability.
What is a defects liability period?
A defects liability period is the window after practical completion during which the contractor must return and correct defects in workmanship or materials at their own cost. Twelve months is standard in UAE fit-out and construction contracts. It is a contractual obligation, separate from any manufacturer warranty on installed equipment.
Do you work as main contractor or as subcontractor?
Both. MA Group works as main contractor holding the full scope and the authority approvals, and as a specialist subcontractor to other main contractors on interiors, joinery, landscape and finishing packages. The licences held are Marvellous Art (licence 1175355) for interiors and MA Building Contracting (licence 1313110) for construction.
How is a fit-out priced in the UAE, and is VAT included?
Fit-out is priced as a bill of quantities — measured quantities against unit rates, with preliminaries and overheads carried inside the rates rather than shown as separate lines. UAE VAT of 5% is added to the contract sum and shown separately on each invoice and payment certificate.
What should a fit-out bill of quantities contain?
A bill of quantities lists every item with its measured quantity, unit, unit rate and total, grouped by trade and referenced to the drawings and specification. Preliminaries and overheads belong inside the unit rates. Provisional sums and prime cost items are identified separately, so the client can see what is not yet fixed.
Who maintains the building after MA Group hands it over?
We do, if you want us to. MA Group holds a building maintenance licence alongside the interiors and contracting licences, so planned and reactive maintenance runs under the same ownership as the build. You get the asset register, the warranties and the O&M manuals, and a named engineer who worked on the project.
