Before you buy, understand what renovating the property could involve — and what to budget.
A Pre-Purchase Renovation Review for buyers considering an apartment or villa in Dubai. We look at the property and what you would like to change, and set out the likely scope, an indicative budget range and the questions still to be answered, while you can still use the information.
The purchase price is one number. The renovation is the other.
Most buyers see a property for a short viewing and have to judge the renovation by eye. These are the questions worth answering before you commit.
- How much renovation might be needed?What your plans are likely to involve in practice, room by room and trade by trade, and which parts are larger than they look.
- What could the intended changes cost?An indicative budget range for the work you have in mind, with the assumptions behind it set out.
- What is still uncertain?Visible constraints, and the things that cannot be known from a visit and need further investigation.
- What approvals or specialist checks may be needed?The permissions and specialist input that are likely to need considering for the changes you want.
- What are the likely stages and next steps?A sensible order for the work and what you would need to do first if you go ahead.
One defined piece of work, with a clear beginning and end.
Review of the listing, plans and your intentions
We read the listing, any floor plans that are available and your description of what you would like to change, so the visit is spent on the things that matter.
One property visit, subject to access
A walk-through of the property to see its condition and layout as they are, focused on the areas affected by your plans. Access is arranged through you, your broker or the seller.
A concise written summary
Suggested renovation scope, an indicative budget range with its assumptions, likely sequencing, the constraints we could see and the further investigations we recommend.
One follow-up call
To go through the summary together and answer your questions.
Available separately, if you go ahead: detailed scope preparation, tendering to suitable contractors and owner's representation during the works. Each is a separate appointment and none is required.
What the review is, and what it is not.
It is an adviser's view of the renovation, based on the documents you have and what can be seen on a visit. That makes it useful for a purchase decision, and it also sets its limits.
It is
- An independent view of what your intended changes are likely to involve.
- An indicative budget range, with the assumptions written down.
- A note of visible constraints and of what needs further investigation.
- A starting point for a proper scope and tender if you buy.
It is not
- A structural survey or an engineer's assessment.
- An intrusive inspection. Nothing is opened up, dismantled or tested.
- A fixed contractor quotation. Firm prices come from tendering a defined scope.
- A guarantee that any authority, developer or building approval will be granted.
Some problems only show themselves once work begins. We will tell you what we saw, what we could not see and where a specialist should look further. We cannot promise to identify concealed defects or every technical issue in a property.
We work for the buyer. Only the buyer.
Everyone else involved in a sale has a reason to want it to complete. Our fee is the same whether you buy or walk away.
DBI takes no commission or referral fee from any broker, seller, contractor or supplier. If the renovation you have in mind is larger, slower or more uncertain than the listing suggests, the summary will say so, even where that makes the property less attractive. If the property looks like a straightforward candidate for what you want, it will say that too.
From enquiry to follow-up call.
- Enquiry. You tell us about the property and what you would like to change, by form or WhatsApp.
- Suitability and access. We confirm the review is the right fit and that a visit can be arranged.
- Agreed scope and fee. You receive the scope and the fixed fee in writing.
- Payment. D B I Project Management issues an invoice once you have agreed.
- Visit. One visit to the property, subject to access.
- Written summary. Sent to you, and to nobody else unless you ask.
- Follow-up call. We go through it together.
If you are working to a decision deadline, tell us the date at the start. We will say honestly whether it can be met before you commit to anything.
Fixed fee confirmed before booking.
This is a paid service. The fee depends on the size of the property, its location and the scope of the changes you intend, because those decide how much there is to review, visit and write up.
You receive the fee in writing together with the scope, before you commit. It is a fixed amount. It is not a percentage of the purchase price or of the renovation budget, and it does not change with what we find.
- No charge for an enquiry
- Scope and fee agreed before any payment
- Invoiced by D B I Project Management
People who have spent their careers inside Dubai renovation.
The professionals behind DBI have spent over a decade inside UAE fit-out and renovation: scoping projects, pricing bills of quantities, running tenders and seeing what a property reveals once the work starts.
We do not publish client testimonials or results we cannot stand behind. What we offer is an informed, candid view of the property in front of you.
Photographs are from our team's own Dubai project work. DBI advises and represents property owners; we are not the building contractor.
Dubai Build Insider is the brand of D B I Project Management, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism trade licence 1653853.
Request a pre-purchase review
Tell us about the property. We reply to confirm suitability, access, scope and fee. This is an enquiry, not a booking, and no payment is taken here.
Prefer to message? WhatsApp usBefore you ask.
Is this a property survey or a snagging inspection?
No. It is a renovation review: what you would like to change, what that is likely to involve and roughly what to budget for it. We look at what is visible and accessible on the day and we do not open up walls, floors or ceilings, test services or assess the structure.
Where something we see suggests a specialist should look more closely, we say so plainly and tell you which kind of specialist. We cannot tell you about defects that are concealed.
Will you tell me exactly what the renovation will cost?
You receive an indicative budget range with the assumptions behind it written down, so you can see what would move the figure up or down. It is a planning figure for a purchase decision.
A firm price only comes from contractors quoting against a defined scope and specification. If you go ahead with the purchase we can prepare that scope and run the tender under a separate appointment.
What if the findings make the property less attractive?
Then that is what the summary will say. You are our client and the review is written for you. We are not paid by the seller, the broker or any contractor, and the fee is the same whatever we find.
My broker suggested this. Does the broker see the review?
The written summary is yours. We send it to you, and you decide whether to share it with anyone. Brokers who introduce buyers to us do not receive a commission from DBI and do not influence the findings.
What do you need from me to start?
The listing or its details, any floor plans you have been given, and a short description of what you would like to change. If you only have the listing, that is enough to begin. We will tell you if something important is missing before a fee is agreed.
What if a visit cannot be arranged before I have to decide?
Access is arranged through you, your broker or the seller, and we confirm it before the scope and fee are agreed. If a visit is not possible in your timeframe we will tell you what a review of the listing and plans alone can and cannot tell you, so you can decide whether it is still worth doing.
What approvals might the renovation need?
It depends on the property, the community and the works. Depending on the case, the developer or community management, the building management and the relevant authorities may each have a say. The summary notes which approvals and specialist checks are likely to need considering so that you can raise them early. We cannot guarantee that any approval will be granted.
How is the fee set, and when do I pay?
The fee is fixed and confirmed in writing before you book. It depends on the size of the property, where it is and how much you intend to change. Once you have agreed the scope and fee, D B I Project Management issues an invoice, and the visit is scheduled after payment. Nothing is payable for making an enquiry.
What happens if I go ahead and buy?
The review stands on its own and there is no obligation to continue. If you would like further help, detailed scope preparation, tendering to suitable contractors and owner's representation during the works are each available under a separate appointment.
Further reading and next steps.
Renovation cost calculator
A first indication of renovation cost by property type, size and finish level.
Open the calculator →What renovation costs in Dubai
How costs are built up, and why two similar properties can differ widely.
Read the guide →After you buy
Scope and tender documents, contractor comparison and representation on site.
See how DBI works →Know what you are taking on before you commit.
Send us the listing and what you would like to change. We will tell you whether a review is worthwhile and confirm the fixed fee before you book.