Guides
How a commercial fit-out is programmed in Dubai
A fit-out is programmed backwards from the day the unit has to be trading, and every approval sits in front of it.
A commercial programme is unusual because its end date is usually commercial rather than practical: a lease starts, a licence is needed, a season begins. Working back from that date is the only way to see whether the plan is realistic, because the landlord review, the authority inspection and the reinstatement of services all sit before the finishes rather than beside them.
Timeline guides explain the order the trades work in and which decisions hold up which stage. Durations depend on approvals, long-lead materials and how much is changing, so they are described as stages rather than promises.
The other difference is that a fit-out is often carried out in a building that is already occupied and trading around it. Deliveries, noisy work and access are scheduled, not chosen, and a programme that ignores the building rules will simply be stopped.
What matters most on this page
Landlord review first
Drawings, a method statement and often a contractor approval are submitted before a start date is confirmed.
Base build works before design works
Ceilings, services distribution and any drainage alterations come before partitions and finishes can be set out.
Inspections before occupation
Sprinkler, detection and ventilation alterations are usually inspected before the unit can be used.
Stages that decide the opening date
The submission and review
Fit-out guidelines decide what is submitted and who reviews it. Incomplete submissions are the most common reason a start date moves.
MEP alteration and testing
Changing sprinkler heads, detection, ducting or the board means testing and sign-off, all of which sit inside the programme rather than after it.
Fit-out and commissioning
Partitions, ceilings, power, lighting, joinery and decoration, then the commissioning of cooling, ventilation and controls.
Programme a fit-out around these fixed points
- 01
Fix the trading date first
Everything else is scheduled backwards from it, including the licence application.
- 02
Get the guidelines and the plan approval early
Nothing meaningful can be ordered until the drawings are accepted.
- 03
Book inspections before you need them
Inspection slots sit on the critical path. Treat them as stages, not as appointments.
Questions we are often asked
Can a fit-out run while the building trades?
Often yes, with working hours, delivery windows and noisy work scheduled around the building. That scheduling is part of the programme.
What is the most common cause of a late opening?
A late or incomplete landlord submission, followed by late changes to the services layout after the ceiling has been set out.
Who handles the authority submission?
It varies by unit and by building. It should be agreed in writing at the start so nobody assumes the other party is handling it.
Related guides
- Commercial fit out costWhat moves the price of the same scope.
- Commercial fit out approvalsThe review that sits at the front of the programme.
- Office fit outThe next question people ask about the same work.
- Retail fit outThe next question people ask about the same work.
Start from commercial fit-out, browse the guides, or see all renovation and fit-out services. We work on homes and commercial premises across Dubai.
Tell us about the property
Tell us the property, the rooms involved and any date you are working towards. We will set out the sequence and its dependencies.
Phone
+971 56 181 0106Good for talking a job through and arranging a visit.
WhatsApp
Send a messageUseful for photographs, floor plans and measurements.
Next step
Work back from your opening date
Send the unit details, the landlord guidelines and your target date. We will show where the programme is tight and where it is not.