The cost of renovating an apartment in Dubai is decided mostly by how many kitchens and bathrooms you change, how much joinery is made to measure, how much the building lets you do and when, and how high the finish level is. This page names no price, because the figure only comes from a specific apartment and scope.
It explains the drivers so you can set a budget list and compare quotations on the same terms. Where we describe NovaPlex's service, the source is novaplex.ae/services/apartment-renovation-dubai, read 9 November 2026.
What decides the cost of an apartment renovation?
Kitchens and bathrooms. These areas carry the plumbing, waterproofing, stone, fittings and much of the joinery, in a small share of the floor area. A flat with three bathrooms is a different job from one with a single bathroom, even at the same size.
Joinery. Wardrobes, kitchen, vanities, TV consoles and shelving built to the apartment's own dimensions are often the largest single trade. NovaPlex builds its joinery in-house (source: novaplex.ae/services/apartment-renovation-dubai, read 9 November 2026).
MEP rerouting. Moving plumbing, electrical, air conditioning or smart-home wiring costs more than leaving it in place. The NovaPlex apartment page lists MEP reroute inside its scope (same source).
Finishes. Tile, stone, paint, doors and lighting. The specification you choose is a cost decision.
The building. Contractor passes, lift and loading-bay bookings and permitted working hours shape the programme, and programme time affects cost. NovaPlex arranges these with building management as part of the project (same source).
Developer handover shell or a lived-in apartment: which costs differently?
They cost differently because the work differs, not because one is cheaper by rule.
A developer handover unit is empty and usually has little to remove. NovaPlex notes that with the unit empty, joinery, flooring and finishes can run in parallel, and the developer NOC and building access can be arranged before your furniture arrives (source: novaplex.ae/services/apartment-renovation-dubai, read 9 November 2026).
A lived-in apartment adds a strip-out stage, protection of common areas and waste removal inside the building's rules. If you plan to move walls, the NovaPlex page says only non-structural walls can be opened, and only with the developer's approval (same source).
NovaPlex's published example of a handover unit is the apartment renovation at The Lofts, Downtown Dubai. The project page describes an apartment that came as a bare developer handover, delivered from empty handover to a move-in-ready home by one accountable team (source: novaplex.ae/projects/the-lofts-downtown-dubai-apartment, read 9 November 2026). More projects are at novaplex.ae/projects.
What building rules affect timing?
The NovaPlex apartment page notes that downtown and other managed towers have access restrictions, such as lift bookings and work hours, that can extend complex jobs. NOCs and Dubai Municipality submissions are handled as part of the NovaPlex service (source: novaplex.ae/services/apartment-renovation-dubai, read 9 November 2026).
This is general information, unverified, and not a legal or regulatory position. Rules differ by building and authority, so confirm them with the issuing body. Our guides: renovation NOCs in Dubai and Emaar NOC for renovation.
How long does an apartment renovation take?
NovaPlex quotes 8 to 14 weeks on site for a full apartment (source: novaplex.ae/services/apartment-renovation-dubai, read 9 November 2026).
What does turnkey mean at NovaPlex?
On the NovaPlex site, a turnkey apartment refurbishment means design, fit-out, joinery and MEP under one accountable team, from first drawing to final snag (source: novaplex.ae/services/apartment-renovation-dubai, read 9 November 2026). A documented snag list is cleared before sign-off. NovaPlex is a licensed Dubai company, NOVA PLEX INTERIOR DESIGN AND FITOUT L.L.C. For tower logistics in more depth, read apartment renovation in Downtown Dubai.