What a villa garden or pool actually costs in Dubai.
Most contractors answer this with “it depends”. It does depend, but not so much that we cannot give you real numbers. Below are rates taken from our own priced bills of quantities on villa projects in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the bands projects land in, and the handful of things that genuinely move the figure. Read it before you speak to anyone, including us.
Our rates, as we price them
Supply and install unless stated, excluding VAT. These are the rates in our own bills of quantities, not estimates written for a web page. Your villa will differ: access, levels, and what is underneath the ground move real projects around.
| Item | Rate | What that includes |
|---|---|---|
| Porcelain paving, 2 cm | AED 160 / m² | Laying, bedding, jointing and cutting. Tile supplied separately, or by us at cost plus. |
| Porcelain to steps | AED 235 / m² | Treads, risers and nosings. Steps cost more than flat areas because almost every piece is cut. |
| Artificial grass, 40 mm | AED 170 / m² | Base preparation, membrane, grass, sand infill and edge fixing. |
| Interlock driveway | AED 145 / m² | Excavation, sub-base, sand, pavers and edge restraints, ready for a car. |
| Pebble and gravel areas | AED 128 / m² | Excavation, membrane and washed pebble laid to level. |
What a whole project comes to
A villa garden is rarely one item. These are the bands complete projects land in, and what each one buys.
A courtyard, a back garden, or a driveway and entrance. Enough scope to be worth designing rather than patching.
- Paving and steps to one area
- Planting, irrigation and lighting
- A pergola or a seating structure
- Drainage and levels corrected
Front and back, designed as one thing. This is where most complete villa projects land.
- Full hardscape, front and back
- Softscape, irrigation and external lighting
- Pergola, gazebo or outdoor kitchen
- Pool or water feature on some plots
Bigger plots, level changes, or an engineered pool that sets the programme for everything around it.
- Overflow or infinity pool with plant room
- Retaining and structural work to levels
- Full external works across the plot
- Specialist finishes and joinery
What actually moves the number
Rock, made ground, or a services run nobody drew moves earthworks more than any finish you choose. It is also the one thing a quote given over the phone cannot know.
A flat plot is a straightforward job. Every step, retaining wall and drainage fall added to hold a level costs more than the paving that sits on it.
A villa a mixer can reach is cheaper to build than one where every barrow goes through the house. Community access rules change programme as well as price.
A skimmer pool and an overflow pool of the same size are different projects. The balance tank, plant room and structure drive the figure, not the square metres of water.
Porcelain, stone and hardwood span a wide range at the same square metre. The labour to lay them barely moves, so the specification is the part you actually control.
Some communities need a NOC and a drawing set before anything is dug. It costs time more than money, but it is real and it belongs in the programme.
Questions people ask before they call
What is the smallest project Montera takes on?
Around AED 150,000. Below that a designed and engineered job costs more to run properly than it is worth to either side, and you are better served by a good handyman or a maintenance firm.
How much does a swimming pool cost in Dubai?
The structure, plant room and finishes matter far more than the size. A straightforward family skimmer pool for a villa starts around AED 180,000 built properly; an overflow pool with a balance tank and a plant room is a different order of work. The honest answer needs the plot, the levels and the type of pool, which is what the design visit establishes.
Do you charge for the design visit or the quote?
No. A designer comes to the villa, measures, and you receive a priced bill of quantities line by line. There is nothing to sign and no obligation.
Why do quotes for the same garden vary so much?
Usually because they are not the same scope. One includes drainage, base preparation and irrigation; another prices only what is visible. Ask for a bill of quantities with quantities and rates, not a single number, and the difference becomes obvious.
How do you handle variations?
Every line is priced before it is built and the rate is fixed at the start. If the scope changes, the variation is priced against the same rates and agreed in writing before anyone starts on it.
How long does a villa garden take?
A single area is typically six to ten weeks on site. A whole villa garden is usually three to five months, longer where a pool or an authority approval sets the programme.
Want the number for your villa, not a range?
A designer comes to the villa, measures, and you get a priced bill of quantities line by line, the same document the site builds from. It is free, it takes about an hour, and there is nothing to sign.
Montera Technical Service L.L.C · DET licence 1629886 · Office 408, Detroit House, Motor City, Dubai