Kitchen renovations in Dubai range from AED 8,000 for a cabinet refinishing and new worktop to AED 50,000 plus for a full gut-and-replace with custom joinery. The disruption is significant — you will be without a functional kitchen for 2 to 4 weeks depending on scope — so planning the timeline realistically and understanding what each quote includes and excludes is more important here than for any other home renovation project.
Cabinet Refinishing: AED 1,200 to 2,500
If your kitchen cabinets are structurally sound but look dated — typically kitchens in 2005 to 2015 Dubai apartments with original developer finishes — refinishing is the most cost-effective option. The process involves removing all doors and drawer fronts, sanding to key the surface, applying a specialist primer, and spraying 2 to 3 coats of high-quality enamel. The result looks like new cabinetry at a fraction of the replacement cost. This takes 3 to 5 days and you can use the kitchen throughout because the spraying happens off-site or in a well-ventilated area. The most common regret we hear is not doing this sooner — many tenants live with a kitchen they dislike for years before discovering refinishing exists.
Full Kitchen Replacement: AED 15,000 to 50,000 plus
This is a full gut renovation — removing all existing cabinets, worktops, sink, and appliances, making good the walls and floor, installing new kitchen joinery, worktops, sink, taps, and reconnecting plumbing and electrical. The price range is wide because the joinery is the single biggest variable — a flat-pack kitchen from IKEA runs AED 5,000 to 12,000 for cabinets, while custom joinery from a Dubai workshop runs AED 15,000 to 35,000. Worktop material matters significantly — laminate is AED 200 to 400 per linear metre, quartz is AED 800 to 1,500, and natural stone like granite or marble runs AED 1,500 to 3,000 plus. The timeline for a full kitchen replacement is 3 to 4 weeks: week 1 demolition and making good, week 2 to 3 joinery installation, week 3 to 4 worktop templating and fitting, tiling, and finishing.
What Most Quotes Leave Out
Waste removal. A full kitchen demolition produces a surprising amount of debris — old cabinets, worktops, tiles, and packaging from new materials. Some contractors quote without waste removal and then charge AED 500 to 1,000 extra. Electrical work: moving socket positions or adding new circuits for appliances typically adds AED 1,500 to 3,000 depending on the number of changes. Plumbing modifications: moving the sink position or adding a dishwasher connection where there was not one before. Always ask your contractor for an all-in quote including waste removal, electrical, and plumbing — and get confirmation in writing that the price includes these items.