Swimming pool · Landscape
Swimming pool and landscape setting-out plan
Site setting-out plan for a proposed swimming pool, deck and landscaping, with plot limits, safety fence and dimensions.
Building permits · NOCs · Drawings · Dubai
We help villa owners, tenants, contractors and businesses get building permits, fit-out approvals and developer NOCs in Dubai. We prepare the drawings and documents, submit them where that's part of our scope, and follow each application through to the permit or completion certificate. The route depends on your property and the work you plan; tell us both and we'll explain which approvals apply.
Several things decide the route: where the property is, which community or development it sits in, the property type, the work you plan, what has already been approved, whether a developer or building management is involved, and whether specialist input such as structural or fire safety design is needed. Start from whatever you know.
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Approvals come from different kinds of bodies. Some are government authorities, some are free zone regulators, and some are developers or community managers acting under their own rules. A single project often needs several of them, in a set order.
Pick the work you're planning to see what's usually involved and what to have ready.
Changes to layout, structure, façade or services usually need a developer NOC and a building permit.
Prepare: existing drawings, photos and a room-by-room brief.
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From affection plan to design, permit and completion.
Prepare: title deed and affection plan.
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Landlord approval, fit-out permit and Civil Defence.
Prepare: lease, unit plan and the landlord's fit-out guide.
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Kitchen layout, extraction and food safety alongside fire approvals.
Prepare: menu concept and equipment list.
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Mall or street rules, shopfront and signage.
Prepare: the mall's design criteria.
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Health facility layout and building approvals planned together.
Prepare: facility type and services.
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Developer NOC, pool drawings and the authority permit.
Prepare: plot plan and garden photos.
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Community rules on height, setbacks and materials.
Prepare: a sketch of what you want and where.
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Mezzanines, racking and changes in use, with structural and fire checks.
Prepare: the goods stored and the layout.
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Inspections, test certificates and as-built records to close a permit.
Prepare: the permit and any changes made on site.
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When a unit, building or plot will be used differently, its permitted use has to be approved first.
Prepare: the current and intended use.
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Shams Dubai systems need DEWA approval and, in master communities, a developer NOC.
Prepare: roof photos and the planned system size.
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Need the plot details first? See affection plans and site plans.
Authorities approve drawings, so most of the work is getting them right: based on the site as it is, consistent across architecture, structure and services, and set up the way each authority expects.
Architectural, structural and MEP sets in the format each authority asks for.
Sketches, scans and old plans redrawn as accurate AutoCAD files.
New villas, extensions and modifications designed around community rules.
Residential and commercial buildings, from concept to permit drawings.
Pool layout, structural and equipment drawings for NOC and permit.
Electrical, plumbing, drainage and air conditioning drawings and calculations.
A check of the existing structure before alterations or added loads.
Drawings of the property as it stands today, based on a site survey.
Detailed construction drawings for contractors and consultant review.
Layouts and interior drawings for homes, offices and shops.
Our execution services can carry out the work: residential fit-out, commercial fit-out, landscaping, steel contracting and furniture supply. You're also free to use your own contractor.
The order depends on your project. Some steps run side by side, others wait for an earlier decision. Your written scope says which of these we handle. See our step-by-step process for typical review periods by authority.
01
Location, community, use, existing drawings and approvals. Involved: you and us.
02
Which authorities, developer and utilities apply, and in what order. Involved: us, sometimes the developer.
03
Architectural, structural and MEP as needed, checked against the rules. Involved: our team and specialist engineers.
04
Developer NOC first where needed, then the permit and other NOCs. Involved: the authorised applicant.
05
Revise drawings, respond and book inspections. Involved: us and your contractor.
06
Test certificates and as-built records for the completion certificate, where included. Involved: contractor and authority inspectors.
Requirements vary by authority and project. These details help us give you a useful first answer: which approvals apply, in what order, and which drawings you'll need.
Please don't send passports, Emirates ID or other identity documents with the first enquiry. We'll ask for them only when an application needs them.
Community, building or plot, so we can tell which authority and developer apply.
What you want to change, in a few lines, with photos of the area.
Any plans you have. No drawings? See finding your villa's original drawings.
Earlier permits, NOCs or completion certificates for the property.
For plots and villas. Read what an affection plan is and how to get one.
Whether you own or rent, and the landlord's fit-out rules if you rent.
Reviewer comments from a previous submission, if there was one.
Drawings from projects with authority documentation: villa modifications, swimming pools, a clinic fit-out and structural details. Each card shows the project type and the authority on the drawing.
Swimming pool · Landscape
Site setting-out plan for a proposed swimming pool, deck and landscaping, with plot limits, safety fence and dimensions.
Swimming pool
Site plan locating the as-built swimming pool and underground pump room within a residential plot, with setbacks and ground levels.
Structural
Pump room layout with the pump and pipework arrangement, and sections showing reinforcement, blockwork, plaster and waterproofing.
Fit-out · Architectural
Proposed ground-floor partition layout with consultation rooms, reception, waiting area, pantry and staff room.
Villa modification · Architectural
Proposed ground-floor layout for the modified villa, with the changed areas clouded for review.
Swimming pool
Pool plan with floor levels, main drains, inlets, skimmers and vacuum points, and notes on lighting and electrical protection.
Fit-out · Architectural
Proposed mezzanine layout with surgery, X-ray, laboratory, pharmacy, preparation and animal care rooms.
Villa modification · Architectural
Proposed elevations with the modified openings and the kitchen extension clouded for review.
Swimming pool
Underground pump room plan with sections showing the concrete walls, slabs and waterproofing layers.
Need help with authority approvals?
From drawings and documentation to authority submissions, speak with our team about your project.
Every project is priced on its own scope. Two kinds of cost apply, and we quote them separately so you can see where each amount goes.
Paid to the authorities
Charged by the authorities and developers for permits, NOCs and inspections, and paid directly to them.
Paid to us
For drawings, submissions and follow-up, set out in a written scope before work starts.
Size and type of work
A room fit-out and a new villa follow very different routes.
Authorities and developers involved
Each extra NOC adds its own review and fees.
Existing drawings
Usable drawings save survey and drafting time.
Technical complexity
Structure, fire safety and services each need their own checks.
Rounds of comments
Every resubmission adds review time.
Specialist input
Some projects need structural or fire engineers.
Timing depends on the same things. Read how long a building permit takes in Dubai, or ask us for an estimate for your project.
Each community has its own developer rules and approval route. Our community guides explain which developer NOC and authority approvals usually apply there, before you plan the work.
Palm Jumeirah
Dubai Hills Estate
Arabian Ranches
Emirates Hills
Jumeirah Golf Estates
Jumeirah Park
Al Furjan
Read about our team.
Practical, plain-English guides to Dubai's approval rules, written to help you plan, not to replace advice for your specific project.
What the term actually covers, which works trigger it and when another authority applies.
How the developer NOC and building permit fit together for villa works.
The avoidable errors that cause comments, resubmissions and delays.
Where the original plans are kept, how to request them and what to do if they can't be found.
Can't find your question?
Tell us about the property and the work. We'll explain which approvals apply.
It depends on the plot's location and the type of work. Mainland plots are usually under Dubai Municipality. Free zones and some developments have their own authorities. Master communities add a developer NOC. Our community guides explain the usual route in 24 areas, or send us the location and a short description and we will confirm.
A developer NOC confirms the work meets the community's rules. The building permit confirms it meets the building codes and is issued by the authority. In master communities you usually need both, NOC first.
The location, a short description of the work, photos and any drawings or earlier approvals you have. Identity documents aren't needed at this stage.
Yes. We prepare architectural, structural and MEP drawings for approval, as-built drawings from a survey, and the supporting documents each authority asks for.
There are two parts: the fees charged by the authorities and developers, which depend on the project, and our consultancy fee for drawings, submissions and follow-up. We quote both clearly once we understand the scope.
It depends on the approvals involved, the completeness of the documents and how many review rounds the authorities require. Some authority services are quick once a complete application is in, but design and comment rounds add time. We give a project-specific estimate.
Yes. Share the comments, the drawings that were submitted and the submission history. We'll explain what was raised and how to respond.
Often, yes. The usual route is an as-built survey followed by a regularisation application, sometimes with remedial works. We assess the situation first and explain the realistic options.
No. No consultant can honestly guarantee an authority's decision. We make sure your submission is complete and compliant, which is the best way to avoid rejections and delays.
Tell us what you're planning and where. We'll reply with the approvals that usually apply, what to prepare and how we can help, before you commit to anything.