Landscaping in Dubai International Financial Centre

A planting refresh: 1-3 days. A patio or new lawn: 3-7 days. A full garden rebuild: 2-6 weeks depending on size and weather. Add lead time — good landscapers in Dubai International Financial Centre book out weeks or months ahead in spring. Weather delays are normal for excavation and paving; a realistic contractor builds buffer into the schedule rather than promising exact dates.

10-30% at signing is typical, often structured as deposit, staged payments at milestones, and a final payment on completion. Be wary of demands for 50%+ upfront — materials for early stages don't cost that. Never make the final payment before snagging is done and you've walked the finished job.

Insist every quote itemises: site prep and excavation, materials by type and grade, labour, waste disposal, and planting with plant sizes specified. The classic trap is comparing a quote with 100mm compacted sub-base against one with paving laid on sand — same look for a year, then one fails. Cheapest itemised quote beats cheapest total.

For a single element — new lawn, one patio, a border — a good landscaper designs as they quote. For a full garden rework, a designer's plan (a few hundred to a few thousand, depending on market) pays for itself: contractors quote against the same drawing so bids are comparable, and sequencing mistakes (irrigation after paving, for example) get designed out.

Softscape is living material — turf, plants, trees, soil. Hardscape is built structure — patios, paths, walls, decks, pergolas. Hardscape typically costs 2-4x more per square metre because it involves excavation, sub-bases, and skilled construction. Shifting your design 20% from hardscape to planting is the single biggest lever for cutting a landscaping quote.

Per-sqm guide rates: lawns/softscape AED 25-50, paving AED 60-120, premium finishes AED 150+. Small villa gardens start around AED 3,000-10,000 for basic scope; typical full villa landscaping runs AED 15,000-80,000, and high-end projects with pools and outdoor kitchens go well beyond AED 100,000.

Yes, in master communities: an NOC from the developer/community management is required for modifications beyond planting — hardscape, pergolas, pools, and anything touching walls or drainage. The process involves drawings, a fee, and often a refundable deposit. Landscapers who work your community regularly handle the NOC as part of the project; unapproved work risks enforced removal.