The right team, chosen on the right evidence
The lowest price is rarely the lowest cost. We help you see the difference before you sign.
- Stage
- Before appointment
- Who it's for
- Private villa owners and investors
- Where
- Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Often needed in Dubai Hills Estate, Hudayriyat Island.
Contractor bids for a villa rarely compare directly. One excludes the pool, one carries a large provisional sum for MEP, one assumes a programme nobody could achieve, and one has priced the drawings exactly as drawn, knowing the gaps will become variations. On paper the cheapest bid wins. In the final account it often doesn't.
Philip wrote and priced these bids himself for 21 years. We help you and your consultant put bids on an equal footing, test the assumptions, call the references that matter and agree a contract that is fair to both sides. You appoint directly; we advise.
What we do
- Shortlisting consultants and contractors suited to your type of villa
- Checking licences and registrations through the official registries
- Like-for-like comparison of bids: exclusions, provisional sums, preliminaries, programme
- Reference calls with past clients, not just showcase projects
- Advice on contract terms: payment, retention, bonds, delay and variations
What you receive
- A side-by-side bid comparison you can understand
- A recommendation with reasons
- Contract terms that protect you without scaring good contractors away
When we tendered, we could tell within ten minutes whether a client's team would run the job well: clear drawings, a fair contract, sensible payment terms. Good contractors choose their clients too. A well-prepared owner gets better prices from better builders.
Questions
How do I check a contractor's licence in Dubai?
Do you get paid by the contractor you recommend?
Can you work with a contractor I already know?
Related services
Design and approvals management
Design is the cheapest place to change your mind and the most expensive place to lose control of cost. We keep both under watch.
Variations, delays and claims
Philip spent two decades preparing and defending extension of time and variation claims under JCT contracts and through adjudication. We know how they are built, and where they are weak.
Full representation, plot to keys
Your architect works for the design. Your contractor works for his margin. We work for you, from the plot to the day you move in.
Tell us about the house you want to build.
A personal reply from Philip within one working day. The first conversation is free, and nothing you send us is shared.