Building in Dubai while living somewhere else
Many villa owners are not in Dubai most of the time. The project still needs decisions every week. We make sure they are made well, and that nothing is decided without you.
- Stage
- The whole project
- Who it's for
- Private villa owners and investors
- Where
- Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Absentee owners are the most exposed clients in construction. Decisions are made on site because the owner isn't there. Payments are approved from a photograph. Small problems are reported late because nobody wants to deliver bad news by phone. By the time the owner visits, the project has drifted.
Philip is British and spent 21 years building award-winning homes for demanding owners, many of whom lived away from site, so we know how British and European owners expect a project to be run and reported. We represent you on the ground in Dubai, report in a form you can read in five minutes, and bring you every decision that matters with a clear recommendation.
What we do
- Representation on site and in meetings in your absence
- Weekly photo updates and a monthly written report
- A decision log so nothing is agreed without your sign-off
- Payment review before any money leaves your account
- Video walk-throughs at key stages
- Scheduling of your visits around the decisions that need you in person
What you receive
- Confidence that the project is where the reports say it is
- Decisions brought to you with options and a recommendation
- A single point of contact, in your time zone when you need it
The sites that ran best for remote clients were the ones with a disciplined weekly rhythm: a set report, a set call, and decisions logged with dates. It isn't complicated. It just has to happen every week without fail.
Questions
Can I build a villa in Dubai without living there?
How do you report to me?
Do I need to give you power of attorney?
Related services
Site visits and reporting
Your consultant has statutory duties on site. Your contractor reports on his own work. We report to you, independently and in plain English.
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.
Cost and programme control
Every month you should know three numbers: what you've paid, what you've committed, and what it will cost to finish. Most owners only know the first.
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.