Restaurant Fit-Out Contractors Dubai: Tender Pack Checklist

Key takeaways

A restaurant fit-out tender pack needs seven core documents: site data, a scope breakdown, drawings, a material schedule, an MEP and kitchen equipment list, branding requirements and commercial terms. This is the checklist Lava Interiors + Fitout recommends so that restaurant fit-out contractors in Dubai all quote against the same scope.
Split the scope of works into line items, separate base build from FF&E, and flag provisional sums. This stops contractors hiding costs inside one lump sum.
Ask every contractor to return quotes in the same format: unit rates, inclusions and exclusions, and a payment schedule. A fixed format is what makes quotes comparable. Simply collecting more quotes does not.
Put Dubai Municipality, Civil Defence and landlord NOC references into the pack from the start. Otherwise a quote can look cheap on paper because it leaves out the approval work the project needs.
Name finishes and materials precisely rather than loosely. This narrows the gap between the render and what gets built.

Why a One-Page Brief Gets You Three Different Quotes

Send restaurant fit-out contractors in Dubai a one-page brief with a floor area, an opening date and a mood board, and you will get three quotes that cannot be compared. One contractor prices a full kitchen extract system. Another assumes the landlord's existing ductwork is reusable. A third leaves the extract out and mentions it in a footnote. All three totals are honest readings of a vague brief.

The quote is only as precise as the information behind it. When the brief leaves gaps, each contractor fills them with its own assumptions:

Ceiling and floor finishes. One assumes a basic gypsum ceiling and another a feature ceiling.
Kitchen equipment. One includes supply and another prices installation only.
Approvals. One includes authority drawings and submissions. Another treats them as "by client".
Furniture. One prices loose seating and another excludes it entirely.

A structured tender pack removes those assumptions before anyone visits site. Every contractor reads the same drawings, prices the same materials and returns the same format. The difference between quotes then reflects genuine differences in rates, method and capability, which is exactly what you want to compare.

The Seven Documents Every Restaurant Fit-Out Tender Pack Needs

Assemble these before you contact a single contractor. If you are requesting a price for a smaller project, our guide on what to send for an accurate fit-out quote covers a lighter version. For a restaurant, the full pack is worth the effort.

Site survey and lease documents: What it contains: Measured survey, photos, landlord handover condition, lease fit-out clauses; What goes wrong without it: Contractors guess at existing services and shell condition
Scope of works breakdown: What it contains: Itemised list of every work package; What goes wrong without it: Costs disappear into a single lump sum
Drawings and layout plans: What it contains: Floor plan, reflected ceiling plan, elevations, kitchen layout; What goes wrong without it: Each contractor prices its own version of the layout
Material and finishes schedule: What it contains: Named materials, specifications, finishes by area; What goes wrong without it: "Wood flooring" gets priced at three different grades
MEP and kitchen equipment list: What it contains: Electrical loads, water, drainage, gas, extract, equipment schedule; What goes wrong without it: Kitchen services are under-priced or excluded
Branding and signage requirements: What it contains: Logo placement, signage types, illuminated elements, menu boards; What goes wrong without it: Signage turns up as an extra late in the project
Commercial terms and timeline: What it contains: Contract form, retention, payment terms, target opening date; What goes wrong without it: Quotes assume different risk and programmes

Site survey and lease or landlord documents

Include a measured survey, recent photos and the landlord's handover specification. In it, the landlord states what the shell includes: slab condition, ceiling height, available power, water and drainage points, and any existing extract routes. Attach the fit-out clauses from your lease too. They often set working hours, insurance requirements and reinstatement obligations that affect the price.

Scope of works breakdown

This is the backbone of the pack. List every work package separately: demolition, partitions, flooring, ceilings, joinery, MEP, kitchen, toilets, furniture, signage and approvals. The next section covers how to write it.

Drawings and layout plans

At minimum, provide a dimensioned floor plan, a reflected ceiling plan showing lights and diffusers, key elevations of the bar or counter, and a kitchen layout. Concept drawings are acceptable at tender stage as long as they are labelled as such.

Material and finishes schedule

Name every finish by area and give a specification or reference sample. "Microcement floor, sealed, to dining area" prices very differently from "polished concrete look". "Walnut veneer to counter front" is not the same as "dark wood effect laminate". Precision here prevents a render that promises one material and a build that delivers a cheaper substitute.

MEP and kitchen equipment list

MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) is where restaurant quotes diverge most. List the kitchen equipment with electrical loads and water and drainage needs for each item. State whether you need gas, grease traps and a dedicated kitchen extract with fresh air make-up.

Branding and signage requirements

List every branded element: shopfront signage, illuminated logos, wall graphics, menu boards, wayfinding. At Mama's Chicken, a 210 sqm fast-casual venue in Dubai, the identity comes from repurposed shipping containers, vibrant colours, industrial details and clear branding for visibility in a busy outdoor setting. When branding is that central to a concept, contractors need to see it in the pack, not discover it after they have priced.

Commercial terms and proposed timeline

State the contract form you intend to use, the payment terms, the retention percentage you want held back, and the target opening date. Contractors price risk, so tell them what risk they are carrying.

How to Write the Scope of Works So Quotes Line Up

A good scope of works makes the fit-out tender pack readable line by line. It turns every restaurant fit-out quote into a set of numbers you can place side by side.

Line items instead of one lump sum

Break the scope into packages and the packages into items. For example:

Preliminaries: site setup, protection, insurance, cleaning, waste removal.
Demolition and strip-out, if the unit is not a bare shell.
Partitions and ceilings, by type and area.
Floor finishes, by material and area.
Joinery: bar counter, back bar, banquettes, wall panelling, toilet vanities.
MEP: power, lighting, HVAC, plumbing, drainage, fire services.
Kitchen: equipment, extract, gas, grease trap.
Approvals and authority submissions.

Your layout drawings drive several of these line items, so settle them early. Our guide on how seating capacity and kitchen flow rules affect the layout drawings explains why moving the pass or adding covers late can change MEP, fire and approval costs together.

Separating base build from furniture, fixtures and equipment

FF&E means furniture, fixtures and equipment: the loose chairs, tables, light fittings, decorative pieces and sometimes kitchen equipment. Base build is everything fixed into the space. Keep them in separate sections of the scope so you can:

Compare construction rates without furniture distorting the totals.
Decide later whether to buy FF&E through the contractor or direct.
See clearly what each contractor marks up.

Flagging provisional sums and allowances

A provisional sum is a placeholder amount for work that cannot yet be fully defined, such as a feature light fitting not yet selected. Set the same provisional sums for every contractor and label them clearly. If each contractor invents its own allowance for the same item, the totals stop being comparable. Ask contractors to state their markup on provisional sums separately.

What to Ask Contractors to Return: A Like-for-Like Quote Format

Sending a strong pack is half the job. The other half is telling contractors exactly how to reply, so you can compare fit-out contractors the moment the quotes arrive.

Priced bill: What to ask for: Your scope line items, in your order, with a rate against each; Red flag if missing: Contractor reformats into its own headings
Unit rates: What to ask for: Rate per sqm or per item for key packages; Red flag if missing: Only a package total, no rates
Inclusions: What to ask for: Confirmation of what each line covers; Red flag if missing: "As per drawings" with no detail
Exclusions: What to ask for: A full, itemised exclusions list; Red flag if missing: Exclusions buried in terms and conditions
Assumptions: What to ask for: Any assumptions made where the pack was unclear; Red flag if missing: Silent assumptions you find later
Programme: What to ask for: Outline programme to the target opening; Red flag if missing: No dates, or dates without a sequence
Payment schedule: What to ask for: Payments tied to milestones; Red flag if missing: Large advance with vague stages

Unit rates versus lump sum pricing

A lump sum gives you one total for a package. Unit rates show the price per square metre, linear metre or item. Ask for both: the total for budgeting, and the rates to check value and to price changes. If you add extra floor area or another banquette later, unit rates agreed at tender stage protect you from inflated variation costs.

An inclusions and exclusions list on every quote

Insist that each contractor lists exclusions as a separate, numbered schedule. Common items to check include authority fees, kitchen equipment supply, loose furniture, signage, IT and AV cabling, and landlord service charges during the works.

Payment schedule tied to milestones

Ask for payments linked to completed stages such as first fix, joinery installation, MEP testing and handover, rather than calendar dates. Milestone payments keep cash flowing to the contractor as work is actually done and keep your money aligned with progress.

Comparing Restaurant Fit-Out Contractors in Dubai Once Quotes Land

When you compare fit-out contractors, read beyond the bottom line. The total tells you least of all.

Checking quality, safety and environmental certifications

Ask for current certificates, not just logos on a website, covering quality management, health and safety and environmental management. Also ask to see built work similar in type and size to yours. Our portfolio of restaurant and café fit-out projects we have delivered across the UAE includes the fit-out of Lake Cafe, a 120 sqm café in Sharjah planned around customer flow and seating efficiency.

Spotting vague or missing exclusions

Watch for phrases such as "MEP by others", "approvals by client" or "subject to site conditions" with no further detail. Each one is a cost that has moved off the quote and onto you. Put the quotes side by side and mark every line where one contractor includes an item and another excludes it.

Why the cheapest quote is often the most expensive one later

A low quote that excludes kitchen extract, approvals or signage has not saved you money. It has deferred the cost to variations, usually priced when you have the least leverage, close to opening. Before ranking quotes, adjust each total for its exclusions so you compare complete projects, not partial ones.

Approvals and Authority Documents to Fold Into the Pack

Approvals are where restaurant fit-out contractors in Dubai most often price inconsistently. Some include drawing preparation, submissions and inspections. Others assume you handle them.

Dubai Municipality and Civil Defence references

State in the pack that the contractor must include preparation of authority drawings, submissions and coordination of inspections for Dubai Municipality and Civil Defence. Fire alarm, sprinkler, emergency lighting and kitchen fire suppression work all sit within Civil Defence scope. For a fuller picture, read our guide on what Civil Defence approval actually requires. Ask contractors to list authority fees as a separate line, so you can see the work and the fees apart.

Landlord and mall fit-out guidelines

Malls and many landlords issue fit-out guidelines that set approved materials, working hours, contractor registration, insurance levels and NOC procedures. Include the full guideline document in the pack. A contractor who has not read it may price materials or working methods the landlord will reject, and the correction arrives as a variation.

Frequently asked questions

How many contractors should I send a restaurant fit-out tender pack to in Dubai?

A shortlist of three or four qualified contractors is usually enough to test the market without overloading your own review time. Pre-qualify them first on relevant restaurant experience, certifications and capacity. Sending a detailed pack to too many firms often lowers the effort each one puts in.

What is the difference between a tender pack and a simple fit-out quote request?

A quote request usually describes the space and asks for a price. A tender pack sets out the drawings, scope, materials, services and commercial terms, and specifies the format the price must come back in. The result is quotes you can compare line by line rather than totals you have to interpret.

Should the tender pack include kitchen equipment supply or just its installation?

Decide this before tendering and state it clearly. You can ask for supply and installation priced as separate lines, which lets you compare the contractor's equipment pricing against buying direct from a kitchen supplier. Either way, the contractor must price the services each item needs: power, water, drainage, gas and extract.

How long should contractors have to turn around a restaurant fit-out quote?

It depends on the size and detail of the scope. Allow enough time for a site visit, a round of written questions and proper pricing of MEP and joinery. A rushed deadline tends to produce padded allowances or longer exclusion lists, which defeats the purpose of the pack.

What happens if a contractor adds exclusions after they have already submitted their quote?

Treat late exclusions as a change to the offer and ask the contractor to reprice or withdraw them in writing. Your tender instructions should state that the submitted exclusions list is final and that anything not excluded is deemed included. That clause gives you a clear position if new exclusions appear at contract stage.

If you want a second pair of eyes on your tender pack before it goes out, start your project with Lava. The Lava Interiors + Fitout team will review the scope, drawings and approval references with you so the quotes you receive can be compared line by line.