Home Inspection Companies in Dubai (Reviews and Cost Breakdown 2023)
Last article, the consensus we gathered is that a home inspection is worth the money. It can also allow the buyer to renegotiate or walk away from the deal. Now, let’s take a look at some home inspection companies in Dubai and break down exactly what we should look out for. Here is a list of snagging companies and their pricing, services, and reviews.
*We decided not to include all the companies we spoke to due to poor communication.
Home Inspection Companies in Dubai – Cost & Google Reviews 2023
For a 3000 Sq Ft Apartment in Dubai Marina
| Full Inspection Cost (inclusive of VAT) | MEP (AC, Mechanical, Plumbing) (inclusive of VAT) | Re-inspection Discount* (After fixes are completed) | Inspection Time | Report Result | Google Review | # Review | |
| GTA Inspectors | AED 2898 | AED 2460 | 30% | 2 Hours | 24 Hours | 4.9 | 95 |
| HQ Property Inspection | AED 3150 | AED 2520 | 30% | 2 Hours | 48 Hours | 5 | 71 |
| Land Sterling | AED 4500 | AED 2520 | 30% | 3-4 Hours | 1-2 Working Days | 4.9 | 66 |
| RAMI Inspection | AED 4500 | AED 4000 | 50% | 1-3 Hours | 3 Working Days | 4.6 | 63 |
| Star Property Inspection | AED 2200 | NA | 50% | 2-2.5 Hours | 2 Working Days | 4.5 | 17 |
* It is worth noting that new build properties do come with a 1-year Defect and Liability Period (DLP). This may vary according to your developer, some developers offer 2 years on the MEP and 1 year on the architectural and civil works.
To help us understand just what we are getting ourselves into, we spoke with Ehab Farid from GTA Inspectors to share how an inspection can affect our new home, and a few tips to help homebuyers make informed decisions.
(Note: Ehab from GTA was the only technician we spoke with who really got into the details. He left voice notes to explain every question we had… any time of the day… and night.. literally!)
Things We Should Know Before Buying a Property in Dubai?
“Pre-handover of brand new properties is not free of faults as people might think and used to in the western world. There are many teething issues ranging from poor finishing/cosmetics to major structural defects.” Ehab said, explaining that homebuyers should be cautious when buying off-plans in Dubai.
Resale properties, especially if tenanted, may have some critical defects that oftentimes kill the deal. He told us, “I have seen many cases of mold infestations resulting from a water leak that was never attended to, and termite infestations (less likely) that are more serious and difficult to rectify.”
Tip: “Have a temporary DEWA connection by the developer for brand-new handover OR have the landlord connect DEWA in resale properties for inspection. This is essential to reveal critical issues to the buyers prior to finalizing the deal.”
Ehab – GTA Inspectors
Why Would We Use a Property Inspection in Dubai?
“Specialized, experienced, and licensed inspectors are trained to find defects. They have the tools required to see things not typically spotted by the naked eye.” he said.
Tip: Take a look at their sample report. It will give you an idea of how much depth the company typically provides. Reports should include photographs and detailed descriptions of any issues, or defects, room by room, including garage, pool, and roof spaces (for villas or townhouses).
“Some believe that a pre-handover inspection for brand new properties is not necessary as developers offer a 12-month warranty. It’s a bad idea to count on this. If you read the warranty’s fine print, it may not cover the defects identified during the inspection. Even if they do cover it, it may be a safety concern that needs to be taken care of prior to moving in.”
You don’t want to move in only to find out that there is a water leak from the kitchen ceiling, then need to schedule workers to come in, break down the walls, and occupy your home for 3 days to fix the leak.
What Happens After Property Snagging?
After you review the snagging report, it’s really up to you what to do with what you discover.
When it comes to brand-new homes, Ehab said “the only route is to send the inspection report to the developer, so that the rectification work is completed before the buyer accepts the handover and keys.”
For resale properties, you can:
1. Proceed with the purchase (knowing what the issues are)
2. Ask the seller to repair issues based on the snagging report
3. Renegotiate the price based on the issues
4. Walk away from the deal (too many major problems)
Do not buy blindly.
