Choosing a Joinery Contractor in Dubai

The single question worth asking: do you make it, or do you buy it from someone who does?

What a joinery contractor actually does

Joinery is the built-in woodwork: wardrobes, kitchens, wall panelling, doors, reception counters, vanities. It is distinct from furniture, which is bought, and from carpentry, which is usually structural. A joinery contractor takes drawings, produces shop drawings, manufactures the pieces, and installs them.

How to tell a maker from a middleman

Ask to see the factory. Ask who produces the shop drawings. Ask what happens if a unit is 4mm out on site. A company that manufactures will answer all three immediately and will usually invite you to visit. A company that subcontracts will talk about partners and quality standards instead. Neither is dishonest, but the second adds a margin and a delay to every variation.

What to check before signing

A written scope with finishes named by product, not adjective. A drawing you have approved. A payment schedule tied to milestones, not dates. And confirmation of who is liable for the snag list, because that is where subcontracted work usually falls down.

Common questions

What is the difference between joinery and carpentry?

Carpentry is generally structural or on-site woodwork. Joinery is manufactured off site to a drawing and installed, which is why fit and finish are far more controlled.

Do you work with interior designers and main contractors?

Yes. A large share of our work is joinery packages produced for design studios and fit-out contractors on their own projects.

Where is your factory?

35th Street, Jebel Ali Industrial First, Dubai. It is 20,000 sq ft and all our joinery is produced there.

Which areas of Dubai do you work in?

All of it, from the factory in Jebel Ali. If you are searching from the workshop district, see carpenter in Al Quoz for when a local workshop is the better answer and when it is not.