Setting up IT for a new office in Dubai is one of those costs that's hard to pin down — quotes vary wildly, and "it depends" isn't a budget. This guide breaks down what actually drives the cost, gives indicative ranges by system, and provides a checklist so nothing gets missed in the fit-out rush.
Figures below are planning ranges to help you budget. Your real numbers depend on headcount, premises, and compliance needs — a site survey turns these into an exact BoQ.
What drives office IT cost
- Size & seats. More desks means more outlets, switch ports, Wi-Fi, and licences.
- Premises. Shell-and-core vs fitted, ceiling access, floor plates, multiple floors.
- Systems in scope. Just network and Wi-Fi, or also CCTV, access control, phones, and AV.
- Compliance. SIRA-aligned CCTV, data-retention, and security requirements.
- Resilience. Backup internet, UPS, redundant switches, on-site vs cloud servers.
Cost breakdown by system
A typical office program splits into these workstreams. Treat the ranges as relative weighting for budgeting, not fixed prices:
| System | What it covers | Relative cost |
|---|---|---|
| Structured cabling | Data/voice/Wi-Fi/CCTV outlets, racks, certification | Per point — scales with desks |
| Network & Wi-Fi | Switches, firewall, enterprise access points | Medium — driven by seats & coverage |
| Servers / cloud | On-prem server or cloud (M365, file, backup) | Medium–High — or shifts to monthly opex |
| CCTV | IP cameras, NVR/storage, SIRA compliance | Medium — driven by camera count & retention |
| Access control | Readers, controllers, software, attendance | Low–Medium — per door |
| IP telephony | PBX/cloud PBX, handsets, SIP trunks | Low–Medium — per user |
| AV / meeting rooms | Displays, video conferencing, room kit | Variable — per room |
One vendor or many trades?
You can hire a cabling company, a network company, a CCTV company, and a phone company separately — but they'll point at each other when something doesn't work, and you become the project manager. A single ELV/IT partner delivers it on one program plan, one BoQ, and one accountable contact. For most fit-outs that's faster and cheaper once you count the coordination overhead.
New-office IT checklist
- Confirm internet provider lead times early — circuits can take weeks.
- Agree the cabling points plan from the furniture layout (desks, APs, CCTV, printers).
- Size the comms room: power, cooling, rack space, UPS.
- Specify network: firewall, switches, Wi-Fi coverage plan.
- Decide servers vs cloud (Microsoft 365, file storage, backup).
- Plan CCTV to SIRA requirements and size storage for retention.
- Plan access control and attendance per door.
- Choose telephony (cloud PBX vs on-prem) and number porting.
- Plan meeting-room AV.
- Schedule around the fit-out so cabling goes in before ceilings close.
- Book certification, testing, and handover documentation.
- Set up an AMC so day-two support is covered from go-live.
Hidden costs people miss
- Internet circuit installation and lead time.
- UPS and power for the comms room.
- Containment/trunking in shell-and-core units.
- Storage sized for real CCTV retention (not the minimum the recorder ships with).
- Licences and cloud subscriptions (ongoing, not one-off).
- Out-of-hours work to hit the fit-out deadline.
How to get an accurate BoQ
The fastest route to a real number is a site survey against your floor plan and headcount. From that, a good partner produces a point-by-point Bill of Quantities so you can see exactly what each system costs and phase anything that isn't day-one critical.
How dexline helps
We deliver complete office IT and ELV fit-outs across the UAE — cabling, network, Wi-Fi, servers/cloud, CCTV, access control, telephony, and AV — on one plan with one BoQ and one team. Send us your floor plan and seat count and we'll come back with a site-walk slot and an indicative BoQ, usually within 48 hours.