Your consultant designs your villa, but your contractor builds it. The contractor you choose will shape the quality of your home, how smoothly the project runs and how much stress you experience along the way. Before you sign, ask these ten questions — and pay close attention to the answers.
Key takeaways
- Verify the licence, registration and track record before anything else.
- Visit a current site — it tells you more than any brochure.
- Insist on an itemised quotation and payments linked to completed work.
- Understand the warranty and your rights after handover.
1. Are you licensed and registered to build in Sharjah?
Ask for a copy of the company’s trade licence and check that building contracting is a licensed activity. Ask which contractor category the company is registered under with Sharjah Municipality, as this determines the type and size of projects it may undertake. A reputable contractor will share these documents without hesitation.
2. Have you built villas like mine?
Building a high-end villa is different from building a warehouse or a block of flats. Ask for examples of villas of a similar size and specification, and for the names of consultants the contractor has worked with. Relevant experience means fewer surprises on your project.
3. Can I visit one of your current sites?
A live site shows you how a contractor really works. Look for a tidy, well-organised site, safe working practices, protected materials and a team that clearly knows what it is doing. You can see photos from our own ongoing villa projects in Al Zahia.
4. Who will manage my project day to day?
Ask who will be responsible for your site: the project manager, site engineer and foreman. Find out how often they will be on site and who your single point of contact will be. Clear communication is one of the biggest differences between a good project and a difficult one.
5. Is your quotation itemised?
A single total figure tells you very little. An itemised quotation breaks the price down into work packages and states clearly what is included and excluded. It lets you compare contractors fairly and makes it easier to manage changes later.
If one quotation is far lower than the others, find out why. Missing items, lower-grade materials or unrealistic provisional sums often explain the difference — and they tend to reappear later as extra costs.
6. What is the construction programme?
Ask for a programme showing the main stages and the expected completion date. A realistic programme — rather than an overly optimistic one — is a sign of a contractor who plans properly. Ask how progress will be reported to you.
7. How are payments structured?
Payments should be linked to measurable progress, such as the completion of foundations, the structure or finishes, and certified by your consultant. Be wary of large advance payments that are not linked to any work. It is also common for a small percentage to be retained until the end of the defects liability period.
8. What insurance do you carry?
Ask for evidence of insurance, typically a Contractor’s All Risks (CAR) policy covering the works and third-party liability, as well as cover for the contractor’s workers. Insurance protects you if something goes wrong during construction.
9. How do you manage quality and safety?
Ask how work is checked before it is covered up — for example, how reinforcement is inspected before a concrete pour. Ask about safety equipment, site barricades and training. A contractor who takes quality and safety seriously will explain its procedures clearly. You can read how we approach this in our construction process.
10. What happens after handover?
Ask about the defects liability period — the time after handover during which the contractor must return to fix defects — and about warranties for items such as waterproofing and installed equipment. It is also worth knowing that, under the UAE Civil Transactions Law, the contractor and the supervising engineer are jointly liable for ten years for a total or partial collapse of the building or for defects that threaten its stability.
Compare contractors side by side
Use a simple checklist to compare your shortlisted contractors:
| Check | What good looks like |
|---|---|
| Licence and registration | Valid trade licence and suitable Sharjah Municipality contractor category |
| Experience | Villas of similar size and specification completed |
| Site visit | Organised, safe, well-supervised site |
| Team | Named site engineer and a single point of contact |
| Quotation | Itemised, with clear inclusions and exclusions |
| Programme | Realistic stages and completion date |
| Payments | Linked to progress and certified by the consultant |
| Insurance | CAR and third-party liability cover in place |
| After handover | Clear defects liability period and warranties |
Red flags to watch for
- Reluctance to share a trade licence or registration details
- A price far below every other quotation
- Pressure to start before the building permit is issued
- Large upfront payments not linked to work
- No written contract, or vague scope and exclusions
- No completed or current projects you can see
Talk to Jabal Al Marwah
Jabal Al Marwah Building Contracting LLC is a municipal-approved, Sharjah-based contractor specialising in high-end villa construction and civil contracting. We are happy to answer every one of these questions for your project.
New to the process? Start with our step-by-step guide to building a villa in Sharjah and our overview of what shapes villa construction costs. When you are ready, request a quotation.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if a contractor is licensed in Sharjah?
Ask for a copy of the company’s trade licence and confirm that construction or building contracting is listed as a licensed activity. You can also ask which contractor category they are registered under with Sharjah Municipality.
Should I always choose the cheapest quotation?
No. A very low price often means items are missing or the specification has been reduced. Compare quotations line by line against the same drawings and specification before deciding.
Who is responsible for structural defects after handover in the UAE?
Under the UAE Civil Transactions Law, the contractor and the supervising engineer are jointly liable for 10 years for a total or partial collapse of the building, or defects that threaten its stability, unless the contract sets a longer period.
