In September 2026, we sent an owner a six-page quote. It was for a Ground + 6 apartment building in Al Jurf, Ajman. The first page had one number: AED 7,630,000. The other five pages showed where every dirham of it would go.
Most owners read the first page and skip the rest. That is a mistake. The breakdown is where you find what is included, what is missing and what you can still change.
Here is the short answer. In our two 2026 quotes for a Ground + 6 in Ajman, the structure took 44 to 47 percent. Walls, plaster and paint took 21 to 22 percent. Finishes took 21 to 24 percent. Services, fire fighting, lifts and AC took the rest, apart from site and external works.
In this guide, you will find:
- A full building construction cost breakdown of two real Ground + 6 quotes, trade by trade.
- What each trade costs per sq ft and per typical floor.
- Why the concrete frame is the biggest line, and what moves it.
- What sits outside the breakdown, and how to use it when comparing quotes.
Both buildings are in Al Jurf, with flats on every typical floor. One sits on a raft and the other on bored piles. For the headline rates per sq ft, start with our building construction cost guide. This post goes one level deeper.
Every figure comes from our own itemised quotes, with plot numbers and owners’ names removed. We have worked as a building construction company in Ajman since 2017.
What Is the Building Construction Cost Breakdown of a Ground + 6 in Ajman?
Nearly half of the price goes into the structure, mainly the concrete frame. Walls and plaster take a fifth, and finishes another fifth. In our two 2026 quotes, the concrete frame alone was 29 to 30 percent. Foundations were 12 to 16 percent, depending on the soil.
| Trade | Ground + 6 on a raft (30 flats) | Ground + 6 on piles (36 flats) |
|---|---|---|
| Site set-up and earthworks | AED 201,954 (2.6%) | AED 95,025 (0.9%) |
| Foundations | AED 890,000 (11.7%) | AED 1,679,800 (15.5%) |
| Concrete frame, slabs and water tank | AED 2,300,200 (30.1%) | AED 3,146,500 (29.1%) |
| Waterproofing | AED 140,360 (1.8%) | AED 226,280 (2.1%) |
| Blockwork | AED 819,000 (10.7%) | AED 1,130,300 (10.4%) |
| Plaster and paint | AED 794,561 (10.4%) | AED 1,211,995 (11.2%) |
| Tiles and marble | AED 795,600 (10.4%) | AED 958,950 (8.9%) |
| Doors, kitchens, aluminium and glass | AED 869,700 (11.4%) | AED 1,100,700 (10.2%) |
| Bathroom sets and water heaters | AED 132,500 (1.7%) | AED 168,500 (1.6%) |
| Plumbing, drainage, electrical, water tanks and pumps | AED 290,000 (3.8%) | AED 290,000 (2.7%) |
| Fire fighting | AED 220,000 (2.9%) | AED 220,000 (2.0%) |
| AC and lifts | Owner supplies | AED 360,000 (3.3%) |
| External works, ceilings, garbage chute, waste | AED 176,125 (2.3%) | AED 231,950 (2.1%) |
| Quoted price | AED 7,630,000 | AED 10,820,000 |
Quoted in September 2026, excluding 5% VAT. Built-up areas: about 3,130 m² (33,700 sq ft) and 3,775 m² (40,600 sq ft).
Both quotes left dewatering to the owner, if the dig needs it. Our residential building cost guide turns these totals into a cost per flat.
How Much of the Price Goes Into the Structure?
In our quotes, 44 to 47 percent. That covers the foundations, the concrete frame and the waterproofing. On the raft building, it came to about AED 99 per sq ft. On the piled building, it reached about AED 124, because of the piles and heavier slabs.
In any building construction cost breakdown, the structure is the part you cannot change later. Finishes can be upgraded in ten years. The frame stays as it was poured. So the structure is the last place to look for savings.
No pour should go ahead before the municipality inspection. Our guide to what municipality inspectors check covers each stage.
Why Is the Concrete Frame the Biggest Line?
Because a Ground + 6 pours a lot of it. Our two buildings needed about 2,000 and 2,500 m³ of concrete, about 0.65 m³ per m² of floor. At AED 1,500 per m³, the frame came to AED 68 to 77 per sq ft. Slab thickness moves it most.
On the raft building, each typical floor took 60 m³ of columns and 133 m³ of slab. That is about AED 289,500 of concrete per floor. On the piled building, each floor took 72 m³ of columns and 194 m³ of slab, about AED 399,000.
The piled building has bigger floors, with 6 flats against 5. Its post-tensioned slabs are thicker too, 30 cm against 27 cm. So the frame cost more per sq ft, not just more in total.
Concrete prices also moved in 2026. Structural concrete rose from AED 1,400 per m³ in May to AED 1,500 in September. That alone adds about 7 percent to the frame.
Related guide: Building construction rates in Ajman
What Do the Foundations Cost, Raft or Piles?
The raft cost AED 890,000, about AED 26 per sq ft. The bored piles and pile caps cost AED 1,679,800, about AED 41 per sq ft. Your soil report decides which you need. The structural engineer designs from it, and the municipality checks it.
The raft was 445 m³ of reinforced concrete at AED 2,000 per m³. The piled building needed AED 850,000 of piling, then 370 m³ of pile caps and strap beams. Breaking and treating the pile heads added AED 45,000.
Foundations, excavation and backfilling are the civil works stage of the job. They are also where hidden ground conditions show up, so order the soil investigation before you compare quotes.
Related guide: Piles or raft foundation cost
What Do Walls, Plaster and Paint Cost?
About 21 to 22 percent of the price in both quotes, or AED 48 to 58 per sq ft. Blockwork took about half of that, and plaster and paint the other half. Outer walls use thermal blocks, which cost about 30 percent more than standard blocks.
On the raft building, with 30 flats, the quantities were:
- Blockwork: 755 m² of 20 cm blocks per typical floor at AED 100 per m². Another 310 m² of thermal blocks on the outer walls at AED 130.
- Internal plaster: 1,820 m² per floor at AED 35 per m².
- Internal paint: the same 1,820 m² at AED 18 per m².
- Outside: 2,000 m² of external plaster at AED 45 and textured paint at AED 28.
These quantities come straight from the drawings. If your consultant changes the layout, the wall areas change with it. Ask for the quantities, not just the rates.
What Do the Finishes Cost?
About 21 to 24 percent of the price, or AED 53 to 55 per sq ft. Tiles were the biggest part, then aluminium and glass, doors and kitchens. Each finish line carries an allowance for the material itself, which is where most budgets drift.
Again on the raft building:
- Tiles: 480 m² of floor tiles and 450 m² of wall tiles per floor, at AED 110 per m².
- Aluminium and glass: 850 m² at AED 520 per m².
- Doors: 145 internal doors at AED 1,200, plus 64 fire-rated doors at AED 1,300 to 1,400.
- Kitchens: 175 running metres of cabinets at AED 800.
- Bathrooms: 74 bathroom sets at AED 1,500 and 43 water heaters at AED 500.
The tile rate shows how allowances work in Ajman quotes. Of the AED 110 per m², only AED 30 is the tile. The other AED 80 is fixing. Pick a AED 60 tile, and that floor costs AED 140 per m² instead.
Related guide: How to read a building quotation
What Do Services, Fire Fighting, Lifts and AC Cost?
Less than most owners expect, at 7 to 8 percent of the price. Plumbing, drainage, electrical, tanks and pumps came to AED 290,000 in both quotes. Fire fighting was AED 220,000. Lifts and AC depend on who supplies them, so check these lines first.
On the raft building, the owner supplies and installs the lift and the AC units. On the piled building, we priced two 10-person lifts at AED 90,000 each. We also priced AC installation at AED 180,000, with the owner buying the units.
So the two quotes are not like for like on services. That is the most common trap when owners compare totals. A building that looks AED 360,000 cheaper may simply leave the lifts and AC to you.
Fire fighting is a fixed line in every apartment building we price. The system is designed to Civil Defence requirements. Our guide to the building permit for a residential building explains where that approval fits.
What Does One Typical Floor Cost?
On the raft building, the lines priced floor by floor came to about AED 625,000 per typical floor. That covers columns, slab, waterproofing, blocks, plaster, paint and tiles. Doors, windows, kitchens and services come on top, priced for the whole building.
- Concrete columns and slab: AED 289,500
- Blockwork, standard and thermal: AED 115,800
- Plaster and paint: AED 96,460
- Floor, wall and corridor tiles: AED 111,650
- Bathroom waterproofing: AED 11,760
This is useful when you decide on height. Each extra typical floor adds roughly this much, plus its share of doors, windows and services. Your plot’s rules decide whether you can add one at all. For a finished example, see our Ground + 5 apartment building in Al Hamidiya.
What Is Left Out of the Breakdown?
VAT, government fees and utility connections. Both quotes listed them as exclusions. That means 5% VAT, and the building permit and completion certificate fees. Electricity and water connection fees are extra too. Dewatering was also left to the owner, if the dig needs it.
VAT adds 5% to every invoice under the Federal Tax Authority’s VAT rules. On the raft building, that is AED 381,500 more. Permit fees are set by Ajman Municipality, and its e-services portal lists the permit services. Your consultant’s design and supervision fees are separate too.
Dewatering deserves a note. Both quotes treat any pumping period as a “dead period”, not counted in the build time. Our approvals and permits service can help you plan the fees and the timing.
Related guide: Costs outside the contractor's price
How Should You Use a Building Construction Cost Breakdown?
Line it up trade by trade, not total against total. Check the quantities, the material allowances and every exclusion. Then ask about any trade that is far above or below the others. A missing line is usually cheaper on paper and dearer on site.
- Put both quotes on the same built-up area.
- Compare the structure first: foundation type, concrete volume and slab thickness.
- Check the allowances for tiles, kitchens and bathroom sets.
- Mark who supplies lifts, AC and dewatering.
- List the exclusions side by side.
A very low price is not always a warning, but it deserves a second look. Our guide on how to spot a real contractor covers the red flags. With one general contractor pricing every trade, gaps between trades are easier to spot.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the biggest cost in building construction?
The concrete frame. In our Ground + 6 quotes, it took 29 to 30 percent of the price, before foundations.
What percentage of building cost is the structure?
In our 2026 quotes, foundations, frame and waterproofing took 44 to 47 percent. Piles push it to the top of that range.
What percentage of building cost is finishes?
About 21 to 24 percent in our quotes. That covers tiles, marble, doors, kitchens, aluminium and glass, bathroom sets and heaters.
How much does MEP cost in an apartment building?
Plumbing, drainage, electrical, tanks, pumps and fire fighting came to AED 510,000 per building. Lifts and AC added AED 360,000 where we priced them.
How much concrete does a Ground + 6 building need?
Our two quotes needed about 2,000 and 2,500 m³, from the blinding to the roof. That is about 0.65 m³ per m² of floor.
How much does one floor cost to build?
On our raft building, about AED 625,000 for the floor-by-floor lines. Doors, windows, kitchens and services add to that.
Does the breakdown include VAT?
No. Contractors add 5% VAT to every invoice. On a AED 7.63 million building, that is AED 381,500.
Why do two quotes for the same building in Ajman differ?
Mainly foundations, slab thickness, allowances and who supplies lifts and AC. Compare the building construction cost breakdown trade by trade to find the gap.
How long does a Ground + 6 take to build?
Our two quotes set 17 and 20 months. The piled building is larger and adds a piling stage.
Can you break down the cost of my building?
Yes. Send us your drawings and soil report. We will give you an itemised building construction cost breakdown, free of charge. Reach us through our contact page or WhatsApp.
So, Where Does Your Building’s Money Go?
Mostly into the parts you never see again. Nearly half goes into the foundations and the frame. Walls and finishes take most of the rest. Services are a smaller line than most owners think.
Remember the six-page quote from the start. The first page told the owner the price. The other five showed what the money would buy. Read a building construction cost breakdown that way, and quotes become easy to compare.
Planning a building now? See our residential building construction service. Planning shops or offices? Read our guide to commercial building construction cost.
Which line in your quote are you least sure about? Send it to us on WhatsApp, and we will tell you what it should cover.
