In September 2026, we priced two Ground + 6 apartment buildings in Al Jurf 3. One needed 99 bored piles, each 16 m deep. The other stood on a single concrete raft. The piled building was larger, and its foundations cost AED 789,800 more.
Neither owner chose. Each building’s soil report and structural design decided what went into the ground.
Here is the short answer on foundation cost in Ajman. In our 2026 quotes, a raft foundation cost about AED 284 per m² of built-up area. That is AED 26 per sq ft. Bored piles with pile caps cost AED 293 to 445 per m², or AED 27 to 41 per sq ft. Foundations took 10 to 16 percent of each building’s price.
In this guide, you will find:
- Real 2026 foundation costs for a raft and two piled buildings.
- What a raft and bored piles are, and what each line in the quote covers.
- What the 2026 soil report must include, and the tests piles need.
- How groundwater and salty soil change the foundation specification.
This guide covers apartment and mixed-use buildings from Ground + 4 to Ground + 6. Every figure comes from our own quotes and the structural drawings behind them. We have worked as a building construction company in Ajman since 2017.
What Is the Foundation Cost in Ajman in 2026?
In our three 2026 quotes, foundations cost AED 706,200 to 1,679,800. That is AED 284 to 445 per m² of built-up area. The raft was the cheapest per m². Bored piles under a Ground + 6 were the dearest, at 15.5 percent of the price.
| Building | Foundation | Foundation cost | Per m² of built-up area | Share of the price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground + 6, Al Jurf (September 2026) | Raft | AED 890,000 | AED 284 | 11.7% |
| Ground + Mezzanine + 4, Al Nuaimia (May 2026) | Bored piles, 60 and 75 cm, and pile caps | AED 706,200 | AED 293 | 10.2% |
| Ground + 6, Al Jurf (September 2026) | Bored piles, 50 to 90 cm, caps and strap beams | AED 1,679,800 | AED 445 | 15.5% |
Quoted prices, excluding 5% VAT. Earthworks and dewatering are separate lines.
For the full building price, see our building construction cost guide. For the cost per flat, see our residential building construction cost guide. Our building construction cost breakdown shows where the foundations sit against every other trade.
What Is the Difference Between a Raft and Piles?
A raft is one thick reinforced concrete slab under the whole building. It spreads the load over the ground near the surface. Bored piles are concrete columns cast deep into the ground. They carry the load down to stronger soil, and pile caps tie them to the columns above.
Our raft was mostly 1.1 to 1.2 m thick. It needed 445 m³ of concrete for a Ground + 6 on a 625 m² plot.
The piled Ground + 6 used three pile sizes, all 16 m deep. There were 53 piles of 50 cm, 21 of 70 cm and 25 of 90 cm. Pile caps and strap beams then joined them into one foundation.
Both are reinforced concrete work at foundation level. Excavation, foundations and backfilling form the civil works stage of every building we deliver.
What Does a Raft Foundation Cost?
Our raft cost AED 890,000 for a Ground + 6, about AED 26 per sq ft. That was 445 m³ of reinforced concrete at AED 2,000 per m³. Earthworks around it added AED 171,954, including excavation, a boulder layer, road base and backfilling.
The quote broke the work around the raft into these lines:
- Excavation: 2,350 m³ at AED 15 per m³
- Boulders and cobbles layer: 330 m³ at AED 120
- Road base: two layers of 220 m³ each at AED 140
- Backfilling: 1,700 m³ at AED 15
- Blinding concrete under the raft: 63 m³ at AED 900
- Bitumen coating for the substructure: AED 5,000
The raft was priced at AED 2,000 per m³, against AED 1,500 for the frame above. Pile caps and strap beams carried the same AED 2,000 rate.
What Do Bored Piles Cost?
On our piled Ground + 6, the piling itself cost AED 850,000 for 99 piles. Pile caps and strap beams added AED 740,000. Breaking and treating the pile heads added AED 45,000. In total, the foundations came to AED 1,679,800, about AED 41 per sq ft.
- Piling: AED 850,000 for 99 piles, about AED 8,600 per pile on average
- Pile caps and strap beams: 370 m³ at AED 2,000 per m³
- Pile breaking: AED 20,000
- Pile head treatment: AED 25,000
- Piling platform: 115 m³ of road base at AED 120
- Blocks around the pile caps: 310 m² at AED 100
The smaller Al Nuaimia building was cheaper. Its piles were 60 and 75 cm wide and 14 to 16 m long, for AED 450,000. Its pile caps were 183 m³ at AED 1,400 per m³.
Pile foundation cost is not only the piles. They also change the earthworks. The piled building needed no boulder layer or road-base layers. Its digging was also priced at AED 12 per m³, not 15. Its earthworks came to AED 65,025, against AED 171,954 for the raft.
Who Decides Between Piles and a Raft?
The soil report and the structural engineer. The report gives the bearing capacity, pile capacities and groundwater level, and recommends a foundation type. The engineer designs from it. Both are reviewed under the municipality’s structural submission. The owner and the contractor do not choose.
Our two Al Jurf buildings sit in the same district. One went on a raft, the other on 99 piles. That is why a contractor cannot promise a raft before the soil report exists.
So order the soil investigation early. It now gates both the structural approval and the foundation price. Without it, every contractor’s foundation line is a guess.
Skipping the soil investigation is one of the mistakes we see most often. Our guide to quality civil work in Ajman covers the others. Skipping it never saves money. It only moves the surprise from the quote to the excavation.
What Must the Soil Report Include in 2026?
The 2026 structural checklist asks for at least three boreholes for every 900 m². The report must give the soil layers, bearing capacity, pile capacities and settlement. It must also give the groundwater depth, the seismic zone and the dewatering needs. It ends with a foundation recommendation.
- Number and depth of boreholes, at least 3 per 900 m²
- Soil layers and classification
- Bearing capacity for shallow and deep foundations
- Pile capacities in compression and tension, and single-pile settlement
- Groundwater depth and seasonal changes
- Seismic site class, zone 2B
- Excavation and dewatering requirements
- The recommended foundation type and depth
The report must come from an accredited laboratory in Ajman. It goes into the permit file with the structural drawings, through the Ajman Municipality e-services route your consultant uses. Our guide to the building permit for a residential building shows where it fits.
What Tests Do Piles Need?
The foundation notes on our 2026 drawings ask for two kinds of test. Two working piles of each diameter get a load test at 1.5 times their capacity. Every pile gets an integrity test. The consultant confirms any further tests.
On our piled Ground + 6, a 50 cm pile had a working capacity of 1,577 kN. A 70 cm pile had 2,437 kN, and a 90 cm pile 3,429 kN. So the load tests would run to 1.5 times those figures.
The notes also fix the details. Each pile goes 10 cm into its cap. Its steel extends 50 bar diameters above the cut-off level. The top part is broken back before the cap is cast.
Each stage waits for its municipality inspection too. Our guide to what municipality inspectors check covers the foundation stage.
How Do Groundwater and Salty Soil Affect the Foundations?
They change the concrete and the protection, not just the depth. The raft building’s drawings call for sulphate-resisting cement below plinth level. They also call for slag or fly ash in the mix and bitumen on buried concrete. The piled building added epoxy-coated pile steel and membrane waterproofing on the caps.
- Concrete (raft building): at least 420 kg of cement per m³. The mix uses 50 to 60 percent slag (GGBS), or 30 to 40 percent fly ash.
- Cement type: sulphate resisting below plinth level
- Protection: two coats of bitumen on buried concrete, and polythene sheets under the blinding
- Piles (piled building): concrete for sulphate conditions, with 400 kg of cement per m³. The steel is epoxy coated. The notes cite high sulphate and chloride in the soil.
Groundwater matters for the dig. On the piled site, the soil report found water 11.6 m below working level. Both Al Jurf quotes left any dewatering to the owner, as a “dead period” outside the build time. Our Al Nuaimia quote included dewatering at a fixed AED 100,000.
Related guide: Costs outside the contractor's price
Do Piles Make the Build Take Longer?
Yes, a little. Piling is an extra stage before the pile caps, and each pile needs testing. Our piled Ground + 6 was quoted at 20 months. The raft building was quoted at 17 months, though it was also smaller.
Tight sites add work too. On the piled plot, neighbouring buildings stood close by. Our guide to how many flats you can build on your plot explains how plot size shapes the building. The drawings asked for sheet pile walls to hold the sides of the 2.1 m excavation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a raft foundation cost in Ajman?
Our 2026 raft for a Ground + 6 cost AED 890,000. That is about AED 284 per m² of built-up area, or AED 26 per sq ft.
What is the pile foundation cost in the UAE?
In our Ajman quotes, bored piles with caps cost AED 293 to 445 per m² of built-up area. The piling alone was about AED 8,600 per pile on average.
Is a raft cheaper than piles?
Per m², yes in our quotes. But you cannot simply choose it. The soil report and the structural engineer decide which foundation your building needs.
How deep are piles in Ajman?
Our 2026 piles were 14 to 16 m long, with diameters from 50 to 90 cm. The soil report sets the depth for your plot.
How thick is a raft foundation?
Our Ground + 6 raft was mostly 1.1 to 1.2 m thick. Your structural engineer sizes it from the soil report and the building’s loads.
How many boreholes does a soil report need?
At least three for every 900 m², under the 2026 structural checklist. The report must come from an accredited laboratory in Ajman.
What percentage of building cost is the foundation?
In our 2026 quotes, 10 to 16 percent. Piles under a Ground + 6 sat at the top of that range.
Do piles need to be tested?
Yes. Our drawings ask for load tests on two working piles of each diameter, and integrity tests on every pile.
Who pays for dewatering?
It depends on the quote. Both our Al Jurf quotes left dewatering to the owner. Our Al Nuaimia quote included it at AED 100,000.
Can you price my foundations?
Yes. Send us your soil report and structural drawings. We will price the foundations line by line, free of charge, through our contact page or WhatsApp.
So, Piles or Raft for Your Building?
Let the soil decide. Get the soil report first, then let your structural engineer choose. Budget about AED 284 per m² for a raft, and AED 293 to 445 for piles.
Remember the two Al Jurf buildings from the start. Same district, same height, and AED 789,800 apart in the ground, though the piled one was larger. Only the soil report and the design could say which needed piles.
Planning a building now? See our residential building construction service. Planning shops or offices? Read our guide to commercial building construction cost. As a general contractor, we build the foundations and everything above them.
Do you already have a soil report for your plot? Send it to us on WhatsApp, and we will tell you what kind of foundation it points to.
