The verdict in three sentences
For a property management company in Dubai, a 2026 redesign typically costs AED 40,000 to 180,000 with a local agency, about USD 10,900 to 49,000, over 10 to 16 weeks, while Kolonell's fixed grid runs from USD 2,900 (Starter) to USD 8,900 (Premium), delivered in 3 to 4 weeks for the public site. Dubai-specific risks come from advertising compliance (listings that require a permit), the Arabic RTL version, short-term rental listings and keeping owner portal links working. A risk register kept from week one prevents most bad surprises.
This guide is for managing directors of property management and rental management firms in Dubai Marina, Downtown, JLT, Business Bay, Palm Jumeirah and Dubai Hills.
What budget should you plan for each scope?
A Dubai property manager often runs several lines at once: landlord services (tenant search, Ejari contract follow-up, maintenance), short-term rental management and owners association management. Each line has its own audience and vocabulary, and the redesign should separate them clearly.
| Redesign scenario | Typical Dubai agency quote (2026 ballpark) | Kolonell fixed grid |
|---|---|---|
| 8 to 12 page site, English only | AED 40,000 to 70,000 (about USD 10,900 to 19,000) | Starter USD 2,900 |
| Redesign by business line (landlords, short-term, owners associations), blog, CMS | AED 60,000 to 110,000 (about USD 16,300 to 30,000) | Growth USD 4,900 |
| English and Arabic RTL, possibly Russian or another language your clients speak | AED 90,000 to 180,000 (about USD 24,500 to 49,000) | Premium USD 8,900 (the multilingual tier, languages and RTL scope set in the quote) |
| Owner and tenant portal, maintenance requests | AED 150,000 and up | On quote |
| Connection to management software or booking engine | Highly variable | On quote |
| Arabic translation by a freelance translator (third-party cost) | Often included | About USD 0.10 to 0.15 per word |
Local figures are ballparks from public agency rate pages, converted approximately to USD. The Kolonell price includes a project manager reachable in your time zone, native English or French copywriting, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks and 3 months of support. See the international offer page.
What does the schedule look like, week by week?
| Week | Step | Who signs off |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | URL audit, pages that bring inquiries, inventory of listings and forms | Management and head of sales |
| 1 | Redirect map and new structure by business line | Management |
| 2 | English mockups, then RTL adaptation for Arabic | Management and Arabic-speaking reviewer |
| 2 to 3 | Copywriting, check of mandatory listing disclosures | Compliance lead |
| 3 to 4 | Build, content migration, mobile tests | Kolonell |
| 4 | QA: redirects, forms, Arabic version, speed | Management |
| After launch | 404 monitoring and 3 months of support | Kolonell |
Local agencies more often quote 10 to 16 weeks. A portal or software integration is planned as phase 2.
Which risks, and how serious are they?
We score each risk from 1 to 3 for likelihood and impact. The score is the product of the two.
| Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Score | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic loss on listing pages | 3 | 3 | 9 | 301 redirect for every indexed URL, 8 weeks of monitoring |
| Listing published without the required permit details | 2 | 3 | 6 | Mandatory CMS field, compliance review before publishing |
| Broken Arabic layout (RTL) | 2 | 2 | 4 | Tests on mobile and desktop, Arabic-speaking reviewer |
| Lost portal links | 2 | 2 | 4 | Keep or redirect the login URL, email clients |
| Poorly governed form data | 2 | 3 | 6 | Minimal fields, HTTPS, privacy policy, retention period |
| Downtime at DNS switch | 1 | 2 | 2 | TTL lowered in advance, switch outside peak hours |
On regulation, stay cautious and have your advisers confirm. Real estate activities are regulated by RERA under the Dubai Land Department; tenancy contracts are registered through Ejari; property advertising requires a Trakheesi permit; holiday home operators need a permit from the Department of Economy and Tourism. For personal data, the federal PDPL (Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021) sets the general frame, and some free zones such as the DIFC have their own regime. Aim for WCAG 2.1 AA as well. This is not legal advice.
For a concrete example of our work in this sector, Kolonell built the website of Orven Properties (orvenproperties.com), a Dubai real estate company.
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Illustrative example: Omar runs a property management firm in JLT that manages 150 homes, 40 of them short-term rentals in Dubai Marina. He wants an English and Arabic site, plus a French page for his European owners.
- Local agency: AED 110,000 quote, about USD 30,000, 14 weeks.
- Kolonell Premium: USD 8,900, plus Arabic translation of 12,000 words by a freelance translator at USD 0.12 a word, so USD 1,440 in third-party cost. Total: USD 10,340.
The gap is about USD 19,660. Payback assumption: if the new site brings 20 directly booked nights a month at USD 180 a night, instead of going through a platform that takes 15%, Omar saves USD 540 a month, or USD 6,480 a year. The owner portal will be quoted as phase 2.
FAQ
How long does a redesign take in Dubai?
Plan on 3 to 4 weeks for the public site with Kolonell, against 10 to 16 weeks with an agency in typical quotes. Arabic translation runs in parallel and usually takes 5 to 10 working days.
Does the site have to be in Arabic?
It is not always required for a commercial site, but some owners and tenants prefer it. Premium at USD 8,900 covers several languages, with the RTL scope set in the quote.
How do we handle permit details on listings?
Add a mandatory CMS field for each listing and a review before publishing. It adds 5 to 10 minutes per listing but avoids takedowns or penalties.
What happens to our existing listings?
Each indexed URL gets a 301 redirect to the matching new page or to the closest category. On a site with 200 listings, the inventory takes 1 to 2 days.
Can the site connect to our management software?
Yes, if the vendor provides an API or feed. The integration is quoted after reading its documentation and often takes 1 to 3 weeks of work.
For a precise costing, request a free quote.
Let's scope your project. A 15 to 40 page redesign in English and Arabic, USD 4,900 to 8,900, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks, with any portal quoted separately. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
