10k base plus commission is roughly where I am too, but commission structure makes a huge difference. Percentage based on margin vs volume changes everything.

I'm very curious how others structure commission too, mine is tiered based on monthly targets which works out better in busy months.

Anything above 8k base plus reasonable commission is decent in this space from what I've seen across a few suppliers.

Hello friend

I think you're in the average range right now although that doesn't mean you can't increase your pay. I've spent a lot of years in this field and have a fairly good idea of salaries for procurement. Best advice I could give is try to cover more responsibilities in your current role such as finance or project managment, as procurement differs a lot from one company to another and its good to be prepared for were your next role lands you.

Best of luck

Hello fellow freelancer! I'm on IFZA, been on it 2 years. Total annual cost including license, visa and medical is around AED 18k. SHAMS is slightly cheaper but I've heard renewals can be slower. Both should work fine for residential ID and FF&E work.

Hi! 150 per sqm for design only is on the low end, especially for villa work. I charge 200–250 depending on complexity. Don't go below 175 for anything under 400 sqm. Hope that helps.

Starting as a freelancer can be very hard, I totally sympathize. But in my view the bigger issue isn't the rate, it's whether you're charging for revisions. That's where most designers quietly lose money. Make sure your contract is clear on what's included.

Wish you best of luck on your freelancer journey!

17k after 10 years at a consultancy sounds about right honestly, maybe even slightly above depending on the consultancy size.

This is such a valid question because architecture salaries here are all over the place compared to somewhere like the UK or even Saudi.

I hit 17k at year 8 so you might want to renegotiate, but I was also doing a lot of client facing work which tends to pay more.

following this thread, curious myself lol

4 years, small ID studio, 9k

7 years, mid-size residential projects, 14k

2 years, small studio doing mostly apartments, 6.5k, feels low reading these other numbers ngl

10 years, mix of villa and small commercial, 16k

12 yrs experience making 20K plus benefits

It's the industry but not all of the industry. Firms that normalise 60+ hour weeks are usually fit-out companies with back-to-back handover deadlines and poor planning. It's a management problem dressed up as culture...

I left a firm like that 2 years ago. First 3 month in the new place I kept waiting for the crunch that never came. Ask in interviews specifically what the average hours are during a live fit-out. Good luck and take care.

5.5k for year 1 is pretty standard from what I've seen, I started around there too. But then, keep in mind there is no "standard". Salaries vary A LOT.

Entry level rates vary a lot by studio size but 5-6k is a common starting range for design assistants in Dubai.

honestly just happy you're getting paid on time in this industry lmaooo

wow we're all just gonna casually drop our salaries publicly now 😂 respect

Depends heavily on the studio size tbh. Small studios like OP's tend to cap lower regardless of experience because the overheads are different from bigger firms.

I was at 12k with 8 years exp so if anything you're probably okay but keep your eyes open for opportunities. Worth shopping around before your next review.

14k after 8 years is honestly fair, but it really depends on your level of responsibilities and skills.

Fixed monthly is actually more common than people think in flooring/installation companies, commission is more typical for sales roles not project management ones.

13k feels reasonable though, regardless of pay structure. But its worth asking around at other flooring companies.

Yeah contracting/fit-out side QS pay is generally lower than consultancy, thats a pretty well known gap in this market unfortunately.

Sounds about average from what I've seen, consultancy side would likely be 20k+ for similar experience.

the boq life is rough man, feel this post deeply lol

3 years, 9k, small studio JLT

6 years, 12.5k, mid-size firm

1 year, 5.5k, still learning the ropes lol

9 years, 16k, mostly hospitality and F&B projects

Hello,
Its very hard to answer your question. It depends so much on what kind of projects you can run, their scope and complexity, your skills and experience. The word "senior" alone isn't really enough to tell where you should be at in terms of salary. But, as a ball park figure a senior PM should be looking at a minimum of 25K per month (considering over a decade of experience and ability to handle projects of medium complexity). Again the range varies but this is what I've heard and experienced being in the field. Good luck to you!

Hey,
Its coming down to what kind of projects you work on and the company you work for. My advice always for PMs, don't undersell yourself and take care of your health. It can be a stressful job and takes its toll over the years.

Send a formal letter of demand via registered mail, give them 7 days to respond. If nothing, file in the Dubai Courts Small Claims Tribunal. it handles disputes up to AED 500k and the process is fairly straightforward. Keep every sign-off document you have.

14k is on the low side for 8 years experience. Most I know at that level are on 18–22k in mid-size firms. I'd push back and ask for at least 17-18k minimum before accepting.

Hello :)
To me, I think you're okay. Definitely request higher than what they are offering, as HR usually give you a lower offer and expect you to negotiate. But at 14K I would think isn't so bad especially if there are other perks. But note this all depends a lot on your degree, background, skills, portfolio and how well all that aligns with the firm. If that all aligns nicely that you might have some room to get more. Good luck!

8 months is not long enough to judge honestly. Instagram leads in Dubai typically come after 12–18 months of consistent content. Location tags on specific communities (Palm, Arabian Ranches, etc.) have worked better for me than general Dubai tags.

Congrats! I made a similar move, retail fitout to retail design management a while back. Biggest shift is you go from hands on design to overseeing the bigger picture, timelines, budgets,brand consistency across stores. your fitout experience actually sets you up well for this.

Good luck !

Haha welcome to the other side. moving from fitout into design mgmt means less time in the details and more time managing people, priorities, and stakeholders. store openings don't move so pressure is real, but running a small 3d team already means you know how to keep a team moving under deadlines. you'll be fine tbh

Not great to be honest, I've also been looking for a few months. Hoping also to get some advice here if anyone can support.

Keep looking there are many opportunities. Make sure you are well-presented on LinkedIn and that you have a portfolio of projects to show. Use your previous contacts, tell everyone that you are looking. Many jobs are advertised and come thru references. Its a bit harder than before but not impossible, good luck