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

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

7 years, mid-size residential projects, 14k

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

4 years, small ID studio, 9k

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

12 yrs experience making 20K plus benefits

Depends what "running operations" includes exactly, is it just admin/scheduling or is it running actual projects on site and managing clients. If its only internal work, then its low but not so much. But if youre managing projects and clients then you are very underpaid.

Small company life... its always "we'll increase it once we land the next big project" 😩

Yes yes yes. You are very underpaid brother. Start looking.

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.

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

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.

Transport allowance being included changes the math a lot, don't just compare base salary numbers with people who don't get that.

8.5k plus bonus and transport is just about decent for coordinator level tbh, but you can still get higher if you increase your responsibilities.

Hotel renovation work usually pays a bit more than pure residential due to tighter timelines, so you might be slightly underpaid if it's mostly hotel projects.

FF&E really is underdiscussed here, most threads are about PM/ID/architect salaries. Good to see this posted.

Honestly I think you are being paid very well. I know a colleague from a previous company makes around 15K mark and is very well experienced. But of course, if you feel you can earn more then start looking.

I moved from residential ID to hospitality FF&E and pay was noticeably better, so this checks out from my experience.

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!

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

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 !

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.

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!

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.

Curious what others say too, feels like procurement doesn't get talked about enough on here compared to PM/design roles.

I'm at 19k with 10 years but I also handle vendor negotiations, contracts, and disputes, not just sourcing, so scope matters a lot here. Wish you best of luck.

19k at 12 years sounds reasonable for contracting side. Consultancy or developer side procurement tends to pay a bit more from what I've seen.

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.

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.

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

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

6 years, 12.5k, mid-size firm

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

3 years, 9k, small studio JLT

1 year, 5.5k, still learning the ropes lol

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

following this thread, curious myself lol

Wallpaper/textiles, 5 years, 9k fixed, no commission, kind of wish mine had one after seeing this thread

Tile sales, 6 years, 8k base + 3% commission

Furniture supplier, 13 years, 10k base + 2.5% commission