Why feasibility comes before commitment
A layout that looks easy to reconfigure on a viewing can sit outside what the plot's file allows. Authorities and master developers work from what is approved on record, not from the building as it stands, so a buyer who assumes walls can move may find otherwise at permit stage, after the purchase is committed and the scope has been priced.
Before transfer, a constraint is a decision: adjust the scope, renegotiate or walk away. After transfer, the same constraint is a problem to solve.
Check 1: do the drawings match what was built?
Ask the seller for the approved drawings, any as-built drawings, master developer NOC records and the title deed. Then walk the villa room by room and compare. Wall positions, openings, extensions, internal levels and service runs are the items most likely to differ.
Villas are often altered over the years without the drawings being updated. A converted garage, a majlis opened into the hall or a rear extension can exist on site but not on paper. If you price the renovation on the building as it stands and the permit is assessed against the drawings, the scope can shift at the worst moment.
A measured survey, or an Architect of Record reviewing the file against the building, establishes the true position before you commit.
Check 2: were earlier alterations permitted?
Ask what has changed since handover: extensions, garage conversions, layout changes, pool and boundary works, outdoor kitchens and pergolas. Each would have needed its own approval.
- Ask for the trail: authority approvals, master developer NOCs, contractor handover documents and any completion or inspection records.
- Treat a seller who cannot account for an alteration as a signal to slow down.
- Where records are missing, find out what the authority would require for that work before you commit. It can affect what your own renovation can achieve, and the price you should pay.
Check 3: what do the master developer guidelines allow?
Master developers publish design guidelines for their communities, which can cover facades, extensions, height, setbacks, materials, colours and landscaping. They vary by community and by villa type, so a scope copied from a renovation elsewhere carries no assurance.
The master developer's review and the authority's permit are separate approvals, and neither can be assumed from the other. Get the current guidelines for your community and villa type, and confirm which authority covers the plot. Which authority approves your project depends on the community and zone your plot sits in, and it's confirmed from your plot documents.
Ask for a short review before you commit
Send us three things: the community or plot number, the drawings you hold (approved, as-built or both), and a short outline of what you want to change. A paragraph or a marked-up plan is enough. We work through the three checks and tell you what the villa is likely to allow, so you can proceed, adjust the scope or walk away before transfer.
If you go ahead, Ganggaan acts as Architect of Record for the modification permit and NOC, and design, FF&E sourcing and site supervision stay in one team. See renovation and fit-out and our guide to whether a renovation needs a permit.