Apartment finishing costs in Egypt: build a budget you can compare

Searching for apartment finishing costs in Egypt often produces a number per square metre. It feels like a quick answer, especially when you have a 100 m² or 150 m² apartment to plan. Yet two homes with the same advertised area can need very different work. One may have usable plumbing and two bathrooms; another may need demolition, new services and extensive fitted furniture.

The practical starting point is a written scope. Decide what must be ready on move-in day, then connect each part of the design to something that can be measured and priced. This turns a broad allowance into a budget you can discuss, revise and control.

Why a price per metre is only a starting point

Ask which area the quotation uses: the area on the property contract, the internal measured area or a particular finishing area. These are not interchangeable. Floor tiles are measured differently from wall finishes; doors are counted; kitchen cabinets may be priced by a defined run or by individual units.

Also ask what “luxury”, “super lux” or “turnkey” actually includes. These labels are not a substitute for product codes, quantities and workmanship requirements. A lower figure can simply exclude the kitchen, air conditioning, light fittings or delivery.

What belongs in the budget?

Put furniture and appliances in separate lines if they are outside the building contract. They still belong in your total move-in budget. Include a project-specific reserve for unresolved conditions and changes; agree its size after the survey rather than assuming every project needs the same percentage.

A simple calculation that exposes missing items

For each item, multiply its measured quantity by the agreed unit rate. Add separately priced work, delivery and other stated charges. Then add the agreed reserve and any furniture or appliances you intend to buy directly.

For example, if a room needs 40 m² of floor covering and the approved cutting layout adds 4 m², purchasing is based on 44 m². The finished floor area remains 40 m². Ask whether installation is priced on installed area or purchased quantity. This is an illustration of the calculation, not a recommended waste allowance or current market price.

Compare quotations without losing the design

Send the same drawings and specification schedule to each candidate. Compare the full installed package, including adhesive, grout, skirting, edges and transitions. If one option is too expensive, ask which specification can change and what that change does to appearance, maintenance and lead time.

Protect decisions that are difficult to reverse: service routes, waterproofing, substrate preparation and usable layouts. Decorative upgrades can often be reconsidered more easily than hidden work. Record approved changes with their cost and programme effect before work proceeds.

Before you accept an offer

• Check quantities against the measured plan.
• Request product names, codes and approved alternatives.
• List inclusions, exclusions and client-supplied items.
• Confirm quotation validity, payment stages and delivery responsibilities.
• Ask who checks completed work and how defects are closed out.

Common questions

How much does a 100 m² apartment cost to finish?

A dependable figure needs the existing condition, measured quantities and chosen scope. Request a dated, itemised quotation that states the quantities, specifications and exclusions for your apartment.

Is a fixed-price quotation always better?

It can provide clarity when the scope is sufficiently defined. Check allowances, exclusions and the treatment of later changes; a fixed headline total alone does not resolve them.

Can I reduce the budget without changing everything?

Yes. Review a few major cost drivers first: custom joinery, imported finishes, stone detailing and ceiling complexity. Keep the design coherent while simplifying specific decisions.