Built by someone who sat on the other side of the table.
Vakeel was founded by a Dubai fit-out contractor who spent fifteen years watching owners sign contracts they didn't understand, pay for work nobody checked, and approve variations nobody could benchmark.
Founder, Vakeel
Vakeel is an independent owner's representative for villa and office renovations in Dubai. It works only for the owner.
It produces the brief and the target cost, runs a levelled tender, structures the contract, sends a registered engineer to site weekly, checks every payment and variation against evidence, and records all of it on a dashboard the owner can open from anywhere.
The founder's contracting company gave Vakeel two things: fifteen years of real Dubai project cost data, and a working knowledge of how quotes are built, where margins hide and what gets left out. Vakeel uses that knowledge for owners.
The rules we work by, stated in every agreement.
We don't build.
Vakeel never tenders for, contracts for or performs works on a project it represents. Neither does any related company.
No money from the other side.
Contractors pay a flat annual verification fee to be on the panel. Nothing on award, purchase or variation. No referral fees to or from anyone who builds, designs or supplies.
The firewall.
The founder's contractor is barred from the panel and blind to every Vakeel tender. Stated here, in the footer of every page, and in clause 3 of the agreement you sign.
Registered engineers, one checklist, every visit on your record.
Vakeel representatives are registered engineers on a fixed weekly schedule plus every concealed-works inspection. They measure, photograph and test; they don't supervise the contractor and they don't approve spending. Their job is to make sure you can see what you're paying for, and to say release or hold with a reason.
Your representative is named on your agreement and introduced by video the week you start.
Who owns Vakeel?
Vakeel is owned by its founder, who also owns a Dubai interior design and fit-out contractor. The two are separate entities with separate teams, and the contractor is barred from the Vakeel panel.
Isn't that a conflict of interest?
It would be, if the contractor could bid on Vakeel projects or see Vakeel tenders. It cannot, by rule, and every owner agreement states it. What the connection gives Vakeel is fifteen years of real Dubai cost data and an understanding of how contractors price, which is exactly what an owner needs on their side.
Who are the representatives?
Registered engineers, trained on one Vakeel inspection checklist, whose visits are photographed and recorded on your dashboard. Your representative is named on your agreement.
What is Vakeel's legal role?
Vakeel observes, reviews, verifies to the extent practicable, reports and recommends in the owner's interest. We are not the architect, engineer of record, supervising consultant, contractor or certifying authority, and our reports do not relieve any project party of their responsibility. Vakeel carries professional indemnity insurance.
Where does the name come from?
Vakeel means agent or representative in Arabic, Urdu and Hindi: the one who acts for you.