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Villa renovation in Tilal Al Ghaf — Majid Al Futtaim consents first.

In Tilal Al Ghaf, building works to a villa need Majid Al Futtaim’s prior written consent, a Home Improvement NOC managed in the Belong by MAF app, and a work permit before anything starts on site. The authority permit follows, and the authority is confirmed at application. Fajr Interiors draws, lodges and builds that route under one contract.

Last reviewed 16 Oct 2026Sources and dates

Estimate projectVilla renovation in Dubai →
Design & build · Tilal Al Ghaf · Since 2011Villa budgets from AED 1M
Render: corner sofa in a living room with fluted wall panels, a textured triptych, an olive tree and two lounge chairs
Render · villa living roomFajr design render

At a glance

Tilal Al Ghaf, at a glance.

Master developer
Majid Al Futtaim4
Community management
Majid Al Futtaim, through the Belong by MAF residents’ app3
NOC issued by
Majid Al Futtaim · Home Improvement NOC3
Permit authority
Confirmed at application; MAF’s rules refer to the “concerned authorities”1
Where to apply
Belong by MAF app, for Tilal Al Ghaf owners and residents3
Neighbourhoods
Elan, Harmony, Aura, Alaya, Elysian Mansions, Lanai Island and more8
Handover era
First homes due from December 20226; Elan completed November 20239
The lagoon
Lagoon Al Ghaf, a private amenity for residents15

Approvals · Tilal Al Ghaf

The Tilal Al Ghaf route, from consent to completion.

Majid Al Futtaim consents to the works and issues the Home Improvement NOC; a work permit from MAF and the concerned authority follows before anyone starts on site.

  1. Step 01 / 06

    Survey and scope

    Issued by
    Fajr Interiors, at the site survey
    Where
    Your villa
    You receive
    As-built drawings, the scope and what needs consent
    What to know

    Building works need consent; so does altering or replacing floor coverings. Maintenance and repair are the owner’s duty.1 We sort the scope item by item before anything is drawn.

  2. Step 02 / 06

    Majid Al Futtaim consent and NOC

    Issued by
    Majid Al Futtaim
    Where
    Belong by MAF app → Home Improvement NOC
    You receive
    Prior written consent, as a Home Improvement NOC
    What to know

    Works must follow the architectural code vetted by the master developer.1 The NOC, its contractors, renewals and payment receipts are managed in the app.3

  3. Step 03 / 06

    Authority drawings

    Issued by
    The concerned authority; the consultant applies
    Where
    Confirmed at application
    You receive
    Approved drawings
    What to know

    MAF’s rules require a permit from the concerned authorities as well as from MAF.1 No MAF document we found names the authority, so we confirm it before drawings are lodged.

  4. Step 04 / 06

    Work permit

    Issued by
    Majid Al Futtaim or its Managing Agent, and the concerned authority
    Where
    Belong by MAF app; the authority’s own service
    You receive
    The work permit
    What to know

    Written notice at least 48 hours before works, with contractor details, then the permit. Works may not start without it.1

  5. Step 05 / 06

    Contractor access

    Issued by
    Majid Al Futtaim
    Where
    Belong by MAF app
    You receive
    Contractors on the NOC and gate passes for the crew
    What to know

    Contractors are added or changed within the NOC, and gate passes are created in the same app.3

  6. Step 06 / 06

    Completion, then the deposit

    Issued by
    Majid Al Futtaim, and the authority
    Where
    Belong by MAF app
    You receive
    The deposit refund, once the works close
    What to know

    Security deposit refund requests for home improvements are submitted in the app.3 The authority’s completion step is confirmed with the permit.

Read the detailClose the detail

Tilal Al Ghaf is Majid Al Futtaim’s community in Dubailand.5 Its Community Rules say an owner “must not undertake any building works to its Unit” without the prior written consent of the master developer, and must also obtain a work permit from MAF “and concerned authorities”.1

Which authority that is, MAF’s published documents do not say. We confirm the authority at application, before any drawing is lodged, and the programme allows for its review inside the 8-week design stage.

Most villas here are young, so many briefs are upgrades to the developer finish. Those still need consent if they count as building works or change floor surfaces.1

Villa NOCs in Dubai, explained →Our process, stage by stage →

Documents

What goes into a Tilal Al Ghaf submission.

Majid Al Futtaim does not publish a checklist. Its rules set what the NOC must carry; we assemble the rest from one survey.

Concept visualisation: villa floor plans, joinery elevations and material samples laid out on a design tableConcept visualisation
Drawings and samples, prepared by our team for the submission

You provide

  • Title deed and owner ID
  • Access to the Belong by MAF app, where the NOC is held3
  • Any earlier Home Improvement NOCs for the villa

We prepare

  • Drawings of the works to MAF’s architectural code1
  • A detailed scope of works and programme
  • For extensions: area calculations with the added area marked

Registered with Majid Al Futtaim

  • Contractor details, added to the NOC3
  • Written notice of works, 48 hours ahead1
  • The work permit, before mobilisation1
Read the detailClose the detail

MAF publishes a Master Community Declaration and Community Rules for Tilal Al Ghaf.2 The architectural code is “vetted by the Seller/Master Developer” and is not published on the Tilal Al Ghaf site.1 We ask MAF for the edition that applies to your neighbourhood with the first submission, and draw to it.

Fees and timelines

Fees and deposits for a Tilal Al Ghaf villa.

Majid Al Futtaim publishes no fee schedule. The rows below show what its own documents confirm, and the extension fee from our 2026 applications.

The villa programmeAround 12 months, brief to handover

  1. 4 weeksPlanning
  2. 8 weeksDesign, approvals in parallel
  3. 6–8 monthsBuild
  4. 2 weeksHandover
ItemFigureTimingCharged bySource
Home Improvement NOCFee not publishedPaid and receipted in the Belong by MAF appMajid Al FuttaimAs published by Majid Al Futtaim, October 2026. Source 3. Confirm at application.
Home improvement security depositRefundable; amount not publishedRefund requested in the Belong by MAF appMajid Al FuttaimAs published by Majid Al Futtaim, October 2026. Source 3. Confirm at application.
Extension fee · added area, Elysian MansionsAED 1,500 per sq ftFrom our 2026 applications; confirmed in writing per villaConfirmed at applicationFrom Fajr’s 2026 applications; estimated, not an official schedule. Source 16. Confirm at application.
Extension fee · other neighbourhoodsNot publishedQuoted on applicationConfirmed at applicationAs published by Confirmed at application, October 2026. Source 1. Confirm at application.
Work permitFee not publishedRequired before works start; 48 hours’ written notice firstMajid Al Futtaim or its Managing AgentAs published by Majid Al Futtaim or its Managing Agent, October 2026. Source 1. Confirm at application.
Authority permitSet by the authorityAuthority confirmed at applicationThe concerned authorityAs published by The concerned authority, October 2026. Source 1. Confirm at application.
Read the detailClose the detail

On our 2026 applications in Elysian Mansions the extension fee has been AED 1,500 per sq ft of added area.16 It is not on any MAF document we found, so we get the figure in writing for your villa before an extension is drawn in detail.

A contractor guide quotes a much lower extension rate for Tilal Al Ghaf without a source; we do not use it. MAF’s documents are undated, so they show the month we read them.

What’s allowed

What changes in a Tilal Al Ghaf villa, and what needs consent.

Majid Al Futtaim’s Community Rules, in three states. Each chip links to its source.

Allowed without an NOC2

  • Maintenance and repair, which the rules require of the owner1
  • Quarterly AC servicing under a maintenance contract1

Needs approval first6

  • Any building works to the villa1
  • Floor coverings or surfaces, altered or replaced1
  • Antennas, cabling or satellite dishes outside1
  • Anything visible outside that is out of keeping1
  • Signage: colour, design and installation1
  • Extensions, Elysian Mansions included, on application16

Not allowed4

  • Damaging trees, lawns or plants in common areas1
  • Using common areas as a private garden1
  • Washing or bedding visible from outside1
  • Moving, blinking or audible signs visible outside1
Read the detailClose the detail

MAF’s Community Rules are written for the whole project, not for villas alone, and they do not list pools, pergolas, shade or solar panels.1 Each of those is put to MAF as part of the NOC before it is drawn.

Extensions are possible on application: our 2026 Elysian Mansions applications carried an extension fee of AED 1,500 per sq ft of added area.16

Rules on site

Rules on site in Tilal Al Ghaf.

Majid Al Futtaim has not published construction hours. Its Community Rules set notice periods, deliveries, waste and noise; we confirm the working day at mobilisation.

The working daySource 1

Construction hours are not published. The Community Rules leave delivery hours to the Managing Agent; we confirm the working day with community management before mobilising.

  • Notice and permit

    48 hours’ written notice and contractor details before works; nothing starts without the work permit.1

  • Gate passes

    Contractors are listed on the Home Improvement NOC; gate passes are created in the Belong by MAF app.3

  • Deliveries

    Bulk deliveries need permission 48 hours ahead, in the hours the Managing Agent sets.1

  • Waste

    No rubbish kept around the villa; packing cleared the same day. Uncleared waste is removed at the owner’s cost.1

  • Noise

    No noise or nuisance likely to interfere with neighbours’ peaceful enjoyment.1

  • Charges

    Costs MAF incurs from a breach are charged to the owner; no fine schedule is published.1

Read the detailClose the detail

The Community Rules contain no lagoon or beach clauses; the hours of communal facilities are set by MAF and posted at each facility.1 Lagoon Al Ghaf is a private amenity for residents,15 so nothing is staged or delivered from the lagoon or beach side.

Some guides quote weekday contractor hours for Tilal Al Ghaf without citing MAF. We plan to the hours community management confirms in writing.

Villa types

Tilal Al Ghaf neighbourhoods, and what each usually needs.

A young, all-villa community: the first homes were due from December 2022, and later neighbourhoods are still completing.

  • Duplex townhouses, in terraces

    Elan

    Bedrooms
    3–4 bed
    Handover
    Completed November 20239

    Typical renovationDeveloper kitchens and wardrobes replaced; joinery and lighting throughout.

  • Detached villas, three layouts

    Harmony 1, 2 and 3

    Bedrooms
    4–6 bed
    Handover
    Handover from December 202311

    Typical renovationKitchen and family room joined; Garden Suites fitted out; pools and gardens drawn with the house.

  • Semi-detached villas

    Aura

    Bedrooms
    3–4 bed
    Handover
    Not published10

    Typical renovationFinish upgrades, storage and joinery inside a shared-wall plan.

  • Detached villas

    Alaya

    Bedrooms
    4–6 bed
    Handover
    Completion targeted for mid-202612

    Typical renovationInteriors fitted to the owner from the start; landscape and shade with an NOC.

  • Waterfront mansions, 94 in all

    Elysian Mansions

    Bedrooms
    5–6 bed
    Handover
    Completion targeted for mid-202613

    Typical renovationWhole-house interiors; extensions on application, AED 1,500 per sq ft on our 2026 applications.16

  • Island mansions on the lagoon

    Lanai Island

    Bedrooms
    4–8 bed
    Handover
    Expected September 202614

    Typical renovationInteriors at mansion scale, often phased by floor.

Read the detailClose the detail

Gulf News reported in March 2022 that the first wave of 960 homes was due from December 2022, with around 1,000 more twelve months later.6 Serenity Mansions, Amara, Plagette 32, Aura Gardens, Alaya Gardens and Alaya Beach are later releases.10

Lanai Island was launched in 2022 as the first of two private islands on Lagoon Al Ghaf.7 Bedroom counts and dates come from portals and press, not MAF, and sources differ, so we record your villa’s own plan at the survey.8

Common projects

What Tilal Al Ghaf owners ask us to change.

New villas, built to a developer standard: the work is finish, joinery, the garden and, in the mansions, more space.

  • Concept visualisation: kitchen with a white marble waterfall island, walnut tall joinery and a leather bar stoolConcept visualisation

    Developer kitchens, replaced

    The most common first request. Opening a wall makes it building works, which need MAF’s consent.1

  • Concept visualisation: walnut door corner with a shadow gap and a brass pullConcept visualisation

    Wardrobes and joinery

    Basic wardrobes are where a young villa gains most: made-to-measure joinery, drawn to its walls.

  • Contemporary two-storey villa exterior with a pool and garden terrace

    Elysian Mansions: more space

    Extensions go to application. On our 2026 applications the fee was AED 1,500 per sq ft of added area.16

  • lakePool to house

    Gardens toward the lagoon

    Pools, terraces and shade are building works: drawn with the house and put to MAF for consent together.1

  • Exterior fixed

    An exterior in keeping

    Anything visible outside must stay in keeping with the community unless MAF consents.1 Light, joinery and finishes do the work inside.

Cost

What a Tilal Al Ghaf renovation costs.

Villa renovation in Dubai runs AED 420–1,400 per sqft of built-up area, and our villa budgets start from AED 1M. In Tilal Al Ghaf the scope and finishes decide where a villa lands; an Elysian Mansions extension adds a fee of AED 1,500 per sq ft of added area, on our 2026 applications.

The villa renovation cost guide →Estimate project →

Tilal Al Ghaf FAQ

Before you renovate in Tilal Al Ghaf.

Villa renovation FAQ — Tilal Al Ghaf, Dubai.

The questions Tilal Al Ghaf owners ask before a survey, answered from Majid Al Futtaim’s own documents and our 2026 applications.

01Do I need Majid Al Futtaim’s approval to renovate my Tilal Al Ghaf villa?

Yes, for building works. The Tilal Al Ghaf Community Rules bar any building works without the master developer’s prior written consent, and even replacing floor coverings needs it. Maintenance and repair are the owner’s duty. Owners manage the Home Improvement NOC, its contractors and its payments in the Belong by MAF app.

02Which authority issues the building permit in Tilal Al Ghaf?

Majid Al Futtaim’s rules require a work permit from MAF or its managing agent and from the “concerned authorities”, but no MAF document we found names the authority. We confirm the authority with MAF at application, before any drawings are lodged, so its review runs inside the design stage.

03How much does it cost to extend an Elysian Mansions villa?

On Fajr’s 2026 applications in Elysian Mansions, the extension fee has been AED 1,500 per sq ft of added area. Majid Al Futtaim does not publish that rate, its NOC fee or its deposit amount, so we get each figure in writing for your villa before an extension is drawn in detail and priced.

04Is there a security deposit for home improvements in Tilal Al Ghaf?

Yes. The Belong by MAF app lets owners submit security deposit refund requests for home improvements, which confirms a refundable deposit applies. Majid Al Futtaim does not publish the amount. We take the figure from your NOC, keep the site and the street clean through the works, and request the refund when the job closes.

05What are contractor working hours in Tilal Al Ghaf?

Majid Al Futtaim has not published construction hours. Its Community Rules leave delivery hours to the managing agent, require 48 hours’ permission for bulk deliveries and 48 hours’ written notice before works, and bar noise that disturbs neighbours. We confirm the working day with community management before mobilising and plan noisy work around it.

06Can I change the outside of my villa or add a satellite dish?

Only with Majid Al Futtaim’s written consent. The Community Rules bar antennas, cabling and satellite dishes on the villa exterior without it, along with anything visible from outside that is out of keeping with the community. Signage colour and design need approval too. We put each exterior item to MAF before it is drawn.

07How long does a Tilal Al Ghaf villa renovation take?

Around 12 months from brief to handover: 4 weeks planning, 8 weeks design with approvals in parallel, 6–8 months build and 2 weeks handover. Most Tilal Al Ghaf villas were handed over from 2023, so many briefs are upgrades to the developer finish and sit at the short end of the build.

Sources

Sources, and when we last checked them.

  • Dubai Development Authority logo
  • Dubai Civil Defence logo

Last reviewed 16 October 2026. Every rule, fee and time on this page is as published by the body named, on the date shown, except figures marked as from Fajr’s 2026 applications, which are first-hand estimates. Rules and fees change: confirm each at application.

All 16 sources, with linksClose the detail

Official sources

  1. Majid Al Futtaim, Tilal Al Ghaf Community Rules (governance documents; undated, read October 2026), accessed 16 Oct 2026
  2. Majid Al Futtaim, Tilal Al Ghaf governance documents: Master Community Declaration and Community Rules (read October 2026), accessed 16 Oct 2026
  3. Majid Al Futtaim Properties LLC, Belong by MAF app: App Store listing and version history (versions 4.67 to 4.69, 2026), accessed 16 Oct 2026
  4. Majid Al Futtaim, Tilal Al Ghaf – Residential Communities (read October 2026), accessed 16 Oct 2026

Villa-type references: property portals and press

  1. Gulf News, Majid Al Futtaim picks Dubailand for new community, 15 September 2018, accessed 16 Oct 2026
  2. Gulf News, Majid Al Futtaim’s property arm believes ‘less is definitely more’ at its Dubai project Tilal Al Ghaf, 14 March 2022, accessed 16 Oct 2026
  3. Gulf News, Majid Al Futtaim Communities is creating ‘islands’ at its Tilal Al Ghaf lagoon, 28 October 2022, accessed 16 Oct 2026
  4. Propsearch, Tilal Al Ghaf, updated 14 October 2026, accessed 16 Oct 2026
  5. Propsearch, Elan, updated 13 October 2026, accessed 16 Oct 2026
  6. Bayut, Tilal Al Ghaf area guide, accessed 16 Oct 2026
  7. dubizzle, Living in Tranquility: Tilal Al Ghaf’s Harmony 1 Villa Community, 7 December 2023, accessed 16 Oct 2026
  8. Gulf Construction Online, Majid Al Futtaim announces new villa complex (Alaya and Elysian Mansions contracts), 1 February 2024, accessed 16 Oct 2026
  9. Enterprise, Innovo to build Majid Al Futtaim’s AED 1.13 bn Tilal Al Ghaf mansions project, 21 February 2024, accessed 16 Oct 2026
  10. Property Finder, Lanai Islands by Majid Al Futtaim (new-project page, read October 2026), accessed 16 Oct 2026
  11. Crystal Lagoons, Tilal Al Ghaf (lagoon supplier’s project page), accessed 16 Oct 2026

First-hand: Fajr Interiors projects and 2026 applications

  1. Fajr Interiors, our own 2026 applications in Dubai communities, including Emaar, Nakheel, Emirates Hills, Tilal Al Ghaf and Al Barari submissions (first-hand, not an official schedule), as at 16 Oct 2026

Related

Other villa communities, and the guides.

Villa NOCs in Dubai →Villa renovation cost →Villa renovation timeline →Villa renovation in Dubai →

Villa renovation · Tilal Al Ghaf

Start your Tilal Al Ghaf villa in the right order.

Tell us the neighbourhood, the villa and what you want changed. We’ll come back with a scope, the Majid Al Futtaim route and the authority confirmed for your plot, a straight number, and a date for the site survey. Villa budgets start from AED 1M.

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