Bur Dubai Side · Dubai

Home automation in Jumeirah 1.

Older villas between La Mer, Jumeirah Mosque and Al Wasl Road, each with its own history, wiring and gate. We design smart AC, cameras, gate control and Wi-Fi around what is already there, and plan full wiring when you renovate or rebuild.

  • FromAED 1,500
  • Most installs2 to 4 weeks
  • Site surveyFree
Jumeirah Mosque on Jumeirah Street in Jumeirah 1, the villa district where we design home automation
Jumeirah 1 at a glance
Homes
Independent villas, small compounds and some apartments
Also called
Jumeirah First, community 332
Villa sizes
2,500 to 14,000 sq ft
Landmarks
Jumeirah Mosque, La Mer and the open beach
Cooling
Each villa’s own split or ducted AC on DEWA
Built
From the 1980s, with many villas since rebuilt
Starting price
From AED 1,500 for a single upgrade
The short answer

Dubai Smart Home designs home automation in Jumeirah 1, the villa district between Al Mina, Al Badaa and Jumeirah 2. Most jobs retrofit smart AC for split units, gate and camera control, pool and garden timers and Wi-Fi into villas built from the 1980s onwards. There is no master developer, so Dubai Municipality is the only authority involved. Single upgrades start from AED 1,500.

Updated 28 September 2026
Pricing

Pick your home, see the price.

What changes the price: the villa size and how close it is to the beach road. The number of AC units and rooms you control matters too, and so does an open-walls renovation.

One upgrade

Pick the AC, the gate or the cameras first.
  • Smart control for the split units you use most
  • Or a video intercom and gate controller
  • Or outdoor cameras with alerts to your phone
  • Expands into a whole-villa system later
Typical price
AED 1,500 to AED 4,500
Time on site
Half a day
Get a fixed quote
Get a fixed quote

Compound villa

Villas in small compounds that share a pool and gate.
  • Smart AC in each bedroom and living room
  • Smart lock and door sensors
  • Indoor and garden cameras
  • Mesh Wi-Fi on both floors
Typical price
AED 15,000 to AED 60,000
Time on site
3 to 7 days
Get a fixed quote
Get a fixed quote

Independent villa

Four to six bedroom villas with their own gate and pool.
  • Gate, garage and intercom on one app
  • Lighting scenes and smart switches
  • Pool pump and garden irrigation timers
  • Wired access points inside and out
Typical price
AED 40,000 to AED 160,000
Time on site
2 to 4 weeks
Get a fixed quote
Get a fixed quote

Large villa or rebuild

Villas of seven bedrooms and more, or full rebuilds.
  • KNX or Control4 wired through the house
  • Cinema, majlis and whole-home audio
  • Perimeter cameras and staff access
  • Plant room with backup power
Typical price
AED 160,000 to AED 350,000+
Time on site
4 to 8 weeks
Get a fixed quote
Get a fixed quote
Local know-how

Smart home installation in Dubai’s oldest villa belt.

Jumeirah 1 is the northern end of the Jumeirah coast. Al Mina lies to the east across Al Diyafah Street, Al Badaa to the south and Jumeirah 2 to the west along Al Urouba Street. Jumeirah Mosque and La Mer both sit inside it. Most homes are villas from 2,500 to 14,000 sq ft, some very large with their own pools and others in small compounds that share a pool and garden. Western families have rented here for decades, and much of the district is leasehold.

That shapes smart home installation in Jumeirah 1. No developer built these streets to one plan, so every villa has its own wiring, gate and AC. The neutral wire most smart switches need is often missing. Each design works around what is there: smart AC, gate and camera control, pool and garden timers and Wi-Fi that reaches the far side of the plot. When you renovate or rebuild, we plan full wiring alongside your contractor.

Switch boxes without a neutral

Many older Jumeirah 1 villas were wired with the neutral left at the ceiling, not the switch. You cannot tell from the plate. We open one box, check, and then choose no-neutral switches or ceiling modules instead of cutting new cable runs.

Salt air by the beach road

A villa facing Jumeirah Beach Road near La Mer takes sea air almost like a waterfront home. Three streets inland, far less. We measure where you sit, then pick sealed outdoor cameras, gate motors and fixings only where the salt calls for them.

Dubai Municipality, no developer

Jumeirah 1 has no master developer, so there is no community NOC to wait for. Device-only work usually needs no permit. Chasing walls, new racks or anything fixed outside the villa goes to Dubai Municipality through a registered consultant.

Busy roads outside the gate

Villas here open onto Jumeirah Beach Road, Al Wasl Road or the streets between them. A video intercom and app-controlled gate let you see who is outside before anyone walks down the drive, with separate codes for drivers and deliveries.

Your own DEWA bill

Jumeirah 1 villas cool with their own split or ducted units rather than district cooling, so every hour of AC lands on your DEWA bill. Smart control switches off empty rooms and runs a warmer setting while the family is away.

Renovation is the wiring window

There is no developer handover here to catch. The moment to add cable for lighting, data and cameras is when you renovate or rebuild. We work from the same drawings as your contractor, so conduit goes in before the plaster.

Streets, compounds and landmarks we cover in Jumeirah 1
Jumeirah Mosque
La Mer
Jumeirah Beach Road
Al Wasl Road
Al Urouba Street
Jumeirah 9 Villas
Wasl 51
16 Villas Compound
How it works

Four steps, one point of contact.

Jumeirah 1 has no community NOC. Most smart home work needs no permit, and we arrange a Dubai Municipality permit through a registered consultant when yours does.

  1. 01
    Free survey
    We check the switch boxes, AC units, gate motor, pool equipment and Wi-Fi, note how far you are from the beach road, and send a fixed quote.
  2. 02
    Permit check
    We tell you at the survey whether the job needs a Dubai Municipality permit. Device-only work usually does not; outside hardware and wall chasing do.
  3. 03
    Install
    A compound villa takes three to seven days and most independent villas two to four weeks, done room by room while you live there.
  4. 04
    Handover
    The family and staff get the app, a printed guide and a named contact. A Jumeirah 1 villa’s workmanship is warranted for 12 months, and that can vary by product.
Smart products

Devices that suit a Jumeirah 1 home.

The same hardware we specify for homes here, with UAE prices. Buy it yourself, or ask us to arrange professional fitting and configure it for you.

FAQs

Jumeirah 1 questions, answered.

44 questions Jumeirah 1 owners, tenants and landlords ask us, on cost, installation, devices and day-to-day use.

Ask us something else
Ask us something else
How much does home automation cost in a Jumeirah 1 villa?
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Home automation in a Jumeirah 1 villa costs AED 1,500 to AED 350,000 or more. One upgrade is AED 1,500 to AED 4,500, a compound villa AED 15,000 to AED 60,000, and an independent four to six bedroom villa usually AED 40,000 to AED 160,000. Large villas and rebuilds run AED 160,000 to AED 350,000 or more.
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My Jumeirah 1 villa has never been renovated. What does it cost to add smart features?
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Most owners of untouched villas spend AED 15,000 to AED 60,000 on wireless AC control, a smart lock, gate control, cameras and Wi-Fi, none of which needs new cable. Adding lighting scenes, pool and garden control across an independent villa usually brings it to AED 40,000 to AED 160,000.
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Is it cheaper to wire the villa during a renovation?
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Yes, if the walls are being opened anyway. Running cable during a renovation or rebuild costs far less than chasing finished walls later. Bring us in when the renovation drawings are drawn, and conduit for lighting, data and cameras goes in before the plaster.
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Will smart AC control cut my DEWA bill in Jumeirah 1?
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It cuts the cooling part, which is most of a summer bill in a villa with several split units. Rooms switch off when empty, the AC holds a warmer setting while you are out and cools again before you return. Savings depend on how the family uses the house, so we do not quote a percentage.
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Is a compound villa cheaper to automate than an independent one?
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Usually, yes. In a small compound the gate and pool are shared, so the job is mostly inside: AC, lock, cameras and Wi-Fi, typically AED 15,000 to AED 60,000. An independent villa adds its own gate, garage, pool and garden, which is why it more often lands at AED 40,000 to AED 160,000.
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What does a full wired system cost in a large Jumeirah 1 villa?
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A wired KNX or Control4 system across a large villa or a rebuild falls in our AED 160,000 to AED 350,000+ band and takes four to eight weeks. It covers lighting, climate, shading, audio, cameras and a plant room, and makes most sense while the walls are open.
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Do I need a permit, and what does it add to the cost?
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Only for work that changes walls, ceilings or the outside of the villa. Consultant guides quote the Dubai Municipality fee at AED 1 per sq ft of built-up area. A registered consultant’s fee comes on top. Device-only jobs usually need no permit and add nothing.
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Can the work be split into phases?
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Yes. A common order in Jumeirah 1 is AC and gate first, cameras and Wi-Fi next, then lighting, pool and garden. We plan the full system at the start so every phase uses the same hub and app, with nothing replaced later.
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Does a smart home add value to a Jumeirah 1 villa?
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It can help a villa let faster, since most Jumeirah 1 homes are rented and tenants notice app-controlled AC, a smart gate and cameras. We know of no reliable figure for the value it adds to a Jumeirah 1 villa, so we do not promise one.
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Are there running costs after installation?
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No subscription is needed for the apps. Some owners add cloud storage for camera footage, and a support plan with set response times suits a large villa or a landlord with tenants.
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Do you charge for the survey in Jumeirah 1?
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No. We visit the villa, check the switch boxes, AC units, gate, pool equipment and Wi-Fi, and send a fixed quote. You are under no obligation to go ahead.
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Who does home automation in Jumeirah 1?
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Dubai Smart Home designs and coordinates home automation across Jumeirah 1, in independent villas, small compounds and La Mer homes. We survey for free, tell you if a permit is needed, coordinate the installation and configure the whole system, with our support afterwards.
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Do I need a developer NOC for smart home work in Jumeirah 1?
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No. Jumeirah 1 has no master developer, so there is no Emaar or Nakheel office to approve work first. Dubai Municipality is the authority, and only for work that needs a building permit.
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Which smart home jobs need a Dubai Municipality permit?
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Chasing walls for cable, cutting in an equipment rack, structural or MEP changes, and anything fixed outside the villa such as cameras, gate hardware and boundary lights. Swapping a switch inside an existing box, battery sensors, thermostat swaps and plug-in devices usually need none.
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Can I file the Dubai Municipality permit myself?
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Usually not. The municipality’s building permit system is used by registered engineering consultants, who submit and track the application for the owner. When your job needs one, we arrange it through a registered consultant.
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How long does a smart home install take in Jumeirah 1?
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Half a day for one upgrade and three to seven days for a compound villa. Most independent villas take two to four weeks, and a large villa or rebuild four to eight. Permit work, if needed, adds its own approval time first.
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Can the family live in the villa during the work?
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Yes. A retrofit moves room by room, most devices fit existing points, and there is little dust. We agree working hours with you and leave each room clean before moving to the next.
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Do older Jumeirah villas have the neutral wire smart switches need?
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Often not. In older villas the neutral usually stops at the ceiling rather than the switch box, but it varies room by room after partial renovations. We check a box first, then use no-neutral switches or ceiling modules where it is missing.
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Do you install at La Mer?
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Yes. La Mer is a Meraas development inside Jumeirah 1, with freehold homes that are far newer than most villas nearby. We check what was fitted at handover and the community’s contractor rules before we quote.
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Will the Dubai Zoo redevelopment affect my install?
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Not the approvals. Shamal is building 90 low-rise homes on the former Dubai Zoo site in Jumeirah 1, with the construction contract awarded in August 2026. Streets near the site may see more site traffic, so we plan parking and deliveries at the survey.
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Can the work be done while we are away for the summer?
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Yes. With access through a family member, driver or maid, the job is finished and we send photos of each room. When you are back we take everyone through the app.
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Is there a metro station in Jumeirah 1 for your team?
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No, the nearest stations are on Sheikh Zayed Road, a short drive away. The installation team comes by van with tools and stock, so it makes no difference to the job, but compound visitor parking rules do, and we check them first.
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Is Jumeirah 1 on district cooling?
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We have not found Jumeirah 1 on the Empower or Emicool coverage lists. Villas here run their own split or ducted AC, billed through DEWA, and we confirm your system at the survey before choosing controllers.
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Can I add smart control to the split AC units I already have?
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Yes. An infrared controller learns each unit’s remote, so nothing is rewired and the AC stays as it is. Ducted units use the manufacturer’s Wi-Fi adapter or a wired gateway, which we check unit by unit.
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Do I need marine-grade cameras and gate motors near the beach?
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Only if you are close to the sea. A villa facing Jumeirah Beach Road or near La Mer needs sealed cameras, stainless fixings and marine-grade enclosures. A few streets inland, standard outdoor-rated kit usually lasts, so we check your distance before specifying anything.
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Can my existing gate be made smart without replacing it?
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In most cases, yes. A controller added to the gate motor lets you open it from your phone and give drivers or couriers their own access. Adding a video intercom means you see who is there before the gate moves.
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How many Wi-Fi access points does a Jumeirah 1 villa need?
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A four bedroom villa of about 4,000 sq ft usually needs around three, plus one outdoors for the pool and gate. Solid villa walls stop plug-in extenders, so wired access points give the most reliable coverage.
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Can the pool and garden run on schedules?
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Yes. The pool pump, irrigation and garden lighting each follow a timetable in the same app. You get an alert if the pump stops or a zone does not water. It helps most over summer, when many families travel.
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Can drivers, maids and gardeners have their own access?
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Yes. Each person gets a gate or door code that works on their own days and hours, and you see when it was used. You keep full control, and removing someone takes a few seconds in the app.
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Which system suits an older Jumeirah 1 villa: KNX or a wireless setup?
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For a finished villa, a wireless system run through Apple Home, Google Home or Home Assistant is usually the better value. KNX or Control4 earns its cost in a rebuild or a large villa, where the walls are open and the system should last decades.
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Does voice control work in Arabic?
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Yes. Alexa and Google Assistant both understand Arabic, and we name rooms and scenes the way your family talks about them, so everyone from grandparents to staff can use it.
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What happens to the smart home if the internet goes down?
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Local control keeps working. Switches, gate buttons and schedules run from the hub inside the villa, and cameras keep recording to a local recorder. Only remote access from your phone pauses until the line is back.
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Can the smart home help during a sandstorm?
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Yes. One scene closes the curtains, starts the air purifiers and warns you if a window or door is left open. Less dust gets in while the wind blows off the desert.
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Is this page about Palm Jumeirah or the other Jumeirah communities?
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No. It covers Jumeirah 1, the original villa district on the mainland coast. Palm Jumeirah, JBR, JLT, JVC, Jumeirah Park, Jumeirah Islands, Jumeirah Golf Estates and Jumeirah Bay Island are separate places with their own rules. Jumeirah 2 and Jumeirah 3 have their own pages.
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Can I automate a Jumeirah 1 villa I rent?
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Yes. Plug-in and battery devices need no permission. For fixed items such as AC controllers, a smart lock or switches, get your landlord’s agreement in writing. Keep the original parts so they can go back when you leave.
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Is Jumeirah 1 freehold?
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Mostly not. Property guides describe Jumeirah as mainly leasehold, with ownership for UAE and GCC nationals, while La Mer is a freehold pocket inside Jumeirah 1. Confirm your own plot with the Dubai Land Department, since tenure decides how far you can change the villa.
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Who pays to maintain the AC in a rented Jumeirah 1 villa?
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Under Dubai tenancy law, maintenance sits with the landlord unless the contract says otherwise, and many contracts pass routine servicing to the tenant. Smart controllers you add yourself are yours to look after.
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Can I keep an eye on the villa while we travel?
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Yes. From your phone you see the cameras, open the gate for the gardener or pool company, check the AC and get alerts from leak and door sensors. Many Jumeirah families use this most in July and August.
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Can my cameras film Jumeirah Beach Road outside the gate?
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Keep them on your own property. A private villa’s cameras do not need SIRA approval. UAE privacy law does protect identifiable people, so point cameras at your gate, drive and walls, not the public road or a neighbour’s plot.
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Do Jumeirah 1 compounds have their own rules?
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Some do. Compounds such as Jumeirah 9 Villas or Wasl 51 may set contractor hours, parking and access rules even without a master developer. We check with the compound office before booking your install.
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Is a smart home useful for older parents living with us?
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Yes. Motion sensors show someone is up and about, voice control handles lights and AC, and a gate intercom saves a walk to the gate in the heat. We configure it so the whole household can use it without a phone.
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Which devices can I take with me if I move?
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Wireless devices move easily: locks, cameras, sensors, speakers and AC controllers. Anything wired into walls or the gate stays with the villa, so tenants usually choose wireless kit for that reason.
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What support do we get after installation?
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A handover for the family and staff, a printed guide and a named contact. Workmanship carries a one-year guarantee that can vary by product, and a support plan with set response times is available.
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Do you also cover the areas around Jumeirah 1?
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Yes. We work across Jumeirah 1 and in Jumeirah 2, Jumeirah 3, Al Wasl, Al Safa, Umm Suqeim and City Walk. We cover the rest of Dubai too.
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