Can I Open Up Walls Inside My Lakes Villa?
Can I Open Up Walls Inside My Lakes Villa? Often, yes, including the wall between living and dining or the kitchen, after a structural check. Load-bearing walls need a new beam, an Emaar NOC and a Dubai Municipality permit.
The short answer
Many owners want an open-plan living, dining and kitchen area. Some internal walls are partitions and can be removed with an Emaar NOC; others carry the floor or roof above and need a beam designed by an engineer, stamped calculations and a Dubai Municipality permit. We check which walls are load-bearing from the as-built plans and on site before anything is removed. If a column is in the way, it can sometimes be removed too, with an alternative structural design.
What we check first
- Plot and setbacks: where an extension, pergola or pool can go on your plot.
- Structure: walls, slabs, columns and foundations before any opening or new load.
- Existing floor area: measured from the as-built plans, so the extension allowance is right.
- Unapproved works: older changes are surveyed and approved before new works.
Documents you will need
- Photos of the villa and the area you want to change
- Villa and plot number in The Lakes
- Title deed and owner ID
- A sketch or short description of the idea
- Emaar as-built plans, if you have them
Who does what
The approval route in The Lakes
The Lakes is part of Emirates Living: Emaar first, then Dubai Municipality. We confirm the exact route for your villa.
| Step | Approval route | Guides |
|---|---|---|
| Design Structural Solutions | Site check, drawings and stamped structural calculations, using the as-built plans Emaar provides. | — |
| Emaar NOC Emaar Community Management | NOC through the Emaar Community Portal. Emaar reviews the design and confirms its fees. | Emaar extension fees |
| Permit Dubai Municipality | Building permit for structural works and added floor area, submitted by an approved consultant. | — |
| Inspections Emaar and Dubai Municipality | Inspections during and after the works; the order can vary. | — |
| Completion Dubai Municipality | Completion certificate that closes the permit; Emaar then closes its file. | — |
How it works
How it works in The Lakes
Tell us the idea
Villa number, photos and what you want to change.
We check and design
Emaar as-built plans, a site check, drawings and stamped calculations where needed.
We get it approved
Emaar NOC, then the Dubai Municipality permit where the works are structural.
Guides for works in The Lakes
- Villa modification guide
- Villa extension NOC
- Can I extend my villa?
- How much bigger can my villa be?
- Open up walls (living, dining, kitchen)
- Close my balcony
- Pergola or car shade
- Swimming pool
- Garage conversion
- Maid room
- Add a bedroom
- Villa lift
- Solar panels
- Structural calculations
- Case: column removed, then rebuilt
- Selling with unapproved changes
What each work needs in The Lakes
- Extension: Emaar NOC, Dubai Municipality permit and stamped calculations
- Wall removal: structural check, Emaar NOC and Dubai Municipality permit
- Balcony closure: Emaar NOC and Dubai Municipality permit; it adds floor area
- Pergola or car shade: Emaar NOC, stamped calculations and a steel contractor stamp for steel
- Pool: Emaar NOC, Dubai Municipality permit and the DM environmental NOC
- External colour or façade: Emaar NOC
- Internal finishes only: usually no permit; check with Emaar first
Questions
Questions owners ask in The Lakes
Can I remove the wall between living and dining?
Often, yes. If it is load-bearing, a new beam carries the load, designed with stamped calculations.
How do I know if a wall is load-bearing?
From the as-built plans and a site check by an engineer. Don’t rely on knocking on the wall or guessing.
Can I open the kitchen to the living area?
Often, yes, with the same check and approvals.
What size beam do I need?
It depends on the span and the loads. An engineer calculates it; there is no standard size.
Can I remove a column too?
Sometimes, with an alternative structural design that carries the loads, plus the approvals. We study the structure first.
What approvals are needed?
An Emaar NOC, and a Dubai Municipality permit where structural walls change.
Last checked: October 2026. Official sources: Emaar · Dubai Municipality · DEWA
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