Honest guide · Updated 2026
Repair or Replace? The Honest Answer
Repair — almost always, and by more than people expect. Across 133 jobs we priced in Dubai, the median repair came to AED 450 and the median new build to AED 3,000. That's roughly six times more to replace than to fix. The exceptions are real but narrower than the industry lets on — and this guide covers both.
Figures below come from 133 real jobs we've priced in Dubai — 92 repairs and 41 new builds. Not estimates.
The real numbers
What repairing costs vs replacing — same job, both ways
| The problem | Repair it | Replace it | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Door that sticks, drops or won't lockvs New door supplied & fitted | AED 550 | AED 3,100 | 5.6× |
| Cabinet or drawer that's brokenvs New cabinet built & fitted | AED 400 | AED 2,750 | 6.9× |
| Table or desk, damaged or wobblyvs New table made to size | AED 500 | AED 2,400 | 4.8× |
| Wardrobe — doors, rollers, interiorvs New fitted wardrobe | AED 800 | AED 1,800 | 2.2× |
Median prices from our own jobs. Indicative — the final figure depends on material and condition, and material costs have moved a lot recently. The ratio is the point: on a cabinet or drawer, replacing costs nearly seven times what fixing it does.
The test
One question tells you the answer
Has a part failed?
A hinge, a roller, a runner, a lock, a catch, an alignment. Parts are cheap and swappable. This is 90% of what we're called for — and it's a repair, every time.
Or has the structure failed?
The carcass split, twisted, swollen through, or pulling off the wall. That's not a part — that's the thing itself. This is when replacing genuinely makes sense.
Still unsure?
Open the door or drawer and look at the box, not the front. If the box is square and solid, you have a parts problem. Send us a photo of the inside.
Repair it
These are almost always a fix, not a replacement
- ✓A door that drags, sticks or won't latchNearly always hinges, frame or alignment. See door repair.
- ✓A sliding wardrobe door off its trackRollers or track. One of the cheapest jobs we do. See wardrobes.
- ✓Drawers that jam or dropRunners and slides. Replaceable in minutes, not a new unit. See cabinet repair.
- ✓A tired but solid kitchenIf the carcasses are sound, new doors give most of the change for a fraction of a refit. See kitchen cabinets.
- ✓Scratched, faded or dated woodRe-polishing and refinishing beats replacing solid furniture. See polishing & restoration.
- ✓An appliance that no longer fitsCut the unit down, don't buy a kitchen. Very common in Dubai.
Replace it
Four times we'll tell you to replace
A guide that only ever says "repair" would be as useless as one that only says "replace". Here are the cases where we'll genuinely tell you to start again:
1 · The board has fully swollen from water. Under-sink and bathroom units are the usual victims. Once chipboard has blown and gone soft, it doesn't recover — patching it buys you months, not years, and we won't pretend otherwise.
2 · The carcass is split or twisted. Not a panel, the frame itself. If the box has lost square, everything hung on it will keep going out of alignment no matter what we adjust.
3 · It's cheap flat-pack that's been moved before. Thin board and cam fixings don't survive repeated dismantling. Solid wood almost always does — that's the real dividing line, not age.
4 · The layout is simply wrong. If your wardrobe works perfectly and just doesn't suit how you live, that's not a repair question. You're solving a different problem, and a fitted build is the honest answer.
Dubai specifically
Why your furniture moved, and why that isn't damage
Dubai is unusually hard on timber, and it catches people out. Outside it's humid; inside the air-conditioning runs dry and cold for months. Wood absorbs moisture and releases it, so it swells and shrinks all year — every year. Doors that closed cleanly in February start dragging in August. Hinges drop. Drawers tighten. Panels move a millimetre or two, which is all it takes.
None of that is a fault with your furniture, and none of it means you bought badly. It's what timber does in this climate. It also means the honest answer here is different to what you'd get in a cooler country: in Dubai, seasonal movement is the most common reason people think something is broken — and it's a fixed-price adjustment, not a replacement.
Send a photo on WhatsApp and we'll tell you which it is. If it's a ten-minute fix, we'll say so — and if it genuinely isn't worth saving, we'll say that too. See our price guide for what each route actually costs.
Questions
Repair or replace — straight answers
Is it cheaper to repair or replace furniture in Dubai?
Repair, almost always — and by more than people expect. Across 133 jobs we priced, the median repair was AED 450 and the median new build was AED 3,000. That's roughly 6× the cost to replace rather than fix. The gap is widest on cabinets and drawers (about 7×) and doors (about 5.6×).
How do I know if something is worth repairing?
Ask one question: has the structure failed, or just a part? A door that drags, a drawer that sticks, a wardrobe door off its track, a dropped hinge — those are parts, and parts are cheap. A carcass that has swollen, split through, or is pulling away from the wall has failed structurally, and that's when replacing makes sense.
My furniture worked fine last year — why is it sticking now?
Because it's in Dubai. Heat, humidity and constant air-conditioning make timber expand and contract all year. Doors swell in summer and shrink in winter; hinges drop; drawers tighten. That's normal movement, not damage, and it's usually a small adjustment rather than a fault with the furniture.
When should I actually replace instead of repair?
Four cases where we'll tell you to replace: the board has fully swollen from water (blown chipboard doesn't recover); the carcass is split or twisted rather than a panel; the item was cheap flat-pack that won't survive being taken apart again; or the layout is simply wrong for the room, in which case you're not fixing a fault, you're solving a different problem.
Why do carpenters usually suggest replacing?
Because there's more money in it. A new wardrobe is worth several times a roller repair, and it's less fiddly. We take the small jobs on purpose — they're how customers find us, and they're why the same people call us back for the big work later.
Can water-damaged furniture be saved?
Sometimes. If the damage is limited to one panel or a base, we replace that section and keep the unit. If the board has fully swollen and gone soft, no — patching blown chipboard doesn't last and we won't pretend otherwise. Send a photo and we'll tell you which it is.
Is repairing old furniture worth it if it's cheap furniture?
Often not, and that's an honest answer. Flat-pack furniture built from thin board doesn't survive repeated dismantling. Solid wood and well-built units almost always do — and are usually better made than what you'd replace them with.
How much does a small repair cost in Dubai?
Small odd jobs — a hinge, a lock, a door adjustment, a single drawer — run on fixed pricing from around AED 150–300. See our full price guide for real ranges by job type.
Send a photo. We'll tell you honestly.
Message us on WhatsApp with a photo of the job — you'll get a clear price, usually the same day. No obligation.