# Average DEWA 5 bed/pool



## Tricktrack (Dec 15, 2011)

Dear fonts of all knowledge....
If I work on an average dewa of 5k aed/month over the year, for a 5 bed with pool if not very much grass, average sq footage, am I way off the mark or under estimating please? Or does it depend on area please?
Thanks!


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## Gavtek (Aug 23, 2009)

Depends on the area. The older villas in Jumeira/Umm Suqeim will be less efficient than newer ones in Arabian Ranches or the Meadows, for example.

My last place was a 5 bed with pool in Jumeira 2 with little grass (also had an external bore hole pump for watering garden which should, in theory, reduce the DEWA). My monthly bills started off around 4000 Dhs/month for 3/4 months then steadily increased to around 8000 Dhs/month for the last couple of months. One month (August) it was 10.5k even though I was away for 2 whole weeks.

So to summarise, no matter how accurate your budget is, you can't prepare for DEWA charging you whatever they like, when they like. If you don't like, you'll be told to pay up or they'll cut you off.


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## Tricktrack (Dec 15, 2011)

Gavtek said:


> Depends on the area. The older villas in Jumeira/Umm Suqeim will be less efficient than newer ones in Arabian Ranches or the Meadows, for example.
> 
> My last place was a 5 bed with pool in Jumeira 2 with little grass (also had an external bore hole pump for watering garden which should, in theory, reduce the DEWA). My monthly bills started off around 4000 Dhs/month for 3/4 months then steadily increased to around 8000 Dhs/month for the last couple of months. One month (August) it was 10.5k even though I was away for 2 whole weeks.
> 
> So to summarise, no matter how accurate your budget is, you can't prepare for DEWA charging you whatever they like, when they like. If you don't like, you'll be told to pay up or they'll cut you off.


Wow! Whoops! Thanks for that! I guess thats one more of Dubai's little quirks I will have to get used to! Glad I asked as I hoped I was budgeting on the side I caution with that guesstimate! Will get the calculator out again and the piece of string...! Thank you x


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## miami_hurricanes (Sep 23, 2010)

I had a villa on the palm - high was 5800, low was 2100. When we moved to the Ranches, high was 11k and low was 5900, average was close to 9. On the latter we had a sizeable garden area and sprinkler system which didn't help. I moved out of this villa due to the exorbitant DEWA bills and two months in the new villa have totaled 1k (4 bed, no pool, small garden). Aircon/electric wasn't the issue in any of the villas, it was water consumption charges. We haven't been charged a housing fee yet but that will add to the bill when implemented. Good luck.


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## Tricktrack (Dec 15, 2011)

miami_hurricanes said:


> I had a villa on the palm - high was 5800, low was 2100. When we moved to the Ranches, high was 11k and low was 5900, average was close to 9. On the latter we had a sizeable garden area and sprinkler system which didn't help. I moved out of this villa due to the exorbitant DEWA bills and two months in the new villa have totaled 1k (4 bed, no pool, small garden). Aircon/electric wasn't the issue in any of the villas, it was water consumption charges. We haven't been charged a housing fee yet but that will add to the bill when implemented. Good luck.


Thanks very much for that, you've just confirmed my thoughts 'slabs are good - stay off the grass!!!!' So glad I asked this question, thanks for taking the time to reply, this really helps x


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## yoplu (Apr 24, 2012)

would be a better way of figuring it out if you look at how many units of water you would be using and how many units of electricity. 
then you can just obtain the price per unit and the red, yellow, green thresholds from dewa to get a more accurate idea of price


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## Tricktrack (Dec 15, 2011)

yoplu said:


> would be a better way of figuring it out if you look at how many units of water you would be using and how many units of electricity.
> then you can just obtain the price per unit and the red, yellow, green thresholds from dewa to get a more accurate idea of price


thanks but i haven't moved to dubai yet so no idea of anything but just trying to get a rough idea to help with my budgeting!


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## yoplu (Apr 24, 2012)

ah i see.

well if you want any official info the dewa website is
dewa.gov.ae


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## Gavtek (Aug 23, 2009)

To be honest, I'm not sure how one would go about measuring how many units of water/electricity they intend to use anyway. Not really the most practical suggestion, especially as DEWA change their rates all the time.


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## urgrund (Jun 13, 2012)

Gavtek said:


> you can't prepare for DEWA charging you whatever they like, when they like. If you don't like, you'll be told to pay up or they'll cut you off.


Is this for real? What do you mean by charging whatever they like, when they like?

I'm hearing numbers float aound like 1500dhs/month for dewa? That seems unbelievably expensive for elec/water... at least compared to other countries I've lived in.


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## vantage (May 10, 2012)

from what i researched, their electricity unit prices are very cheap compared to the UK, but in the UK you don't have AC running 24/7 for months, so you use far more.

I am still in the honeymoon period prior to my first DEWA bill, though.
Am trying to be 'cautious' and will see what happens! (old 3 bed, small garden with smal lawn, Jum 2)

EeK!


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## XDoodlebugger (Jan 24, 2012)

Wow, someone slap me if I think about getting a villa!


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## m1key (Jun 29, 2011)

Err. This isn't most other countries. It is the desert and one of the hottest places on the planet...water is not likely going to be as cheap as say the UK!

High water bills might point to a leak somewhere. Bear in mind the crap build quality here. I have a small/medium garden that is grass with an irrigation system on for 15 mins a day. Water part of my DEWA bill is tiny...


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## m1key (Jun 29, 2011)

vantage said:


> from what i researched, their electricity unit prices are very cheap compared to the UK, but in the UK you don't have AC running 24/7 for months, so you use far more.
> 
> I am still in the honeymoon period prior to my first DEWA bill, though.
> Am trying to be 'cautious' and will see what happens! (old 3 bed, small garden with smal lawn, Jum 2)
> ...


Meant to get back to you on the fake grass. My friend can't remember how much he paid - sorry. I did see a selection of the stuff in Dragon Mart at the weekend. I didn't think to ask how much (though it would change depending on how much they think they can get out of you), but going off the garden furniture prices it should be pretty reasonable (compared to same products in ACE). Irrigation stuff wasn't plentiful in ACE as I mentioned previously. I did see a reasonable selection of sprayers/drippers in Dubai Garden Centre on SZR. I even managed to get the 2m 180 degree sprayers I'd been after


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## vantage (May 10, 2012)

m1key said:


> Meant to get back to you on the fake grass. My friend can't remember how much he paid - sorry. I did see a selection of the stuff in Dragon Mart at the weekend. I didn't think to ask how much (though it would change depending on how much they think they can get out of you), but going off the garden furniture prices it should be pretty reasonable (compared to same products in ACE). Irrigation stuff wasn't plentiful in ACE as I mentioned previously. I did see a reasonable selection of sprayers/drippers in Dubai Garden Centre on SZR. I even managed to get the 2m 180 degree sprayers I'd been after


thanks.
There's a 'well' in the garden, that was apparently working for the previous occupant. Someone is going to install a pump, test it for 4 days, and if it isn't running, then only a nominal labour charge. Pay for the pump if it works.
I priced up a properly installed fake lawn. It was going to be around 7,000, depending on how much work required to the substrate. Just putting it on flat sand doesn't work, particularly if there are kids and dogs tearing about on it.

A plug grass lawn seems like a solution - it's only about 30 sqm, with the rest of the place paved, and gives a bit of reality to the place for the kids and dog. A neighbour has told me the water really isn't the issue with the DEWA bill. I think a lot of it comes down to the watering. YOu can do a 15 minute sprinkle yourself, or get some shonky gardener to leave a hose on for an hour while he does his rounds, miss half the place, water the road etc.

I did overhear a heated argument with a villa owner on Al Manara when i was looking at a place, where there was water flowing liberally down the road. The gardneer claimed that there was not a problem because 'sir, the sun will dry it all out, it is OK' Not sure he got the point!
I think i'd be happier doing my own watering.

As for the electric? living in a concrete bunker with leaky glazing? we'll see! I certainly don't have any aspirations of living at 20 degrees or anything. 26/28 is fine by me, if it keeps the bills down


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)




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## m1key (Jun 29, 2011)

vantage said:


> thanks.
> There's a 'well' in the garden, that was apparently working for the previous occupant. Someone is going to install a pump, test it for 4 days, and if it isn't running, then only a nominal labour charge. Pay for the pump if it works.
> I priced up a properly installed fake lawn. It was going to be around 7,000, depending on how much work required to the substrate. Just putting it on flat sand doesn't work, particularly if there are kids and dogs tearing about on it.
> 
> ...


I think you're right about the watering. I was expecting my water bills to be far worse. I can only assume it is down to the sprayers and drippers. Next door has a gardener that turns the sprinkler on in the middle of the day for ages. They have a bigger garden, so hate to think what it costs them.

The electricity element is higher than I'd like, but not bad considering we have it all day as there is always someone at home (plus cats). We only have it set to 27/28 degrees.


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## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

This is hardly helpful but the average monthly dewa for my 1,500 sqft apartment for the last few months have averaged around 650 AED/month inclusive of the housing fee. 

If you're really worried about the expenses of dewa, get an apartment. 

Villas can be a hit or miss. Two families side by side with similar usage can have wildly different dewa bills. In general, word of mouth is that older Dubai areas like Jumeira and Umm Suqeim have much lower bills than the newer communities like the Ranches or Meadows.


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## BedouGirl (Sep 15, 2011)

vantage said:


> thanks.
> There's a 'well' in the garden, that was apparently working for the previous occupant. Someone is going to install a pump, test it for 4 days, and if it isn't running, then only a nominal labour charge. Pay for the pump if it works.
> I priced up a properly installed fake lawn. It was going to be around 7,000, depending on how much work required to the substrate. Just putting it on flat sand doesn't work, particularly if there are kids and dogs tearing about on it.
> 
> ...


Vantage, persevere with the borehole. If it isn't working, it might just need cleaning out. Even if they need to dig another one, it's still cheaper in the long run.


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## vantage (May 10, 2012)

OK, thanks. will do.


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