Apartment Finishing in the New Capital: Handover, Utilities, Levels and Costs

Apartment finishing in the New Administrative Capital usually means taking a unit handed over core and shell or semi-finished in one of the residential districts and turning it into a home you can live in, rent out or resell. NoVi Designs and Finishing is a design and build company, so one team surveys your apartment, designs it, prices it in a BOQ before any work starts, executes it and hands it over. This page covers apartments, duplexes and penthouses in the Capital: handover conditions, utilities, compound rules, finishing levels, 2026 market cost ranges and the logistics of working east of Cairo.

Book a site survey and we start by documenting what is actually in your unit, then agree the scope with you.

At a glance

• Who it is for: owners of apartments, garden apartments, duplexes and penthouses in the Capital's residential districts and compounds. For a villa, twin house or town house, see villa finishing in the New Capital. For an administrative office in a Capital tower, see office fit-out in the New Capital. For a clinic unit in a Capital medical tower, see clinic fit-out in the New Capital.
• Starting point: mostly core and shell or semi-finished, with some developer-finished and resale units.
• Before design: check the electricity meter, water and gas status, and get your compound's fit-out rules.
• Finishing levels: lux, super lux and ultra super lux have no official definition in Egypt. The written BOQ is what counts.
• Cost: published 2026 market ranges vary widely by source. Your price comes from a BOQ after the survey, not from a per-metre rate.
• Living abroad: design approval, BOQ and progress follow-up can all be done remotely.

Which apartments we finish in the Capital

Most of the Capital's housing is new, so the typical brief is a first finish rather than a renovation. The unit type changes the work more than the district does:

• Typical apartments: two and three bedroom units in mid-rise compound buildings. The first decisions are the furniture plan, kitchen position, AC system and lighting, before any cable or pipe goes in.
• Garden apartments: ground floor units with a private garden. Drainage, waterproofing against the garden and a sliding door that seals well against dust need attention from day one.
• Duplexes: two levels joined by an internal stair. The stair finish, the AC split between floors and the position of bathrooms over living spaces shape the design.
• Penthouses and roof units: top floor units with a roof terrace. Roof insulation and waterproofing are checked or added before any terrace floor, pergola or ceiling goes in, within what the developer allows.
• Developer-finished and resale units: apartments already tiled and painted. The work is then an upgrade, often the kitchen, wardrobes, ceilings, lighting and AC.

Where apartments are being handed over in the Capital

The Capital's housing is organised in residential districts known as R1 to R8, and handover has moved district by district. Our survey team covers handed-over units across the Capital, wherever the developer or the city authority allows owner fit-out. For context:

• R3: the government-built residential district, where units have been handed over to state employees relocating to the Capital, as reported by the Ministry of Housing.
• R5, R7 and R8: districts with many private developer compounds, several of them now handing over apartments. R8 sits near the Government District and the Green River.

We also cover New Cairo, including compounds such as Mivida and Mountain View, on the road east. Naming these areas tells you where our survey team goes, not where we have completed projects. Our portfolio shows the residential finish level you can expect.

Core and shell, semi-finished or developer-finished

Listings in the Capital show a mix of handover conditions, and the same compound can differ by phase. What is on site matters more than the words in your contract.

• Core and shell: structure, external walls and usually window openings. Partitions, plaster, screed, MEP and all finishes are still to come. This gives the most freedom to redesign.
• Semi-finished: typically external facade done, with plaster, some screed and basic electrical and plumbing conduits inside. These points rarely match a new kitchen and AC plan, so expect some re-routing.
• Developer-finished: floors, paint, sanitary ware and sometimes a kitchen and AC already installed. Check what is included before you plan to replace it.

During the survey we produce an as-built layout and note what can be reused, so you do not pay to remove work that could stay.

Utilities and meters: check before you plan

In a new city, utilities can lag behind the keys. The permanent electricity meter, water and natural gas may be connected at different times depending on the district and developer. Before execution starts, ask your developer or the handover team:

• Electricity: is the permanent meter installed, and what load is allocated to the apartment? Several AC units, an electric hob and an oven need the right capacity and a correctly sized board.
• Water: is the unit connected, and is pressure adequate on your floor? This decides the water heater type and whether a booster pump is worth planning.
• Natural gas: the gas network in the Capital has been extended in phases, and the owner usually applies and pays for the unit connection through the gas company. Ask your developer about the current status and procedure. If gas is not yet available, plan the kitchen and water heater so they can switch later.
• Temporary power: agree how the site will be powered during works and who pays for it.

We record the utility status at the survey and plan testing around it, so the programme does not stall at the end.

Compound and developer fit-out rules

In many Capital compounds the developer still manages the site, so the fit-out permit often comes from the developer's handover or after-sales team. Rules differ and can change, so always ask for the current version. Typically you can expect:

• Drawings submitted and approved before work starts, especially for changes to walls, wet areas or the facade.
• Contractor registration and a list of workers, with gate passes issued in advance.
• A refundable fit-out deposit held against damage to common areas.
• Set working hours and delivery windows, with debris bagged and removed to an approved point.
• Approved positions for AC outdoor units, and limits on balcony enclosures, window changes and roof structures.

We review the rules with you at the survey and prepare the drawings management asks for, so the permit does not hold up the start date.

Finishing levels: lux, super lux, ultra super lux

Listings in the Capital use these labels freely, but they have no official standard, and the same label can mean very different materials from one contractor to the next. As a rough guide:

• Lux: local ceramic or porcelain, plain paint, simple gypsum, basic electrical points, split AC preparation and standard sanitary ware.
• Super lux: larger-format porcelain, gypsum board ceilings in reception and corridors, extra lighting points, better doors and higher-tier sanitary ware.
• Ultra super lux: marble or imported porcelain, wood flooring in bedrooms, full ceiling and lighting design, concealed or ducted AC, concealed fittings and custom joinery.

Two super lux offers with different BOQs are two different apartments, so ask for the brand or specification of each item in writing.

What finishing costs in 2026: market ranges, not a quote

NoVi does not publish prices. To give you a sense of the market, here is what two public sources said in October 2026. These are third-party figures, not NoVi prices, so treat them as directional only.

• The myhomeegypt.net finishing cost calculator, with prices updated on 15 October 2026, gives about EGP 2,250 to 3,400 per m² for lux, EGP 3,550 to 5,350 for super lux and EGP 5,700 to 8,950 for ultra, covering materials, labour and project management. Its figures exclude the kitchen, AC, lighting fixtures and furniture.
• A price guide by the finishing company Kaya (kaya-eg.com), dated 9 October 2026, lists super lux at about EGP 6,200 to 9,000 per m² and hyper lux at EGP 9,500 to 14,000 per m².

Sources define the levels differently and include different items, and material prices in Egypt move with the exchange rate. Your actual cost comes from a BOQ built on your apartment's survey, area and chosen materials.

What moves your BOQ up or down

• Handover condition: core and shell needs more work, while semi-finished may need demolition and re-routing.
• Unit type: a duplex stair or a penthouse roof terrace adds scope that a typical apartment does not have.
• Bathrooms and kitchen: wet areas cost more per square metre than bedrooms. See our kitchen design and build service.
• AC system: split, concealed or ducted units need different ceilings and preparation.
• Smart home: wiring is cheapest before plaster. See home automation.
• Logistics: distance from Cairo, compound delivery windows and working hours affect the programme.

Getting there: distance, monorail and site logistics

The Capital is commonly cited as about 45 km east of Cairo, so a finishing site there needs planning that a job in town does not.

• Materials: ordered against the approved BOQ and delivered in planned batches that match the compound's delivery windows, rather than daily runs.
• Supervision: site visits are scheduled around key stages such as MEP rough-in, ceilings and joinery installation.
• Public transport: the East Nile Monorail completed its full line in June 2026, linking Nasr City and New Cairo with the Capital, and the electric LRT from Adly Mansour has served the Capital since July 2022. Both make owner visits easier, though materials still travel by road.

Designing for dust, sun and heat

The Capital sits in open desert, and building work continues in many districts. For an apartment this means:

• Well-sealed aluminium or uPVC windows and balcony doors to keep dust out and reduce AC load.
• Shading or better glazing on west and south facing rooms, and AC sized room by room.
• Matt or textured floors that hide dust, and washable paint in kitchens, corridors and children's rooms.
• Delicate items such as wood floors, joinery and furniture installed last and protected until handover.

Finishing to live in, rent out or resell

Many Capital apartments are bought as an investment before the family moves in, so set the purpose first.

• Live in: spend on layout, kitchen, storage and lighting designed around your routine. An open kitchen suits many Capital floor plans.
• Rent out: durable floors and paint, solid bathrooms and split AC that tenants can service.
• Resell: neutral finishes and a kitchen and bathrooms that photograph well.

Finishing your Capital apartment from abroad

You approve the design on 3D views and material boards, approve the price on the BOQ, and follow execution through regular progress updates with photos. Plan visits around the MEP check and the final snag walk. Read more in finishing your home in Egypt while you live abroad.

How NoVi runs an apartment project

• Site survey: we measure the unit, record the handover condition and utility status, and review the compound rules.
• Design: layout, style direction, 3D views, materials and shop drawings. See interior design and finishing across Egypt.
• BOQ before work starts: every item priced and specified, so you know what you pay for and where you can adjust.
• Execution: MEP first, then plaster, ceilings, floors, joinery and paint, by the same team that designed it.
• Handover: snag list, final fixes and handover of your finished apartment.

See our full residential design and build services.

See our work and related pages

Browse modern residential design and neo-classic residential design.

Case studies in and near the Capital you can open:

• Capital Hills: a residential compound of 240 units in the New Administrative Capital, where NoVi carries out finishing, landscape and infrastructure works. Under construction.
• La Vista villa, New Capital: neo-classic modern interior design for the living room, formal reception, dining and entrance, shown in 3D renders and 360° tours.
• Katameya Creek Town Residence: a 200 m² home in New Cairo, designed and fitted out by NoVi.

• Villa finishing in the New Capital
• Apartment finishing in New Cairo
• Villa finishing in New Cairo
• Apartment finishing in Sheikh Zayed

Book a site survey for your Capital apartment

Book a site survey and we will visit your apartment, measure it and review its condition. Your BOQ follows, based on what is actually on site.

• Call or WhatsApp: +20 106 778 8687
• Landlines: +20 2 2749 8958 and +20 2 2749 8978
• Office: Bavaria Town Towers, Kattameya Road, Tower 3, 9th Floor, Unit 91, Cairo
• Hours: Sunday to Thursday, 10:00 to 18:00 Cairo time

Our survey team covers the New Administrative Capital and New Cairo. Booking a few days ahead helps us schedule the drive east.

Want the design fixed before any work starts? Our interior design service in Cairo takes you from layout and 3D visuals to a priced bill of quantities, then the same team builds it.