The Balancing Act Between Value Engineering and Quality Assurance

By Roy Mulcahy, Commercial Director, INC UAE

In the world of interior design and fit-out, every project presents a delicate balance: delivering value without compromising quality. At INC Group, this balancing act between value engineering (VE) and quality assurance (QA) is central to how we operate across the Middle East’s fast-paced, high-spec construction landscape.

Value Engineering: Smart, Not Cheap

Value engineering is often misunderstood as “cost-cutting,” but for us, it’s about intelligent optimisation, rethinking materials, methods, and specifications to reduce unnecessary costs while maintaining the core design intent and performance.

Clients expect more than just aesthetic finishes, they demand functionality, durability, and long-term return on investment. That’s why our VE process is not about stripping down scope but about adding value through smarter alternatives, local sourcing, and leaner execution strategies.

Quality Assurance: Non-Negotiable

While VE focuses on cost-efficiency, QA ensures that every delivered element meets or exceeds project standards. At INC Group, quality is embedded from day one, starting with material selection, subcontractor vetting, mock-up reviews, and on-site supervision.

We operate in a market where the project stakeholders hold increasingly high expectations, particularly in premium office & hospitality spaces. Our QA protocols are therefore not just internal checks, they’re part of a wider commitment to reliability, brand integrity, and lifecycle performance.

Striking the Balance: Collaboration is Key

In many UAE  and Saudi projects, timelines are aggressive, design revisions are frequent, and budget constraints are real. Balancing VE and QA in such environments requires close collaboration with stakeholders, consultants, project managers, and end users alike.

We don’t view VE as a post-tender firefight but as a strategic dialogue that begins early. The earlier we are engaged, the more aligned we can be in maintaining design vision while building in constructability and cost-efficiency, without letting quality slip.

Lessons from the Ground

At INC Group, we’ve successfully delivered projects where the original budget constraints demanded creative VE solutions. But in every case, we held firm on one principle: quality is not optional. When value engineering is done in isolation, without input from quality and technical teams, the risk of rework, defects, and reputational damage increases significantly.

Case in Point: One Offices, One Za’abeel 

A longstanding client of INC, One Za’abeel, approached us to deliver the fast-track fit-out of the business centre in their iconic development. Across two floors, the project included a feature staircase, which required slab-cutting, tensioning and strengthening before the structure could be fabricated on site.

Our involvement began at the Schematic Design stage, briefed to partner with the Lead Design Consultant, to maintain the Hospitality level look, feel and quality, whilst undertaking a significant value engineering exercise to align with the client budget and timeline expectations. 

Through numerous workshops and close collaboration, a 20% cost saving was achieved, whilst the construction timeline was reduced by 50%. 

With quality uncompromised, the INC teams effort was recognised achieving “Office Fit-Out Project of the Year” at the 2025 Workspace Awards

Final Thoughts

The fit-out industry in the UAE is evolving rapidly, with clients expecting more transparency, accountability, and value. The balancing act between VE and QA is no longer an internal concern, it’s a visible part of how contractors are measured.

At INC Group, we embrace this balance as a core part of our delivery model, ensuring that every dirham saved is not at the cost of quality, but because of it.

INC Group: Interior Design and Fit-Out Specialists, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Africa

Enquiries: Info@inc-solutions.com