What concrete cutting actually is
Concrete cutting is the controlled removal of hardened concrete using diamond-impregnated blades, wires or saws — the right method depends on geometry, depth, and what's inside the concrete.
For Dubai's high-rises, podium slabs and post-tension floors, blind percussion breaking is rarely the right answer. We start every job with a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) scan to map rebar density, post-tension cables, conduits and embedded services up to 300mm deep. The cutting plan follows the scan, not the other way around.
Liberty crews are DM-licensed for G+1 cutting work, with method statements signed off by a chartered structural engineer for every project above ground floor.
Cutting methods we deploy
Diamond flat saw (slab cutting)
Track-mounted or walk-behind for floors and roadways. Cuts up to 600mm depth in a single pass. Standard for trench cutting, expansion joints, slab removal.
Wall saw (track-mounted)
Wall-mounted on a track, hydraulic-driven. Cuts up to 740mm depth, perfectly straight, ideal for door and window openings, lift shafts, stair penetrations.
Wire saw (diamond wire)
For massive sections — bridge piers, thick foundations, where blade saws can't reach. Diamond wire wraps the cut and is driven by a hydraulic pulley. Slow but unstoppable.
Hand saw & ring saw
Tight spaces, finishing cuts, plunge cuts, internal corners. Critical for retrofit work where larger machines won't fit.
Hydraulic crusher / shears
Where cutting precision is overkill but uncontrolled hammering is unacceptable. Used on remote villa demolitions and structural pier removal.
Technical specs
Parameter Range Notes
Slab thickness 50–600 mm Single-pass diamond saw
Wall depth ≤ 740 mm Track-mounted wall saw
Cut tolerance ± 0.5 mm Verified by laser line
Vibration < 5 mm/s BS 7385 compliant
Dust suppression Wet / HEPA H13 Indoor-rated
Power source Hydraulic / Electric 415V Petrol on stand-alone sites
When you need concrete cutting
- Doorway, window or opening additions in existing reinforced walls
- Lift shaft and stair penetrations in podium slabs
- HVAC, plumbing or service routing through structural floors
- Slab removal and replacement for re-levelling or post-tension repair
- Joint cutting in industrial floors and roadway repair
- Specimen extraction for structural testing (cube and core sampling)
If your project doesn't fit cleanly into one of these — call. Most retrofit work is a custom blend.
How a typical job runs
- Day 0 — Free site visit. Engineer attends, scopes work, takes drawings.
- Day 1–2 — GPR scan & quote. We scan the cutting plane, mark embedded services, and issue an itemised quote.
- Day 3–10 — Permits. If your scope needs DM, DEWA or community approval, we file on your behalf.
- Cutting day — Mobilise. Crew arrives with hoarding, dust suppression, water, power, waste containers.
- Same day — Execute. Most cuts complete within 4–8 hours. Larger slab work can run multiple shifts.
- Handover. Cuts photographed, edges treated if requested, waste removed, recycling certificate issued.
What it costs
Concrete cutting in Dubai typically prices on linear-metre or square-metre basis, with site-specific factors driving the final number:
Service Indicative rate (AED)
Slab cutting (≤ 200mm) 50 – 150 / lm
Slab cutting (200–400mm) 150 – 280 / lm
Wall sawing (≤ 300mm) 200 – 450 / lm
Doorway opening (2×1m) 1,500 – 3,000 each
GPR scan 600 – 1,500 / visit
Mobilisation (Dubai) 500 – 1,500 (one-off)
Heavy rebar density (≥ 16mm @ 100mm c/c) can add 30–60% to baseline rates. Post-tension cables require additional surveying time and modified blade selection. Always price after GPR scan, never before.
Safety, dust and vibration
Concrete cutting in occupied environments demands more than just PPE. Liberty's standard package includes:
- Wet cutting with closed-loop water capture (no wastewater into drains)
- HEPA-filtered vacuum extraction for indoor work where wet methods aren't viable
- Vibration monitoring with logged readings — typically < 5 mm/s ppv
- Dust hoarding & negative-air containment for retrofit floors above occupied space
- Daily toolbox talks and HSE inspections, OSHAD-compliant
- Insurance — public liability AED 5M, professional indemnity AED 2M