Construction, property and real estate work
Kenya's building and property sector is huge: homes, rentals, schools, roads. Skilled trades and property services increasingly find clients through WhatsApp, Facebook, TikTok and Google. These methods combine practical or professional skills with online marketing.
What these methods share
- Qualifications and registration: architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, valuers and estate agents are registered professionals; contractors register with the National Construction Authority (NCA). Trades benefit from certification.
- Contracts and deposits: written agreements protect both sides.
- Online portfolio: before/after photos and videos on social media and Google Business.
- Scams: land fraud and fake property listings are common; always verify.
347. Building contractor (registered)
What it is: Constructing houses and buildings for clients. How it works: Tender or quotation → contract → construction → handover.
| Skills | Construction management, budgeting, supervision |
| Cost & equipment | NCA registration, tools, team |
| Where to find work | Homeowners, diaspora clients, developers, referrals, social media |
| Payment | Milestone payments |
| Realistic earnings | Medium to high |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Register with the NCA in the right category; start with smaller projects. Pros: Large contracts. Cons & risks: Cost overruns; disputes. Scam warning: Diaspora clients are often defrauded by contractors; transparent reporting (photos, receipts) builds your reputation. Kenya notes: County building approvals are required before construction.
348. Masonry, plastering and tiling
What it is: Skilled trade work on buildings. How it works: Day rates or job contracts.
| Skills | Trade skills (formal training helps) |
| Cost & equipment | Tools |
| Where to find work | Contractors, homeowners, social media |
| Payment | Per job or day |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium |
| Time to first income | Days |
How to start: Train at a TVET institution; post your work online. Pros: Constant demand. Cons & risks: Physical work. Scam warning: Clients who don't pay final balances; agree in writing. Kenya notes: Tiling and finishing work showcases well on TikTok.
349. Electrical installation (licensed electrician)
What it is: Wiring buildings and installing electrical systems. How it works: Licensed work, inspections, certification.
| Skills | Electrical training, licensing |
| Cost & equipment | Tools, testers |
| Where to find work | Contractors, homeowners, businesses |
| Payment | Per job |
| Realistic earnings | Low–medium to medium |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Get properly licensed by the energy regulator. Pros: Essential work. Cons & risks: Safety; liability. Scam warning: Never do illegal connections. Kenya notes: Electrical contractors and workers are licensed by EPRA.
350. Plumbing and water systems
What it is: Installing and repairing plumbing, water tanks, pumps and drainage. How it works: Jobs from homeowners and contractors.
| Skills | Plumbing training |
| Cost & equipment | Tools |
| Where to find work | Homes, estates, contractors |
| Payment | Per job |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium |
| Time to first income | Days |
How to start: Train; list on Google Business and social media. Pros: High demand. Cons & risks: Emergencies at odd hours. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: Borehole pumps and water storage installation are popular.
351. Painting and interior finishing
What it is: Painting walls, decorative finishes, gypsum ceilings. How it works: Quotes → work → handover.
| Skills | Painting techniques |
| Cost & equipment | Tools |
| Where to find work | Homeowners, offices, contractors |
| Payment | Per job |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium |
| Time to first income | Days |
How to start: Post before/after photos. Pros: Visible results. Cons & risks: Material estimation. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: Gypsum ceilings and décor finishes are in demand.
352. Welding and metal fabrication
What it is: Making gates, windows, grills, furniture and structures. How it works: Workshop production and installation.
| Skills | Welding |
| Cost & equipment | Welding machine, workshop |
| Where to find work | Homeowners, contractors, schools |
| Payment | Per project |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium |
| Time to first income | Days |
How to start: Showcase designs online. Pros: High demand. Cons & risks: Safety. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: Gate designs sell well through social media catalogues.
353. Interior design
What it is: Designing interior spaces for homes, offices, hotels. How it works: Consultation → concept → 3D visuals → implementation.
| Skills | Design training, software |
| Cost & equipment | Laptop, design software |
| Where to find work | Homeowners, developers, businesses |
| Payment | Design fees + project management |
| Realistic earnings | Medium to high |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Build a portfolio; partner with contractors. Pros: Creative. Cons & risks: Client budgets. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: Airbnb owners invest in interior design.
354. Architectural drafting and plan drawing services
What it is: Drafting building plans with CAD software under registered professionals. How it works: Drafting for architects or approved plans.
| Skills | CAD (AutoCAD, Revit, ArchiCAD) |
| Cost & equipment | Laptop, software |
| Where to find work | Architects, engineers, developers |
| Payment | Per drawing |
| Realistic earnings | Low–medium to medium |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Learn CAD; work under registered architects. Pros: Steady demand. Cons & risks: Submissions need registered professionals. Scam warning: Never stamp plans without being registered. Kenya notes: Building plans for approval require registered architects/engineers; tools like BuildPro show digital workflows.
355. Quantity surveying and BQ preparation support
What it is: Preparing bills of quantities and cost estimates. How it works: Measure from drawings → price → BQ documents.
| Skills | Quantity surveying training |
| Cost & equipment | Laptop, software |
| Where to find work | Contractors, developers |
| Payment | Per project |
| Realistic earnings | Medium |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Work under registered QS firms. Pros: Essential service. Cons & risks: Accuracy demands. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: Diaspora clients need accurate cost estimates.
356. Land surveying (licensed)
What it is: Surveying land boundaries and subdivisions. How it works: Licensed surveyors only.
| Skills | Surveying qualifications |
| Cost & equipment | Survey equipment |
| Where to find work | Landowners, developers |
| Payment | Per job |
| Realistic earnings | Medium |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Qualify and register. Pros: Constant demand. Cons & risks: Legal responsibilities. Scam warning: Fake surveyors in land scams. Kenya notes: Licensed surveyors are regulated professionally.
357. Real estate agent (registered)
What it is: Marketing and selling or letting property for commission. How it works: Listings → marketing → viewings → deals.
| Skills | Sales, market knowledge, negotiation |
| Cost & equipment | Phone, registration |
| Where to find work | Landlords, developers, buyers |
| Payment | Commission |
| Realistic earnings | Low to high |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Register with the Estate Agents Registration Board; join an agency. Pros: Big commissions. Cons & risks: Irregular income. Scam warning: Never market land or property without verifying ownership documents. Kenya notes: Land fraud is common; always conduct official searches.
358. Property management
What it is: Managing rental properties: tenants, rent collection, maintenance. How it works: Management agreements; monthly fees.
| Skills | Organisation, tenant relations |
| Cost & equipment | Phone, software or spreadsheets |
| Where to find work | Landlords, diaspora owners |
| Payment | Percentage of rent |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Manage one building well; use transparent records (property management systems). Pros: Recurring income. Cons & risks: Tenant disputes. Scam warning: Keep rent in proper client accounts. Kenya notes: Follow tenancy laws and proper procedures for evictions.
359. House hunting and relocation agent
What it is: Helping tenants find suitable houses for a fee. How it works: Requirements → viewings → negotiation.
| Skills | Local knowledge |
| Cost & equipment | Phone, transport |
| Where to find work | Tenants, expats, students |
| Payment | Fee |
| Realistic earnings | Low |
| Time to first income | Days |
How to start: Be transparent about fees. Pros: Quick deals. Cons & risks: Reputation issues in this sector. Scam warning: Never charge "viewing fees" for houses that don't exist. Kenya notes: Honest agents stand out in a sector with many complaints.
360. Property photography and listing services
What it is: Photographing properties and creating listings (see method 121). How it works: Shoot → edit → list.
| Skills | Photography, copywriting |
| Cost & equipment | Camera, wide lens |
| Where to find work | Agents, developers, Airbnb hosts |
| Payment | Per property |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Shoot a few properties as samples. Pros: Repeat clients. Cons & risks: Travel. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: Listings with good photos rent faster.
361. Landscaping and gardening services
What it is: Designing and maintaining gardens and compounds. How it works: Design → installation → maintenance contracts.
| Skills | Horticulture, design |
| Cost & equipment | Tools |
| Where to find work | Homes, estates, institutions |
| Payment | Per project or monthly |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium |
| Time to first income | Days |
How to start: Showcase transformations online. Pros: Recurring maintenance. Cons & risks: Weather. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: Estates and schools contract maintenance.
362. Cleaning and fumigation services for buildings
What it is: Commercial cleaning, pest control and fumigation. How it works: Contracts with businesses and estates.
| Skills | Cleaning, safe pesticide use |
| Cost & equipment | Equipment, chemicals, licences for pest control |
| Where to find work | Offices, schools, estates, hotels |
| Payment | Contracts |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Get proper training and licences for pest control. Pros: Recurring contracts. Cons & risks: Chemical safety. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: Pest control products and operators are regulated.
363. Construction progress monitoring for diaspora clients
What it is: Visiting construction sites and reporting progress with photos, videos and expenditure checks. How it works: Weekly site visits and reports.
| Skills | Construction knowledge, honesty, reporting |
| Cost & equipment | Phone, transport |
| Where to find work | Diaspora homeowners |
| Payment | Monthly fee |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Offer transparent reporting templates. Pros: High trust-value service. Cons & risks: Conflicts with contractors. Scam warning: Avoid collusion with contractors; independence is your value. Kenya notes: Diaspora Kenyans building at home strongly need independent monitors.
Summary
- Construction and property methods include contracting, trades, electrical and plumbing, painting, welding, interior design, drafting, QS, surveying, estate agency, property management, house hunting, property photos, landscaping, fumigation and diaspora monitoring.
- Register where required (NCA, EPRA, professional boards), use contracts, verify ownership, and market your portfolio online.
Check yourself
Which authority registers construction contractors in Kenya? (abbreviation)
Show answer
NCA
Which regulator licenses electricians? (abbreviation)
Show answer
EPRA
Before marketing land, what must you verify? (two words)
Show answer
ownership documents