Home Services in Kenya: A 2026 Guide for Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu

The Kenyan Market

Kenya has a large informal home-services workforce — the “fundi” economy that keeps most households running. Finding a trusted fundi historically meant asking a neighbour, an askari, or the local shop owner. It works, but it does not scale with a busy life. Urban households in Nairobi and coastal Mombasa increasingly want the same “book online, pay on phone” experience available for rides (Bolt, Uber) and food (Jumia Food). Home services is the gap GeraHome fills.

Who Is on the Platform

GeraHome providers in Kenya are ID-verified (Kenyan national ID or passport), and where relevant hold trade certifications recognised by the Kenya Plumbers and Engineers Registration Council (KPERC) or the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) for electrical work. Cleaners and handymen are not formally regulated; verification focuses on ID, prior work history, and on-platform reviews.

Typical Pricing (2026)

• House cleaner (part-time). 300–700 KSh per hour; 2,500–5,000 KSh per full day.
• Deep clean (3-bed apartment). 4,500–9,000 KSh.
• Plumber call-out. 1,500–5,000 KSh, plus materials.
• Electrician call-out. 2,000–6,000 KSh, plus materials.
• Gardener. 800–2,000 KSh per day.
• Handyman. 1,000–3,500 KSh per visit for minor jobs.

M-Pesa and Card Payment

GeraHome supports M-Pesa directly via STK Push. You book the job, approve the STK pop-up on your phone, and the funds are held in escrow until the work is confirmed complete. Card payment (Visa, Mastercard, and the local Equity and KCB debit cards) is also supported for account holders without M-Pesa or for diaspora payers.

Diaspora payment is a common pattern: a son in the UK books a monthly deep clean for his mother in Westlands, paying in pounds; the mother never sees a bill. GeraCash makes this work across the remittance corridor.

Coverage Areas

• Nairobi. Full coverage: Westlands, Kilimani, Karen, Lavington, Kileleshwa, Runda, Parklands, South B, South C, Kasarani, Donholm, and outlying estates.
• Mombasa. Nyali, Kizingo, Tudor, Bamburi, Shanzu, and Diani in Kwale County.
• Kisumu. Milimani, Tom Mboya, Lolwe, Mamboleo.
• Nakuru, Eldoret, Thika, Machakos. Growing coverage — check the app for your specific estate.

Regulation and Safety

Electrical work on permanent fittings in Kenya is regulated by EPRA. Any major rewiring, consumer-unit replacement, or solar installation should be done by an EPRA-licensed electrician. Gas-fitting work on LPG installations should follow EPRA guidance. GeraHome surfaces the relevant licences on the provider’s profile.

Tipping Culture

Tipping in Kenya is not mandatory but is appreciated, especially for jobs that go above and beyond. A 100–500 KSh tip for a cleaner who did extra work or a plumber who refused to take shortcuts on materials is a kind gesture. GeraHome supports tipping directly in the app via M-Pesa.

What to Do If Something Goes Wrong

Every GeraHome booking in Kenya carries a 30-day rework guarantee for routine services. If a cleaner misses something or a fundi’s repair fails within the warranty window, open a dispute in-app and the provider is obliged to return or GeraHome refunds you from the platform fund. This is the feature the informal market cannot offer.