Choosing a construction company can be one of the most consequential decisions you make when building a home.
A contractor may be responsible for millions of shillings worth of:
- materials
- labour
- structural work
- subcontractors
- scheduling
- workmanship
So the cheapest quotation should not automatically win.
A better question is:
Which contractor gives me the strongest combination of competence, transparency, capacity and value?
Here are the checks worth making before you sign.
1. Verify that the contractor is registered with NCA
Start with the basics.
The National Construction Authority requires contractors operating in Kenya to be registered and to hold a valid practising licence.
Do not rely only on a company logo, website or WhatsApp profile.
Ask for:
- NCA registration details
- current practising licence
- company registration details
Then verify them independently.
NCA maintains a register of contractors showing the class of works and category for which a firm is registered.
That matters because not every contractor is authorized for every size of project.
2. Check the contractor’s NCA category
NCA building contractors are classified from NCA 8 to NCA 1.
Current building-works value limits include:
- NCA 8 — up to KSh 10 million
- NCA 7 — up to KSh 20 million
- NCA 6 — up to KSh 50 million
- NCA 5 — up to KSh 100 million
- NCA 4 — up to KSh 200 million
- NCA 3 — up to KSh 300 million
- NCA 2 — up to KSh 500 million
- NCA 1 — unlimited
So if your expected construction contract is KSh 15 million, for example, an NCA 8 building contractor would not fall within the current building-works value limit for that project.
Always check the category against the actual contract value.
3. Ask to see similar completed projects
Past work is one of the best sources of evidence.
Do not only ask:
“Have you built houses before?”
Ask:
“Can I see houses similar to mine that you have completed?”
Ideally, look for projects with a similar:
- budget
- floor area
- number of storeys
- specification
- construction system
A contractor who mainly builds small bungalows may not necessarily be the best fit for a large, highly specified maisonette.
Likewise, experience on major commercial buildings does not automatically tell you how the company handles private residential clients.
4. Visit at least one completed project
Photographs are useful.
A site visit is better.
If possible, inspect a completed project and look at details such as:
- wall finishes
- tiling
- doors
- ceilings
- paint
- plumbing fixtures
- external works
- general workmanship
You are not expected to perform a professional technical inspection.
You are simply looking for evidence that the company has actually delivered work you would be comfortable paying for.
5. Speak to previous clients
References become much more useful when you ask specific questions.
Instead of:
“Were they good?”
ask:
- Did the project finish near the agreed budget?
- Was the contractor communicative?
- Were there unexplained additional charges?
- Did they finish on time?
- How were defects handled?
- Were there disputes over materials?
- Would you hire them again?
A beautiful finished house tells you something about workmanship.
The homeowner tells you what the process was like.
6. Compare several contractor quotations
Do not rely on one quotation.
Obtaining several bids gives you a better idea of the market price for your project.
But three comparable quotations are usually more useful than ten vague ones.
See How Many Contractor Quotes Should You Get Before Building?
Most importantly, make sure the contractors are pricing substantially the same scope.
7. Do not choose solely on the lowest price
Suppose three contractors quote:
- Contractor A: KSh 9.8M
- Contractor B: KSh 11.1M
- Contractor C: KSh 12M
Contractor A appears cheapest.
But perhaps their quotation excludes:
- kitchen cabinetry
- wardrobes
- external drainage
- some electrical fittings
- boundary works
Contractor B may actually offer the more complete proposal.
This is why headline totals can be misleading.
See How to Compare Construction Quotes in Kenya.
8. Make sure the quotation is detailed
A quotation that simply says:
“Construction of 4-bedroom maisonette — KSh 11,500,000”
does not tell you enough.
You should understand:
- scope of work
- materials assumed
- finishes
- exclusions
- provisional sums
- payment structure
- estimated duration
- start date
- warranty or defect arrangements
See What Should Be Included in a Building Contractor Quote?
9. Use a BOQ where appropriate
A Bill of Quantities gives contractors a common basis for pricing.
Instead of every contractor making different assumptions, they can price the same measured scope.
That makes comparison much easier.
For a substantial project, this can be extremely useful.
See What Does a BOQ Cost in Kenya?
10. Check whether the company appears financially capable
Construction requires working capital.
A contractor may need to coordinate:
- labour
- materials
- subcontractors
- equipment
- site overheads
NCA’s contractor-registration requirements themselves include financial information, experience and technical staffing among the information considered for registration.
For you as the homeowner, practical warning signs can include:
- extreme pressure for very large upfront payments
- inability to explain cash-flow requirements
- repeated requests for money outside the agreed payment structure
- unusually low pricing without a convincing explanation
That does not mean you need to audit the contractor.
It means the company should appear capable of delivering a project of your scale.
11. Understand who will actually be on site
The person selling you the project may not be the person managing it.
Ask:
- Who is the site manager?
- Who supervises daily work?
- How frequently will they be on site?
- Who do I contact when there is a problem?
- Who approves subcontractor work?
Clear responsibility can prevent confusion later.
12. Ask how variations are handled
Changes during construction are common.
For example, you may decide to:
- add sockets
- change tiles
- enlarge a window
- upgrade sanitaryware
- alter cabinetry
Before signing, understand how changes will be:
- priced
- approved
- documented
- added to the programme
Do not rely on informal verbal agreements for significant changes.
Variations are one of the ways construction budgets can quietly expand.
See How to Avoid Going Over Budget When Building a House.
13. Agree on a payment structure
Be cautious about paying too much too early.
A sensible construction payment structure is often tied to:
- milestones
- measured progress
- certified work
rather than simply handing over most of the contract value upfront.
The exact structure depends on the contract, but you should understand:
- deposit required
- when subsequent payments become due
- what work must be completed before payment
- how variations are billed
- whether any retention applies
For larger projects, your architect or quantity surveyor can help assess work before payments are released.
14. Put the agreement in writing
A construction project should not rely on:
- WhatsApp messages
- verbal promises
- informal handwritten figures
A written contract should make important obligations explicit.
Depending on the project, it may cover:
- agreed scope
- contract price
- payment terms
- construction period
- drawings
- specifications
- variation process
- insurance
- delays
- defects
- termination
- dispute resolution
For a major project, obtaining professional advice on the contract can be worthwhile.
15. Check the professionals around the project
The contractor is not the only important party.
A residential project may also involve:
- architect
- structural engineer
- quantity surveyor
NCA’s project-registration requirements state that project consultants such as architects, engineers and quantity surveyors must be duly registered with their respective professional regulatory bodies and hold valid practising licences.
That provides another useful layer of accountability.
16. Make sure the project itself is properly registered
NCA states that construction projects in both the public and private sectors are required to be registered with the Authority.
The developer is responsible for the project registration.
Current NCA requirements include, among other things:
- registered contractor and subcontractors
- valid practising licences
- approved architectural and structural drawings
- relevant approvals
- signed contract
- BOQ summary signed by the quantity surveyor
Project registration is currently listed by NCA as free.
Your contractor should therefore be comfortable operating within the formal project-registration process.
Red flags when choosing a contractor
Be cautious if a company:
- refuses to provide NCA details
- pressures you to pay immediately
- gives only a vague one-page price
- cannot show past projects
- refuses to provide references
- gives a price dramatically below every competitor without explanation
- insists everything can remain verbal
- continually changes the promised scope
- cannot explain who will supervise the site
- wants large payments that are disconnected from actual progress
One red flag does not automatically prove wrongdoing.
But several together should make you more circumspect.
Should you choose a large or small contractor?
Neither is automatically better.
A larger company may offer:
- stronger systems
- more staff
- greater financial capacity
- more formal project management
A smaller contractor may offer:
- more personal attention
- lower overheads
- greater flexibility
The important thing is whether the company has the capacity and experience appropriate for your project.
How many contractors should you shortlist?
For most residential projects, you probably do not need twenty companies competing for the job.
A shortlist of several credible contractors allows you to compare:
- price
- methodology
- schedule
- experience
- communication
- scope
without turning procurement into an unwieldy exercise.
Three to five serious quotations may be more useful than a huge number of superficial bids.
See How Many Contractor Quotes Should You Get Before Building?
Before you start asking contractors for prices
Make sure your own project is sufficiently clear.
Ideally, you should know:
- what you want to build
- approximate budget
- floor area
- location
- finish level
- whether drawings are available
- expected start date
The stronger your project information, the more meaningful contractor quotations become.
MyJenga is designed to help homeowners move toward that point.
Start by estimating what your project could cost.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if a construction company is legitimate in Kenya?
Start by checking its NCA registration and valid practising licence. NCA publishes contractor-registration information including the category and class of works for which a firm is registered.
What NCA category do I need for a house?
It depends on the construction contract value.
For building works, current NCA value limits range from up to KSh 10 million for NCA 8 through to unlimited contract value for NCA 1.
Should I always choose the cheapest contractor?
No.
Compare scope, materials, experience, exclusions, payment structure and past performance alongside price.
How many quotations should I get?
Several credible quotations are generally useful. For many residential projects, three to five serious bids can provide meaningful comparison without creating excessive complexity.
Should I visit a contractor’s previous projects?
Where possible, yes.
Seeing completed work and speaking with previous clients provides information that brochures and quotations cannot.
Final takeaway
Choosing a construction company is not simply about finding the lowest price.
Before signing, check:
- NCA registration and category
- relevant experience
- completed projects
- client references
- quotation detail
- financial and operational capacity
- site supervision
- payment terms
- variation procedures
- written contract
Then compare the complete proposition.
A contractor who is slightly more expensive but transparent, experienced and well organized may ultimately represent much better value than the cheapest quotation.
And before contractors compete for your project, make sure you understand what you are actually asking them to build.
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