To cater for the growing number of sophisticated home-buyers, the developers are fixing exquisite furnishings, some that are hard to source.
Sophisticated buyers and renters look at the design, quality of finishing, amount of natural light going in and sustainability when buying a luxurious house, desires that can only be delivered by skilled workers.
More Kenyans are now acquiring a taste for well-constructed and neatly finished houses.
The ever-changing needs of modern home buyers have led to the rise of luxury housing projects in the country.
To cater for the growing number of sophisticated home-buyers, the developers are fixing exquisite furnishings, some that are hard to source.
But how many are entrusting their million-shillings bathroom fixtures or rare chandeliers to local artisans?
Not many. Mumo Kianga, a development manager at the Garden City Village says there is a lot of work to be done to improve the quality of construction workers and interior designers.
Mumo adds that sophisticated buyers and renters look at the design, quality of finishing, amount of natural light going in and sustainability when buying a luxurious house, desires that can only be delivered by skilled workers.
Yet the National Construction Authority (NCA) latest survey indicate that unskilled labourers in Kenya account to 42 per cent of labour force in the sector.
The 2014 Construction Industry Capacity Survey indicates that the skill sector is dominated by plumbers who make up 24 per cent, electricians at 23 per cent, Welders 13 per cent and masons at 12 per cent. Interior specialist artisans account for only two per cent.
Dennis Kerage, the managing director of the Design and Build , an interior design company specialising in commercial spaces, confirms that it is increasingly becoming difficult to find skilled manpower to fix the expensive finishes and fittings that the market is demanding.
“There are many businesses willing to splurge on the best interior designs, but it is tough to find workers who are well trained and experienced enough to execute these tasks properly,” says Dennis.
Turn to expatriates
The lack of skilled labour, and especially the absence of world-class designers, has forced real estate firms working on mega projects to turn to expatriates.
The Radisson Blu Hotel, for instance, had to fly in Christian Lundwall, an interior architect to draw and implement the interior design of the hotel.
“There is need for specific training courses to improve skills. In addition, contractors should be sensitised to take training and upgrading of their employees skills as a strategy for quality improvement, higher productivity and profitability,” the construction capacity report says.
A luxurious bedroom at Palm Valley. PHOTO | COURTESY
Garden City Village is one of a few in a growing luxury homes market that is hoping to bridge this gap between the demand and supply of fine craftsmanship by identifying talented local artisans and training them on the world’s best practices.
They are doing this through the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) On Wheels Programme with a number of partners.
“TVETOnWheels gives participants bespoke training on the construction and at the end of the course, they are issued with internationally accredited certifications,” says Mumo.
Under the programme, youth are identified from informal settlements around Garden City. The training takes place at the construction site of Garden City’s residential blocks.
“We are working to scale this programme across the continent given its success in tackling the critical skills shortages and youth employment crisis,” he says.
Dennis, on the other hand, says his company trains workers, most of whom eventually branch out to start their own businesses, but who remain available for contracts whenever needed.
“With the spiking demand for skilled services, retaining trained workers is a challenge. However, even for those that leave, we ensure to maintain a great working relationship, which allows us to have a constant pool of talent to get support from in bigger projects,” says Dennis.
