Tiler
Installs ceramic, porcelain and stone tiles on floors, walls, countertops and bathrooms. In Kenya — with booming construction and renovation — tilers are in high demand for residential and commercial projects.
- AI exposure
- 16 of 100, low exposure
- Hiring trend
- Rising
- Hiring rate
- 30%
The role
What the work is, what it pays, and what it costs you.
At a glance
- Remote friendly
- No
- Freelance potential
- High
- Time to senior
- 5 years
A day in the role
Prepares a bathroom floor with waterproofing membrane. Lays porcelain floor tiles in a new house. Cuts tiles for corners and edges using an angle grinder. Applies grout between wall tiles in a kitchen. Lays a decorative mosaic border in a shower. Estimates materials for a tiling quote. Manages a helper on a commercial tiling project.
What it pays
Kenyan market, per month- Entry
- KES 18,000-35,000
- Mid
- KES 40,000-85,000
- Senior
- KES 95,000-220,000
Exposure
How much of this a machine can already do, and how that was worked out.
Where this rating sits
1,516 rated careersRated above 8% of the 1,516 careers in the catalogue, which averages 43. Inside trades & vocational the mean is 11, across 66 careers.
Named task by task
Already automated
- AI-powered tile layout pattern generation
- Automated tile quantity estimation from room dimensions
- AI-assisted grout colour matching
- Generating tiling quotes
Still human
- Preparing surfaces — levelling floors, waterproofing, priming before tiling
- Laying tiles — ceramic, porcelain, granite, marble, terrazzo on floors and walls
- Cutting tiles — using tile cutters, angle grinders for edges, corners, curves
- Applying adhesive — spreading tile adhesive, ensuring proper coverage and level
- Grouting — applying grout between tiles, cleaning excess, sealing
- Waterproofing — applying waterproofing membranes in bathrooms, balconies, kitchens
- Laying decorative patterns — mosaics, borders, accent tiles, herringbone
- Managing tiling projects — estimating materials, pricing, managing helpers
Task counts
- Displacing
- Minimal — tiling is physical, manual work requiring precision.
- Augmenting
- AI layout and estimation tools assist.
Sources
Behind the rating- Kenya construction sector
- Kenya tile market
- Construction finishing trades
Getting in
The routes into the role and what each one asks for.
What to study
8 courses- Certificate in Metal Processing TechnologyKsh 42,600a year
- Artisan in Building TechnologyKsh 67,189a year
- Artisan in Carpentry and JoineryKsh 67,189a year
- Artisan in Front Office OperationsKsh 67,189a year
- Artisan in HorticultureKsh 67,189a year
- Artisan in Land SurveyingKsh 67,189a year
- Artisan in MasonryKsh 67,189a year
- Artisan in Refrigeration and Air ConditioningKsh 67,189a year
How people get in
Apprenticeship / on-site training
2-4 yearsLow cost
Learn tiling through apprenticeship with an experienced tiler or as a helper on construction sites
Who hires
- Construction Companies
- Tiling Contractors
- Self-Employed
- Tile Suppliers (Safaricom, Goodwill)
Common misconceptions
Tiling is just sticking tiles on floors
Professional tiling requires surface preparation, waterproofing, precise cutting, level laying, grouting and decorative patterns — a skilled finishing trade.
What happens next
How the role changes from here, and where it leads.
Growth outlook
- Net demand change
- +10%
- Over
- 2026-2028
- Drivers
- Construction boom,Renovation demand,Premium tile demand,Commercial projects
- Headwinds
- Informal competition,Physical demands
What to learn
- Large-format and thin porcelain tile installation
- Digital layout and estimation tools
- Underfloor heating tile systems
- Eco-friendly and recycled tiles
Kenyan market notes
Tiling is a high-demand construction finishing trade in Kenya. Booming construction and renovation — tiles are standard in modern Kenyan buildings (floors, bathrooms, kitchens). Key tile suppliers: Goodwill Tiles, Safaricom Tiles, Synergy, various importers in Nairobi. Tile types: ceramic (most common — affordable), porcelain (growing — durable), granite/marble (premium), terrazzo (traditional — making comeback), glass mosaics (decorative). Training: on-site apprenticeship, NITA trade testing. Challenges: informal sector, competition, physical demands (kneeling, lifting). Salary: entry KES 18,000-35,000, mid KES 40,000-85,000, senior KES 95,000-220,000+. Self-employed tilers earn per project — KES 20,000-100,000+ per house.
Further reading
This role is rated 16 out of 100 today. Save it and the app keeps that number, then tells you by how much it has moved when the record is next reviewed.