Nairobi CBD - 00100
Electrical and Electronics
Admin
21 Apr 2026
If you’ve ever posted something like “Natafuta fundi wa tiles Kasarani” in a Facebook group, you already know what happens next. The comments come in fast. A few genuine recommendations, but mostly the same response over and over again: “DM”, “Inbox”, “Check your inbox”.
No price. No clear scope. No explanation. Just a request to move the conversation privately.
At first, it feels normal. That’s how a lot of services in Kenya work online. But once you’ve hired a few fundis through DMs, you start noticing a pattern. The final bill is never what you expected. The scope keeps changing. And sometimes, the person you paid becomes unreachable right when you need them most.
That’s because “DM for price” is not just a communication style. In many cases, it’s the beginning of uncertainty.
A professional fundi or service provider usually has a clear understanding of what they charge. Even if the exact quote depends on the job, there is always a baseline. A plumber knows what a standard leak repair costs. An electrician knows what a socket installation should fall within. A painter knows the range for a room.
So when someone avoids giving even a rough estimate publicly, it usually signals one of three things.
They are testing how much you are willing to pay once you are already emotionally invested in the conversation. They are unsure of their own pricing structure and adjust based on the client. Or they are deliberately withholding information to create space for negotiation later, when it is harder for you to walk away.
None of these scenarios are ideal for a client.
In contrast, professionals who operate transparently tend to make their services visible upfront. For example, some electricians like those at GLEC Electrical openly explain costs and processes in public posts. Their work becomes their advertisement, not private negotiation.
That difference matters more than most people realize.
The private inbox is where most of the problems start.
Once you ask for a quote, the conversation often shifts quickly from clarity to ambiguity. A number is given, but it rarely includes everything. You agree, thinking the price is final. Then the work begins.
At that point, new costs appear. Materials that were “not included.” Unexpected complications. Transport fees. Small adjustments that somehow become additional charges. And because nothing was documented publicly, you have very little reference point to challenge it.
In some cases, deposits are requested before any work is done. Once paid, communication slows down. You wait. You follow up. Eventually, you either accept the situation or start over.
This is not always malicious. Sometimes it’s poor structure. But from a client’s perspective, the outcome is the same uncertainty and extra cost.
Experienced fundis and legitimate businesses rarely rely on private-only pricing. Not because they want to expose everything, but because they understand how trust is built.
When pricing is public or at least structured, it filters out unrealistic expectations early. A client who cannot afford the service will not waste time. A fundi avoids long negotiation cycles. Both sides save time.
It also creates accountability. If a plumber publicly states that a certain type of repair starts from a specific range, it becomes harder to inflate the price unfairly later without justification.
You see this approach in more structured service providers. Some professionals like those at The Real Plug use verified listings where starting prices, service scope, and provider identity are visible before contact is made. That removes guesswork from the beginning.
The real problem with “DM for price” is not just overcharging. It is unpredictability.
When pricing is hidden, clients cannot plan properly. You cannot compare options. You cannot budget accurately. Every conversation starts from zero, which gives the service provider full control over the narrative.
It also creates room for scope creep. A simple job can gradually expand once work begins, especially if there is no written agreement. Because everything was discussed privately, there is no clear boundary to refer back to.
Over time, this leads to frustration on both sides. Clients feel exploited. Fundis feel undervalued and misunderstood. The lack of structure hurts everyone involved.
There is a misconception that public pricing benefits only the client. In reality, it protects the fundi as well.
When rates are visible, clients arrive with realistic expectations. Instead of asking “how much for everything,” they ask more specific questions. That reduces time spent negotiating and increases the likelihood of serious inquiries.
It also reduces pressure to undercut. In environments where pricing is secret, the cheapest informal quote often wins. That forces some workers into unsustainable rates or shortcuts in execution. When pricing is visible, quality becomes easier to justify.
For example, when a technician clearly states a starting price for fault tracing or installation, clients who are not ready for that range naturally step aside. The conversation becomes more efficient and professional.
Instead of entering private messages immediately, it helps to shift the way you engage.
Ask for a starting range for the specific job. Not a general “how much do you charge,” but a clear description like “how much for fixing a leaking kitchen pipe in an apartment.”
Request examples of similar past work with actual costs attached. A serious fundi will usually have something to show.
Ask for a breakdown of labour and materials before any agreement is made. If someone cannot separate the two, it becomes difficult to understand what you are paying for.
Most importantly, look for consistency. A professional who is confident in their work will not avoid these questions.
The shift away from “DM for price” is already happening slowly through structured platforms and vetted listings.
Instead of anonymous profiles and private negotiations, platforms like The Real Plug allow users to see verified professionals, starting prices, and service descriptions upfront. That means fewer surprises and more accountability.
When identity, pricing, and service history are visible, the entire transaction becomes more predictable. It also discourages the kind of last-minute changes that often happen in purely informal arrangements.
One of the biggest traps in DM-based hiring is the illusion of a low initial price.
A quote might look affordable at first, but without structure, it rarely stays that way. Additional costs appear mid-job. Materials are upgraded without explanation. Scope expands quietly.
By the end, what looked cheap in the inbox becomes expensive in reality.
In many cases, clients end up paying twice once for the incomplete job, and again for corrections done properly by someone else.
The goal is not to eliminate Facebook or informal networks. They are still useful for discovery. The issue is stopping the process at the DM stage.
Use comments and groups to find names. But before committing, look for public information, structured pricing, or verified listings. If everything is hidden behind private messages, that is already part of the risk profile.
Professionals who are confident in their work are usually not afraid of visibility. Their pricing may not always be fixed, but it is at least structured and explainable.
“DM for price” is not just a convenience issue. It is a transparency issue.
In a market where services affect your home, safety, and daily life, clarity should come before commitment. If someone cannot give even a starting range publicly, it is worth asking what else is being left unsaid.
Because in most cases, the real cost of hidden pricing is not what you pay in the inbox. It is what you pay after the job goes wrong.
And by then, it is already too late to negotiate.
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