Painting and decorating is a referral-heavy trade. Most of your work comes through people who’ve seen your work or heard your name. That’s a solid foundation — but it makes your diary dependent on things outside your control. When a regular client moves, a referral chain goes quiet, or work just slows down, there’s no backup.
Getting more painting and decorating work consistently means building several different channels — not just relying on word of mouth. The decorators who stay busy year-round aren’t necessarily the best painters. They’re the ones who treat getting work as seriously as doing it.
These 10 strategies are specific to painting and decorating. A few overlap with what any tradesperson should do. Most are particular to the visual, seasonal, and relationship-driven nature of the trade.
Key Takeaways
- Painting is a visual trade — your before-and-after portfolio converts enquiries better than any amount of text or price competition
- Houzz has over 40 million users globally and decorators consistently rate it as their best source of high-value domestic leads
- Booking spring and pre-Christmas jobs in winter gives you a full diary when demand peaks — most decorators wait until the phone rings
- Relationships with letting agents and landlords can provide a steady stream of regular work between tenancy changeovers
- According to the Painting and Decorating Association (PDA), members with a professional online presence report significantly higher enquiry volumes than those without one
1. Build a Before-and-After Portfolio (and Show It Everywhere)
Painting is one of the few trades where the transformation is immediately obvious. A tired living room before, a fresh one after — that image does more selling than any quote or testimonial.
Every job you finish is a marketing asset. Take two photos: one before you start, one when you’re done. Good light, tidy room, no tools left out. You don’t need a professional camera — a modern smartphone in decent light produces usable images.
Where to use them:
| Platform | Why It Works for Decorators |
|---|---|
| Google Business Profile | Photos in your GBP listing appear in search — visual trades get higher click rates when photos are recent |
| Houzz | Homeowners specifically browse Houzz to find decorators by style and quality of finish |
| The visual format suits decorating — before/afters, colour transformations, wallpaper installs all perform well | |
| Your website | A portfolio page with 10-15 projects is your strongest conversion tool |
A decorator with 20 before-and-after photos on Houzz will consistently win work over one who has none, even at a higher day rate.
2. Work Houzz as a Lead Channel
Houzz is worth treating as a serious business tool, not just a social platform. It’s used by homeowners who are actively planning and budgeting for decorating work — not browsing for inspiration like on Pinterest.
Set up a free business profile at houzz.co.uk. Add your photos to a portfolio, specify your service area, and gather a few reviews from past clients. Houzz reviews carry weight because the platform verifies that reviewers have actually used the service.
Paid Houzz Pro membership (from around £80/month) puts your profile in front of homeowners who’ve posted enquiries in your area. It’s not cheap, but decorators who use it as their main digital channel report it as cost-effective compared to lead sites like Bark or Rated People — where you’re competing on price rather than quality.
The key difference: Houzz attracts clients who care about finish quality. Decorators who work the platform well position themselves out of cheap-painter competition entirely.
3. Book Spring and Pre-Christmas Work Early
Painting has clear seasonal patterns. Demand peaks in spring (March to May, when people refresh their homes) and October (before Christmas, when clients want their houses done before hosting family). Demand drops in winter and late summer.
Most decorators wait until these busy periods to fill their diaries. The ones who stay consistently booked start three to four months earlier.
In January, contact past clients:
“Hi [name] — just wanted to say happy new year. If you’re thinking of any decorating this spring, I’m already taking bookings for April and May. Happy to pop round and give you a quote anytime.”
Most won’t book immediately. A percentage will — and those early bookings anchor your diary. As spring approaches and you mention you’re already busy for April, the remaining enquiries convert faster because scarcity is real.
Do the same in August for the pre-Christmas rush. Send a short message to past clients and any open leads. You’ll book October and November before the phone would otherwise start ringing.
4. Get PDA Membership
The Painting and Decorating Association (PDA) is the main trade body for the sector in the UK. Membership costs from around £170 per year and gives you access to a trade body logo you can display on your van, website, cards, and quotes.
The PDA logo matters for two reasons. First, it signals to homeowners that you’ve agreed to a code of practice — meaning you’ll resolve disputes, do the work professionally, and behave like a proper business. Second, the PDA runs its own find-a-decorator service at paintingdecoratingassociation.co.uk, where homeowners search for local members.
According to the PDA, its member directory generates hundreds of thousands of searches per year. Not all of those will be in your area, but showing up in a directory of vetted professionals beats relying on Google alone.
If you’re already doing professional-quality work, the membership fee pays for itself quickly.
5. Target Landlords and Letting Agents
Landlords need their properties decorated between tenancies — typically a fresh coat of magnolia or white throughout, sometimes kitchen and bathroom work. It’s not glamorous, but it’s regular.
The best way in is through letting agents. Most agents manage multiple properties and need a reliable decorator they can call without chasing. Walk in or call the office manager — not an individual agent — and introduce yourself briefly:
“I’m a decorator covering this area. I do a lot of tenancy changeover work — reliable, tidy, quick turnaround. If your regular decorator ever lets you down, I’d appreciate a chance to quote.”
Leave a card. Follow up once. The goal is to be in their heads when their current decorator messes up, which happens more often than you’d think.
| Route | What to Offer |
|---|---|
| Letting agents | Quick turnaround, consistent quality, fair pricing per room |
| Property management companies | Preferred supplier agreement — they call you first |
| Landlords direct | Set a standard rate per room to simplify quoting |
One letting agent relationship with a firm managing 50+ properties can provide 15-20 jobs per year at minimal marketing cost.
6. Offer a Free Colour Consultation on Quotes
Painting quotes are highly competitive. Homeowners often get three or four, and decorators who offer the lowest price usually win. That’s a race to the bottom.
Adding a free colour consultation to your quote pitch changes the dynamic. When you go round to quote, bring a few sample colour cards and spend five minutes asking about what they want the room to feel like. Suggest a combination or confirm what they’ve already chosen. That’s it.
Most decorators don’t do this. It costs you nothing but five minutes and signals that you care about the result, not just the rate. Homeowners planning a significant redecoration are often less decided on colour than they think — and the decorator who helped them choose is usually the one who gets the job.
It also makes your quote slightly harder to compare directly with others, which reduces the pressure to match the cheapest price.
7. Follow Up Quotes Within 48 Hours
Most decorators send a quote and wait. Customers get busy, get distracted, or simply don’t know how to say yes. Your quote sits in their inbox and the decision stalls.
A simple follow-up — a call or text 48 hours after sending — converts a meaningful percentage of work that would otherwise go cold:
“Hi — just checking you received the quote I sent over. Happy to answer any questions about how I’d approach the job.”
You’re not chasing. You’re being helpful and professional. If they’ve already chosen someone else, you’ll find out quickly and move on. If they’re still deciding, you’re now front of mind at the moment they’re ready to choose.
8. Build a Referral Scheme
Word of mouth works best when you actively prompt it. After every job, ask:
“If you know anyone who’s thinking of getting any decorating done, I’d really appreciate the recommendation.”
Most people are happy to refer — they just don’t think to do it unless asked. A text a week after you’ve finished (“Hope everything looks great — just a reminder I’m taking on jobs if you hear of anyone”) sends the right moment directly to their phone.
A small formal incentive helps too. A £25 voucher or cash for any referral that becomes a job puts the scheme in writing and makes the mechanics clear. People refer more when they know there’s an upside.
9. Use Your Van as a Moving Billboard
A plain white van is a missed opportunity. Your name, phone number, and the word “Decorator” (and the areas you cover) on the side and rear is visible advertising wherever you park — on drives, outside jobs, in traffic.
Basic van lettering costs £100-£300 from most sign companies. It’s one of the most cost-effective forms of local advertising. A decorator working in a residential area parks their van outside a different house every day — that’s visibility you don’t have to pay for repeatedly.
Make sure the phone number is large enough to read from another car at normal speed. Everything else is secondary.
10. Make Your Online Presence Do the Heavy Lifting
When a referral or enquiry looks you up before they call, what do they find? If the answer is a Facebook page with no recent posts and no reviews, you’re losing jobs to decorators who’ve bothered.
The minimum online presence that converts:
- Google Business Profile — free, controls what shows up when someone Googles your name or “decorator near me.” Add photos monthly, respond to reviews, keep your services and area updated.
- 10+ Google reviews — reviews from real customers build trust that no website copy can match. Ask every happy client directly, right after the job.
- A professional website — not required, but a page with your portfolio, services, area, and a contact form or click-to-call button converts enquiries that a GBP listing doesn’t.
For a deeper look at getting your decorating business found online, see our guides on SEO for painters and decorators and web design for painters.
Managed websites designed for UK tradespeople — including decorators — start from £49/month at Digital Tradies, with no upfront cost and the site live within three days. That’s cheaper than one job you’d otherwise lose.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do painters and decorators get more customers in the UK? The most effective routes are referrals from past clients (prompted with a direct ask), Google Business Profile with recent photos and reviews, Houzz for higher-value domestic work, and relationships with letting agents for regular commercial work. Most decorators who stay consistently busy use at least three of these channels.
Is Houzz worth it for decorators? Houzz is consistently rated as one of the highest-quality lead sources for painting and decorating businesses. The free profile is worth setting up regardless — add your portfolio photos and gather a few reviews. Paid Houzz Pro membership is worth testing if you’re in a mid-to-high-price bracket and want to compete on quality rather than price.
How do I compete with cheap painters? Don’t compete on price — it’s a race you can’t win. Differentiate on trust signals: a professional website with before-and-after photos, PDA membership, verified reviews, and a proper quote process. Homeowners who care about quality will pay more for a decorator who looks and behaves professionally.
How much work can I expect from one letting agent relationship? A letting agent managing 50+ properties might give you 10-20 jobs per year once you’re their preferred decorator. Smaller agents may mean 3-5 jobs. The value is reliability — those jobs come without any marketing effort once the relationship is established.
Should I join lead sites like Bark or Rated People? They can work, but the lead quality is highly price-driven. If you have fewer than 15 reviews, you’ll struggle to compete. Build your Google reviews and Houzz profile first — those channels attract clients who are more likely to choose on quality. Use lead sites as a supplement if your diary has gaps, not as your primary source.
Growing a painting and decorating business consistently takes more than being good at the work. The decorators who stay busy long-term treat marketing as a trade skill in its own right — something they practice regularly, not just when the phone goes quiet.
It’s also worth making sure your business is properly covered as you grow. Public liability insurance for painters is a key cost to factor into your day rate, especially if you’re working in clients’ homes.
If you’re at the stage where a professional website would help convert more of those enquiries into jobs, Digital Tradies builds websites for UK tradespeople from £49/month — portfolio included, live in three days, no upfront cost.
