DH struggling to find work

[GoldieLocks09]

My DH is a skilled multi trader, qualified in a lot of trades - does basically everything in-house, everything from full bathroom refurbs, installing kitchens, making bespoke furniture, plastering, etc.
He always had a good stream of work coming in, mainly from recommendation and he always asks customers to leave reviews on FB which always helped.
He took some time off to focus on some personal projects, and was doing some work for family so out of the game as such for around a year - in that time we also moved, not far about 20 mins away, but he’s ready to throw himself back in but where to even start?
Facebook posts are littered with 100+ comments whenever people ask for recommendations, businesses promote on local pages everyday so it’s hard to stand out and places like MyBuilder are charging a fortune for leads and its fierce competition - seems like a lot are being posted asking for the cheapest price.

Are we missing a trick? He’s never had a website but I could easily help him knock one up, it just feels in the last year things have changed and honestly I’m a bit worried..

Get him to ask round local estate agents who manage rental properties. They will always have landlords looking for reliable tradespeople to do upkeep, or to work on properties between lettings.

Will he work in zones 1,2,3?

This is a really good idea. Also ask previous customers to post on their street WhatsApp group.

We had a refurb done a couple of years ago and I posted a recommendation our street WhatsApp for our builders as they were excellent and they got 3 more jobs on my street.

I suggest contact local letting agents always looking for good handyman. A reliable honest good handyman is gold dust to them

If he is near London it might be worth also talking to estate agencies and management companies that look after smaller private blocks of flats. We always need skilled tradesmen to do odd jobs around the communal areas of our block.

My DH is a multi skilled tradie in London, he’d be more than happy to help!

I think trades was always going to be an area where suddenly workers outstripped the demand, and I can see this increasing over the next decade too. It must be one of the best financial returns vs how well one did in their GCSEs (no idea how well your husband did but as a cohort), that it is an appealing career for so many. I’ve just googled it and it returned that there were 23% more students of construction in 23 vs 22. Your dh may well have to employ some of the many excellent ideas detailed above, and once he’s going, word of mouth will do it.

Wish I lived closer - I have a mountain of jobs needing done in the house and no time to find a multitrade person, they're like gold dust here.

As well as all the great suggestions on here, is it clear from his SM that he's a multitrade bloke? That makes such a difference if you can see immediately from the name that he can tackle anything. I used to have a guy called Dave Does It All - sadly retired - and he did what it said on the tin.

I agree with the poster upthread who suggested Next Door

We get a local magazine and it’s full of adverts for different services. We’ve found it very useful so if there is that sort of publication in your area you could try advertising in there.

I need him and have loads of friends that could use his help! We are SE London/ Kent border if you are this side….

My colleague’s husband, who’s good at DIY, was made redundant from the IT industry and now does handyman work. He not only earns more than before but doesn’t need to advertise anymore as word of mouth has done that for him. Because he’s happy to do those small jobs - hanging pictures, changing leaking tap etc. he’s really in demand as other tradespeople won’t touch them a they’re small jobs.

Could he take some project management courses and start marketing himself as a project manager for developments, refurbs etc as well?

I’m astonished as people like your husband are as rare as hen’s teeth in my area, Surrey. If you gave an indication of area I’m sure you’d be overwhelmed with enquiries from Mumsnetters alone. If not, NextDoor seems to work here (Facebook seems a bit sketchy these days). That said, get socials set up so potential customers can see you’re real, along with a basic website - basically build your brand and they will come..

If I was him I would buy work at cheap rates and go above and beyond in terms of work and service. Before you know it he will be busy.

I would update his Facebook page with non identifiable pics of work he has done assuming he has prior client permission to do so.

Then I'd email or message former clients with a special early bird offer for Spring 26 for them or discount on future work [of value up to/more than X] on a referral to a friend. I'd also say that I have some small slots currently available if they need small jobs done.

Word of mouth is absolute gold and if he has previous customers they may have small jobs that need doing? Work begets work in my experience. I've just seen a painters number sent to half a dozen friends in the pub because the sender was so chuffed with her workmanship [and that he didn't have to do it for once].

The quantity studying is great, shame the standard of tuition can be incredibly questionable.

Agree, not in London but find it so surprising. Just shows it must depend where you live, there was a post on a woman who won't pay tradespeople in cash, and I commented that round here it's so hard to find one you can't be picky.
OP, maybe him posting on social with specific details, or getting a previous customer to post about him would be good?
And cards in shops, like everyone used to do before socials, because our last man, a young guy, said he finds this works better.

Could he put flyers in the local community centres/business centres etc. If there are charities locally that help/advise people about adapting their homes in old ages/post illness etc could he contact them with examples of his work and ask that they give out his details. I know someone who did that here and has gotten quite a lot of work out of it.

Do an old skool leaflet drop - it’s where I find out about trades most of the time - that or recommendations. The leaflets should say ‘New skilled and qualified tradesman in town with x years of experience in ABC’. Use the family angle ‘We have just moved into the area and are keen to provide services to our local community’, then mention good rates, some quotes from feedback - ‘John did an amazing job on my patio’, add a photo or two of something he did that’s particularly impressive, a link to any online feedback, the website (get that knocked up), and contact details. You, your DH, and the kids should aim to deliver 500 leaflets and then 6 weeks later deliver 500 again. Hopefully you’ll have a few conversations with residents along the way who, if they don’t need you now, might know someone who does. Once he gets over the initial hurdle word of mouth will take over.

hi everyone! Thank you so much for your comments - have put a few of these into play already and he’s got 4 jobs to quote. Absolutely thrilled, also have a friend knocking up a website for him (she owed him a favour after he laid her hallway flooring FOC!) and planning on sending out intros to some estate agents / holiday lets etc.

it felt as though he was getting nowhere but I guess we just didn’t know where to start. I’m confident now he’s back in the game it will pick back up as it always has done before!

we’re based on the border of Essex / Hertfordshire for those who asked! If you ever need anyone and are local, please give me a shout!

Good to hear. Hopefully he will start to get regular jobs once his name gets out again locally.