Key takeaways
- 29.8% of UK painters and decorators list no website (800 of 2,688): the 9th highest share of the 36 categories we track.
- London has the most within 5 miles of the centre (24), followed by Nottingham and Leeds.
- 99.8% of those listings include a phone number, so most can be reached by phone or in person.
- “No website listed” is a lead signal, not proof: check booking apps, social profiles and a name search before you get in touch.
- Check whether a painter and decorator is a limited company before emailing: sole traders must consent to marketing emails, texts and direct messages.
Where the painters and decorators without websites are
Painters and decorators with no website listed within 5 miles of each city centre, for the 10 UK cities with the most.
| City | Painters and decorators listed | No website listed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | 74 | 24 | 32.4% |
| Nottingham | 32 | 12 | 37.5% |
| Leeds | 31 | 10 | 32.3% |
| Bristol | 30 | 9 | 30.0% |
| Manchester | 20 | 8 | 40.0% |
| Glasgow | 26 | 8 | 30.8% |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 22 | 8 | 36.4% |
| Reading | 14 | 8 | 57.1% |
| Birmingham | 22 | 6 | 27.3% |
| Liverpool | 16 | 6 | 37.5% |
Your own area may hold more or fewer. A scan of your postcode checks the painters and decorators within the radius you choose and shows which list no website.
What painters and decorators use instead of a website
A decorator without a website usually gets work from word of mouth, a Facebook page of finished rooms, Checkatrade or MyBuilder profiles, and a phone number on the van.
Those profiles carry reviews, but they sit next to competitors and charge for leads. A customer who saw the van or got the name from a neighbour has nowhere to see past work, the area covered or how to ask for a quote.
What to pitch a painter and decorator
Build the offer around what their customers need to find. The features worth leading with:
- A gallery of finished rooms and exteriors, using photos the decorator supplies.
- Services split clearly: interior, exterior, wallpapering, commercial, plus any specialist finishes.
- The towns they cover, so the site can rank for “painter and decorator” in each one.
- A quote request form that asks for room count, photos and a rough timescale.
- Reviews linked from their Google profile or trade directory pages.
Check before you call
“No website listed” means the listing has no website link, not that the business has none. Before contacting a painter and decorator:
- Search the name on Checkatrade, MyBuilder and Rated People. A directory profile is not a website, but note it.
- Look at the Facebook page's About section for a website link.
- Many decorators trade under their own name. Search the phone number as well as the business name.
- Search the business name with its town to catch a website that simply isn't on the listing.
The guide to finding businesses without websites covers the full verification routine and has a free lead-tracking checklist.
How to approach painters and decorators
Decorators are on site all day. A text or a call early in the morning or after 5pm gets a better answer than one at midday.
Lead with the gap you found: no photos of their work anywhere a customer can find them, or a directory page that charges them for every lead.
For wording, use the cold calling script or the cold email templates, and price the work with the UK website pricing guide.
UK outreach rules
Under PECR, sole traders and some partnerships count as individuals: only send them marketing emails, texts or social media messages if they have consented. Limited companies don't need to consent to marketing emails, but you must say who you are and offer an easy opt-out. Before calling, screen numbers against both the TPS and CTPS registers. See the ICO's business-to-business marketing guidance or our guide to UK outreach rules. This is general information, not legal advice.
Common questions
Why do so few painters and decorators show up in open map data?
Most work from home or a van and never add a public listing with an address. The ones that are listed are a small share of the trade, so the true number without a website is higher than any listing count shows.
Is a Checkatrade profile enough for a decorator?
It brings enquiries, but the decorator pays for it and shares the page with rivals. A website they own gives the van, the business card and word of mouth somewhere to point.