Very hard, especially for those who cannot speak Spanish.

Unless you have savings or an income from UK I really don't think you would have a better lifestyle in Spain especially if you don't have specific high level skills and fluent Spanish. Why do you think young Spanish head to UK to work as cleaners or hotel staff if they could do that work in Spain? I work as a teacher but even that work now requires quite a lot of knowledge of exams etc to be able secure any kind of reasonable wage and by reasonable I mean supporting one adult in basic needs let alone a family

I would say stick to areas with a lot of British expats. Your husband would probably struggle to find work with a Spanish firm. He would (almost certainly) have to work on a self employed basis (autónomo). In order to have any chance of being successful I would suggest he target the Brits and other northern Europeans. A good amount of savings or alternative income streams until business is built up is therefore a must.

Massive unemployment in Spain, many thousands of plumbers and cleaners out of work...don't risk the move.

Not sure how you think dust settling will allow you to move. In the event of no deal you might find non EU laws prohibit you from working without prearranged visas etc plus required residency costs will be considerably higher than before

Which out of work plumber or waitress will get the job, off the boat brits who cannon speak Spanish and knows the system...or an out of work local person with local experience?

Hola

Whilst in theory plumbing skills are transferable, how much do you know about wells and septic tanks? Some plumbers know nothing and fall by the wayside. Other plumbers come and expect to rip people off by installing new when the old is repairable - bad news goes around small communities very quickly.

The other thing is that plumbers need a gas certificate from Spain; without speaking Spanish, not a hope

Davexf

I like your attitude. Worst case scenario you go back home after living a shorter period in Spain than originally planned!
Freelancing could actually work in your case if you live in areas with huge expat communities. When I lived in Spain my first year before managing Spanish I always looked online for plumper, cleaners, hair salon etc who spoke English. Language is a barrier to work in Spain but it's also an opportunity since it is a problem for non-Spanish people living there. Now, how big that segment is or is it enough to balance your budget, I have no idea.

Have you checked out the work visa requirements for citizen of third countries? After Brexit you probably cannot simply go to Spain and look for a job anymore. If you want a work visa you need to have an employer who is going to sponsor you or qualify for an exception. Worst case is you entering Spain illegally. So after Brexit check your visa options. So best option would be to go now when you are still under the benign EU umbrella.

De nada! My advise though is if you are not so sure about the place and you can see yourself living near, say costa brava, that would open up more opportunities for you since Barcelona (and Madrid) host not only large expat community, but a community with high income and high purchasing power...multinationals, banks, top business schools...etc.I'd definitely think about living in one of the towns along the cost of Barcelona where public transportation can easily take you to the city for work. But if it is costa blanca then I'm sure there is a market there, you just need to crack it as you said. Good luck! Spain is a fantastic place to live if you manage your finances.

I'm English, why would I want an English workman?

This is Spain, expect to have to speak Spanish. I speak to my Spanish neighbours and ask them who they recommend. Invariably it will be another Spaniard and invariably they will be reliable.
Your plan might work in some of the Little England urbanisations, but not everyone comes here to avoid speaking with our hosts.