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Five Star Solar vs California Painting
Sacramento General Contractors Comparison · Updated March 2026
These companies serve entirely different needs: Five Star Solar specializes in solar installations while California Painting handles painting projects.
| Five Star Solar | California Painting | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 4.9 | ★ 5.0 |
| Years Licensed | 20 years | 57 years |
| License # | 873535 | 256308 |
| Workers' Comp | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Bond Amount | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Location | Elk Grove, CA | Fair Oaks, CA |
| Website | www.fivestarssolar.com | — |
Key Differences
What Customers Say
Five Star Solar
Five Star Solar consistently receives feedback praising quick installation timelines, competitive pricing, knowledgeable customer education, and professional crew performance across residential solar projects.
Key Takeaway: Five Star Solar has extensive documented customer feedback while California Painting has limited recent review history available for evaluation.
Customer Reviews
Five Star Solar
The folks at Five Star Solar were professional, experienced, fast, organized, and available for questions and communication. My solar system has been working flawlessly since they installed it. I had ...
In October 2025, I saw an ad about installing solar panels. I called my company, and they filed for bankruptcy. I called other companies, and they told me that they won't finish by December deadline f...
Like so many of us that were going to do some type of solar project at some point we now had to scramble to get our solar projects completed by year end due to the abandonment of the Tax Credit. I was...
California Painting
No reviews available
Consider Five Star Solar if...
- ✓ You need solar panel installation, battery backup systems, or solar system expansions for your residential property
- ✓ You want a contractor with documented customer feedback showing quick installation completion and competitive pricing
- ✓ You're dealing with HOA approval requirements or complex solar projects that require experienced navigation
- ✓ You value responsive communication and thorough customer education throughout the installation process
Consider California Painting if...
- ✓ You need residential or commercial painting services rather than solar installation work
- ✓ You value extreme longevity in business operations, as 57 years of continuous licensing demonstrates exceptional stability
- ✓ You're comfortable selecting a contractor with limited recent online review history and will request references directly
- ✓ You're located in Fair Oaks or prefer working with contractors based in that specific area
Questions to Ask Before Hiring
- → For California Painting: Ask for recent project references and photos from the past 1-2 years to assess current quality standards
- → For California Painting: Ask how long the current crew has been with the company and who will be on-site for your project
- → For Five Star Solar: Ask about warranty coverage on both equipment and installation labor for solar systems
- → For either company: Confirm the specific timeline from contract signing to project completion for your particular project type
The Bottom Line
This comparison only makes sense if you received mismatched search results. For solar installation projects, Five Star Solar is the clear choice with 20 years of solar-specific experience, extensive positive customer feedback, and demonstrated expertise in residential solar systems. For painting projects, California Painting offers exceptional business longevity at 57 years, though you should request recent references given limited online review history. Both maintain proper licensing and insurance. Choose based on your actual project need—solar installation or painting—rather than attempting to compare companies that serve entirely different purposes.
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Frequently Asked Questions
This comparison likely resulted from a data error or broad search parameters. Five Star Solar installs solar panels while California Painting handles painting projects. They serve completely different homeowner needs and shouldn't be directly compared unless you're evaluating general contractor credibility across different trades.
California Painting's 57 years versus Five Star Solar's 20 years shows both are veteran contractors, but longevity alone doesn't determine quality. Five Star Solar has extensive recent customer feedback documenting performance, while California Painting's limited review history means you'll need to request references directly to assess current quality standards.
Yes, both maintain active licenses, workers compensation insurance, and $25,000 bonds. This means both meet California's legal requirements for contractor protection. From a liability and compliance standpoint, they're equivalent in their coverage levels.
Your project type determines the answer completely. If you're installing solar panels or battery systems, Five Star Solar is your only option from this pair. If you need painting services, California Painting is the relevant choice. These companies don't compete for the same projects.
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How We Compare Contractors
License Verification
All license data is sourced from official California CSLB records and verified regularly.
Review Analysis
Customer reviews are aggregated from Google and analyzed to identify patterns in service quality.
Detailed Comparison
We analyze credentials, insurance, experience, and feedback to highlight meaningful differences.
Not all licensed contractors are created equal. While a valid license is the baseline requirement in California, contractors can vary significantly in experience, insurance coverage, and customer satisfaction.
- Experience matters: A contractor with 15+ years of experience has likely encountered and solved problems that newer contractors haven't faced yet.
- Workers' compensation protects you: If a contractor without workers' comp insurance has an employee injured on your property, you could be held liable.
- Reviews reveal patterns: Individual reviews can be misleading, but patterns across many reviews often reveal a contractor's true strengths and weaknesses.
- Bond amounts vary: A contractor's bond provides financial protection if they fail to complete work as agreed. Higher bonds offer more protection.
Taking time to compare contractors on these factors can save you from costly mistakes and help ensure your project is completed by a qualified professional.
Data Sources: License information from California CSLB. Ratings and reviews from Google. Last verified March 10, 2026.
This comparison is based on publicly available information. We recommend getting multiple quotes and verifying all credentials directly before hiring.
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