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Baldwin Custom Painting vs Five Star Painting
Sacramento Painting Contractors Comparison · Updated March 2026
Baldwin Custom Painting brings 5 more years of licensed experience and substantial customer feedback demonstrating proven quality, while Five Star Painting has limited verifiable project history.
| Baldwin Custom Painting | Five Star Painting | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 5.0 | ★ 3.0 |
| Years Licensed | 13 years | 8 years |
| License # | 979367 | 1033495 |
| Workers' Comp | — | — |
| Bond Amount | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Location | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento, CA |
| Website | baldwincustompainting.com | www.fivestarpainting.com |
Key Differences
What Customers Say
Baldwin Custom Painting
Customers consistently emphasize Baldwin's thorough surface preparation, precision with detailed trim and woodwork, and reliable communication throughout projects.
Key Takeaway: Baldwin Custom Painting has verifiable customer feedback demonstrating quality patterns across multiple project types, while Five Star Painting lacks public project history despite 8 years of operation.
Customer Reviews
Baldwin Custom Painting
Jeff did a great job. He was on time, clean and professional. And dis an exceptional job painting. I would highly recommend him.
I expected a great exterior paint job from Jeff and his team based on his reviews and they still managed to exceed my high expectations. They were meticulous in prepping the job, he caulked gaps and h...
Jeff and his crew painted the extensive wood moulding and trim in our 3400 sq ft home. His work was amazing. Naturally, it had to be detailed because it was all trim. Additionally, he got the color ...
Five Star Painting
Good Service
Consider Baldwin Custom Painting if...
- ✓ Your project involves older homes, detailed trim work, or architectural features requiring precision and experience diagnosing hidden issues
- ✓ You value documented customer feedback showing consistent quality patterns, particularly thorough surface preparation that prevents future paint failure
- ✓ Your home has complex woodwork or you need color consultation from someone with hands-on craft knowledge
- ✓ You want the owner directly involved in your project for guidance and quality oversight
Consider Five Star Painting if...
- ✓ You've obtained strong references directly from Five Star Painting that demonstrate quality work similar to your project scope
- ✓ Your location falls within their defined service area and they've confirmed availability for your timeline
- ✓ You've verified their current crew experience and received detailed answers about their preparation standards and warranty terms
- ✓ Price quotes show significant savings that justify working with a company lacking public project history
Questions to Ask Before Hiring
- → Ask both companies to confirm current liability insurance coverage and verify whether your homeowner's policy covers contractor injuries on your property given neither carries workers compensation
- → Ask Five Star Painting for at least three recent references with projects similar to yours in scope and complexity, and follow up with those customers directly
- → Ask both companies how long their current painting crews have worked together and what their surface preparation process includes step-by-step
- → Ask Five Star Painting why customer feedback is not publicly available and request documentation of completed projects from the past two years
The Bottom Line
Baldwin Custom Painting is the more defensible choice for most homeowners who need to decide this week. With 13 years of licensed experience and documented customer feedback showing meticulous preparation and detail work, you have verifiable evidence of quality performance. Five Star Painting may deliver comparable results, but without customer feedback after 8 years in business, you're accepting significantly more uncertainty. The workers compensation issue affects both equally—address liability coverage directly with whichever company you choose and verify your homeowner's policy implications before signing. If your project involves older homes, detailed trim, or complex surfaces, Baldwin's proven track record with those scenarios makes the decision clearer.
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Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on your project complexity. For straightforward repaints on newer homes with good existing surfaces, the gap matters less. For older homes, detailed trim, or projects where hidden damage might emerge during prep work, 13 years versus 8 years means more pattern recognition for solving problems without compromising quality or timeline. Baldwin's documented experience with historic homes and complex woodwork suggests capability Five Star Painting hasn't publicly demonstrated.
This could mean several things: they may focus on commercial work not reflected in residential reviews, operate primarily through repeat customers who don't leave public feedback, or have limited project volume. Without knowing which scenario applies, you're making a hiring decision with less information. Ask them directly for their project volume and references from the past 18 months.
This is a genuine liability concern. If a painter is injured on your property, your homeowner's insurance may be responsible for medical costs and lost wages, potentially affecting your rates or coverage. Before signing with either company, contact your insurance agent to understand your exposure and require both contractors to provide proof of comprehensive general liability insurance at minimum.
The reviews provide evidence of consistent quality patterns—meticulous prep work, attention to detail, reliable communication—that reduce your risk of hiring someone who talks well but delivers poorly. Combined with 5 additional years of licensed experience, this documented track record gives you reasonable confidence about what you're buying. Five Star Painting may perform equally well, but you'd be deciding without that verification.
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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 13, 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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