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California Painting vs Five Star Painting
Sacramento Painting Contractors Comparison · Updated March 2026
California Painting brings 57 years of licensed experience and full workers compensation coverage versus Five Star Painting's 8 years without workers comp on file.
| California Painting | Five Star Painting | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 5.0 | ★ 3.0 |
| Years Licensed | 57 years | 8 years |
| License # | 256308 | 1033495 |
| Workers' Comp | ✓ Yes | — |
| Bond Amount | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Location | Fair Oaks, CA | Sacramento, CA |
| Website | — | www.fivestarpainting.com |
Key Differences
Customer Reviews
California Painting
No reviews available
Five Star Painting
Good Service
Consider California Painting if...
- ✓ You're working on an older home that may have lead paint, hidden wood damage, or substrate issues requiring experienced diagnosis and remediation
- ✓ You want to minimize liability risk with full workers compensation coverage protecting you if someone is injured during the project
- ✓ You value the stability and problem-solving depth that comes from 57 years of continuous operation in the Sacramento market
- ✓ Your project involves complex color matching, historic preservation standards, or unusual surface preparation challenges
Consider Five Star Painting if...
- ✓ Your project is straightforward residential repainting without complications and you're comfortable with the workers comp situation
- ✓ You've confirmed your homeowner's insurance provides adequate coverage for contractor injuries and you're willing to accept that exposure
- ✓ Their Sacramento location is more convenient to your property than Fair Oaks
- ✓ You've verified your address falls within their defined service area and they can accommodate your timeline
Questions to Ask Before Hiring
- → Ask Five Star Painting directly about their liability coverage and confirm with your homeowner's insurance whether you're protected if a worker is injured on your property
- → Ask California Painting for references from projects similar to yours, particularly if your home has unique challenges like age, architectural details, or previous coating failures
- → Ask Five Star about their crew stability and how long their current painters have been with the company
- → Ask both contractors how they handle substrate preparation issues discovered mid-project and what their change order process looks like
The Bottom Line
California Painting is the clearer choice for most homeowners, particularly those with older homes, complex projects, or concerns about liability protection. The 57-year track record and full workers compensation coverage provide significantly better risk management than Five Star's profile. Five Star Painting could work for straightforward projects if you've confirmed your homeowner's insurance covers contractor injuries and you're comfortable with that exposure, but understand you're accepting real liability risk to work with them. For a decision this week, prioritize the contractor who protects you from injury claims and brings the experience to handle complications without drama.
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Frequently Asked Questions
For a straightforward repaint of newer construction in good condition, the gap matters less. But if your home was built before 1978, has stucco issues, wood rot, or previous coating failures, California Painting's five decades of problem-solving experience becomes significantly more valuable. They've seen complications Five Star simply hasn't encountered yet.
If a Five Star painter is injured at your home, your homeowner's insurance may become the primary coverage, potentially leading to a claim on your policy. This could affect your rates or result in direct liability if the injury exceeds your coverage limits. Before hiring them, call your insurance agent to understand your specific exposure.
Both carry the same $25,000 bond, which provides identical financial protection if work isn't completed as agreed. However, California Painting's 57 years of continuous operation demonstrates sustained business practices and long-term stability, while Five Star's 8-year track record is solid but more limited.
It could. Contractors who define specific service areas typically do so to manage travel efficiency, which can be positive for scheduling. However, you should confirm during consultation that your location is within their primary zone and won't result in reduced availability or higher travel charges.
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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 11, 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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