Compare Local Pros
Excellent Painting vs Northstar Painting
Solano Painting Contractors Comparison · Updated March 2026
Excellent Painting brings 41 years of experience but lacks workers compensation insurance, while Northstar Painting is newer but carries full coverage and has documented customer satisfaction.
| Excellent Painting | Northstar Painting | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 5.0 | ★ 5.0 |
| Years Licensed | 41 years | 2 years |
| License # | 461330 | 1124468 |
| Workers' Comp | — | ✓ Yes |
| Bond Amount | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Location | Vacaville, CA | Fairfield, CA |
| Website | — | painterfairfield.com |
Key Differences
What Customers Say
Northstar Painting
Customers consistently praise punctual arrivals, professional communication throughout projects, attention to detail during prep work, and organized crews that respect occupied homes.
Key Takeaway: Northstar Painting provides documented customer feedback showing reliable execution, while Excellent Painting offers no review data to assess their current performance or customer experience.
Customer Reviews
Excellent Painting
Great painting company!!
Northstar Painting
A job well done for sure! The owner and the crew paid attention to every detail of the job.
Jose and his incredible team did an outstanding job. From his professionalism responding to my request for quote and quick responses to every question. The team showed up on time every day and went a...
Jose from NorthStar painted my home and did an amazing job! Him and his team were amazing to deal with!
Consider Excellent Painting if...
- ✓ Your project involves a complex older home with potential hidden issues like lead paint, extensive rot, or failing substrates where four decades of diagnostic experience could prevent costly mistakes.
- ✓ You're comfortable verifying their current insurance situation directly and potentially accepting liability exposure if workers compensation remains unavailable.
- ✓ You value maximum experience over documented customer feedback and are willing to request references directly since no reviews are available.
Consider Northstar Painting if...
- ✓ You want to eliminate personal liability risk with confirmed workers compensation coverage protecting you if someone is injured during your project.
- ✓ Your project is straightforward residential painting where their documented strengths in punctuality, organization, and communication matter more than decades of experience.
- ✓ You value transparent customer feedback showing consistent performance on interior painting, exterior work, and cabinet refinishing.
- ✓ You're working with an older home requiring careful prep work, an area where customers specifically mention Northstar's attention to detail.
Questions to Ask Before Hiring
- → Ask Excellent Painting directly about their current workers compensation status and request a certificate of insurance; if unavailable, consult your homeowner's insurance agent about your liability exposure.
- → Ask Excellent Painting for references from projects completed in the past year to verify current quality and reliability given the absence of customer reviews.
- → Ask Northstar Painting for references from projects involving complications or unexpected conditions to assess how they handle problems beyond routine work.
- → Confirm crew size and supervision arrangements with both companies, particularly important given Excellent Painting's lack of injury coverage.
The Bottom Line
For most homeowners, Northstar Painting is the lower-risk choice. Their workers compensation insurance alone eliminates a significant liability exposure that Excellent Painting creates. While Excellent Painting's 41 years offers superior diagnostic experience for complex older homes with hidden problems, that advantage doesn't outweigh the insurance gap unless you're facing a genuinely complicated project and can verify alternative coverage arrangements. Northstar's documented customer feedback shows they execute residential projects reliably with strong communication and organization. If you're leaning toward Excellent Painting for their experience, make workers compensation verification your first conversation and get it in writing.
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Frequently Asked Questions
For straightforward repaints with no complications, the gap matters less. But if your project involves an older home, questionable existing surfaces, or potential moisture issues, those four decades mean Excellent Painting has seen every failure pattern and knows when prep work needs to go deeper. Northstar's two years means they're still building that diagnostic library, though their reviews show they handle prep work carefully.
The injured worker can file a claim against your homeowner's insurance for medical expenses and lost wages. Your insurance may cover it, but your premiums could increase, and you might face legal complications. This isn't a small paperwork issue—it's real financial liability that transfers to you when a contractor lacks coverage.
Two years is limited for pattern recognition with hidden problems, but their reviews specifically mention successful work on older homes requiring extensive prep. The key is asking them directly about experience with complications similar to what your project might involve. If your home is older or has concerning signs, request references from similar projects.
Some sole proprietors or very small operations choose not to carry it to reduce costs, while others may use subcontractors who carry their own. The reason matters less than the liability it creates for you. Ask Excellent Painting directly about their staffing model and insurance arrangements before signing any contract.
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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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