Varsity Painters

The guys at Varsity Painters were very easy to deal with and very polite. When they were out to provide a bid, I felt very at ease when discussing what we wanted. They provided an in depth explanation on exactly what they were going to do & why they were going to do it. Some of the others did not do this. After we selected them, we proceeded to schedule the rough date and they were there when they said they would be. They started the outside prep work while we were at work and painted a sample of the color we picked out together. When the wife and I got home, the color was not what was on the sample. We spoke with them and they went back to the paint store to get the paint tinted to get closer to what we wanted. I ended up sending them back to the paint store twice to re-tint and on the third try, they hit the nail on the head! They were very polite and understanding with this process as we wanted to make sure we had the exact color we wanted. They only took a few days to paint the whole outside of the house and then did the inside as well. They fixed all cracks and dents/ holes in the drywall and did a great job taping and edging and painting. They covered or moved all furniture and we had no issues with paint getting on anything it shouldn't have. If I ever need anything painted again, inside or out, I would not hesitate to use them again. Everything looks great and we couldn't be happier.

Fantastic. Outstanding communication from Joe, even just to say that he received my message and would get an answer soon. The team was also professional and friendly. They were responsive to my picky request and they always had a smile on their faces. My children played around them at one point and I felt totally comfortable with that. They worked hard! I also liked that Joe checked in to inspect everything before the job was done. Very personable. My house looks like a different one now. Follow-Up: A few weeks after the job was completely, I cleaned my windows. Many of them are brand new. I saw that they ALL had a dusting of white paint, as a result of their sprayer. My windows were not taped during the spray process. I also noticed that not just one, but ALL, of my blue shutters were sprayed with white paint on the upper 1/3 of the shutter. I contacted Joe. He responded immediately and visited our home quickly. He resolved to fix the problem and he commented that he would personally inspect each and every window. I was satisfied with that. HOWEVER, that's where the communication ended. After I didn't hear from him again over a week later, I contacted the company for a status update. I had to contact them again when I didn't hear back. I finally heard from Joe. He sent his crew a few days later. I was to be home, so they could clean the new windows from the inside. They never spoke to me. They worked quickly and cleaned the shutters. However, I walked into my front yard a few hours into it and they were gone. No one checked with me. No one cleaned the new windows. No follow-up from Joe. I didn't attempt to contact them again. While I was satisfied in the beginning, I remained disappointed in the end. This was an "easy" fix and it didn't get the attention it needed. I spent 5 hours cleaning the pain of the windows myself. Paint that shouldn't have been there in the first place, had the prep been done correctly. I know mistakes happen, but this was all avoidable and very easily resolved with the same attention they gave to get my business.

Estimate process was fair and informative. We were kept apprised of process and steps the entire time. Crew was professional, extremely competent and quite friendly. The finished job looks amazing. We would recommend Varsity to anyone.

House in need of serious scraping and painting--had not been maintained or repainted in 20 years--lead based paint from 1938 was the undercoat we had to deal with so no pressure washing or sanding was permitted. Dealt with owner Steve Melander and his crew who were wonderful, very responsive and pleasant to work with. The house 1st had some rather extensive carpentry repair work done by a contractor that the Varsity painters recommended, Peter Wolff.. HIs crew also very very good to deal with. Mainly both companies did the work not only on time but actually earlier than originally planned which helped a lot as we had a series of steps needing to be done --each dependent on the previous one getting done on time. Their estimates were not the lowest nor the highest but both jobs came in right on budget and as said earlier it was so great to have them done early. The 2 companies communicated and worked their schedules to coordinate which also was a great help. Steve was terrific as well in handling a change on the burgundy door and shutter trim color after 1st coat came in too bright and more on the red side--2nd coat toned it down to the preferred burgundy color. Would definitely use them again. The one thing which is a bit frustrating is how the 2 sides of the house which were is the worst condition were not able to get scraped down to bare wood --in other words in spite of vigorous scaping there is the uneven texture of some of the old paint that adhered to the old heavy siding--in the front it is a good look that mimics textured siding but is a more obviously uneven on the south and west exposures. Steve was very good about coming out and talking this over with us and we agreed it is the best that can be done at this time. Interestingly a home owner could sand the siding himself but any contrac tor would be bound by the EPA rulings for lead paint. The Varsity crew redid the whole house cape cod style with a small 2nd story porch out back with 2 coats of soft gray paint and a oil primer sealer over the bare wood and any nail heads. They did all the trim in white as well as white on the storms and screens that were on the house and then did shutters and front door in burgundy. It really looks great and the crew did a good job of clean up and were very pleasant to have on site. Crew was punctual, efficient and very hard working!

The job started and ended on time. Edy and his team were excellent and a joy to have around the house. They are very talented men and are proud of their work. They worked quickly and carefully. Everything was ready to go when they left. The areas they worked in were cleaned up. It was a pleasure from start to finish having these guys work for us.

Our house needed repainting and some minor repair to cedar siding. I contacted Varsity Painters based on the good reports from Angies List. Joe Perry did the estimate. As we walked around the house I pointed out where we needed the repair work done so we could coordinate both the carpentry and painting aspects of the job. Two sides of the house really only needed minor carpentry work, otherwise they looked OK. Joe suggested that we only paint the two sides that needed it the most. that was fantastic. I've talked to painters working in the neighborhood in the past and they were reluctant, at best, to give an estimate for half a house. Joe's suggestion was welcome. I also had Joe Perry suggest a carpenter for the work needed and we went with his suggestion. The only problems we had were scheduling issues. I believe that was mostly in the coordination of the carpentry and painting and not just with varsity. In short the job was done and looks great. Good job!

We had a wonderful experience--from the initial estimate to the completed project. Everyone was very professional and courteous and the work was excellent.

Work was finished ahead of schedule. Service went above and beyond including replacement of several siding boards that were not on the original estimate for no additional price. They also touched up the paint on some areas that were not part of the estimate, and reinstalled lights that I had painted. Again no charge and no problem. Painters were friendly and professional. They truly cared about what they were doing and did a great job. No messes or paint splatter after completion and clean up was thorough. My house looks great, it was done well and at a great price!

The estimate was free. They were fine and very professional. They showed up on time and they seemed like a good company. They were very responsive but we didn't end up using them.

It turned out well. There was a problem with the paint not the process and they have been very helpful resolving that. I like their responsiveness to any questions and the communication throughout the process. The crew is very professional and you are very comfortable having them on your property for days on end. The cleanup was excellent and I will use them again in the problem

Varisty Painters are very promt. They are always on time. They use the highest grade of materials. They are very fair and reasonably priced. They tell you everything up front so you know exactly what to expect. They have a great crew in which networks very well.

We decided to put our house on the market. I called Joe Perry since I have had good experiences with him in the past. He came right out and gave me an estimate for both interior & exterior painting. I explained that we were in a time crunch as we were trying to get our house on the market and time was short. He managed to work it all out so that we would have our house ready in time. The crew was punctual, through & professional. The work was outstanding and done on time. Joe was even flexible enough to be able to add some additional ad hoc work that I noticed needed to be done after we got the initial bid. I have been very happy with Joe Perry and Varsity Painters. If I were staying in Minnesota, I would continue to use them.

Poorly. Scheduling, Joe and his crew were great. Upfront he is nice, prepares a bid quickly, and is responsive. If the exterior of your house is new and looks nice already, they could be a good low-cost option. If you have an older house with tile or fascia challenges, probably not your best option. Greatest Hits: -Broken leaded window pane (not disclosed to us...we had to find and report) (mistakes happen, but not disclosing makes it worse) -Broken garden hose (not disclosed to us...we had to find and report) (mistakes happen, but not disclosing makes it worse) -The crew washed their paint and chemicals off in our lawn rather than off-site like other companies. We were left with multiple clumps of paint and dead patches in our lawn and backyard moss (not disclosed to us...we had to report and find) (just not very professional) -A hose was left on running for an entire day after a morning stop to touch-up. -I was told upfront they easily do fascia board repair on site. On site, I was told a different story and they needed to call a carpenter. I told our roofers who offered to not do it specifically because I was told they have it handled. -If you have flat exterior areas that need prep work to fill in easy sizable areas, the bid will not include working these areas. On site, I was told they are a re-painter and to get the result I was talking about, it includes stripping all the wood and that is 4-5 times the amount. In reality, all I was asking for was standard prep work on flat surfaces, not perfection. Big picture, they mean well and Joe is a nice guy, but the attention to detail was lacking and the small mistakes just piled up and made us not happy. If you hire them, specify to not wash off in your lawn, self-report any damage, and confirm what prep work you think you need upfront. To be fair, the end result looks nice, but we would not have gotten the final result had we not demanded better prep work.

I have a lot of experience in painting. I built my own home and I know a great deal about construction and painting and they did a better job in painting than I could have done. They were meticulous and payed attention to detail. They were so courteous and polite. They cleaned up and made everything look great. They were very respectful.

We couldn't be happier with the results. I initially got 3 estimates and decided to go with Varsity Painters based on a combination of Angie's list and price. The crew was courteous and polite, and very mindful of not damaging our landscaping and covering everything up etc., I should mention that my house is very difficult to paint because there are places that can't be reached by hand even when standing on the second story roof. It also has a vey steep roof, and my house also hadn't been painted for a long time so there was considerable prep work involved in the job. The bottom line is that they did a great job. They didn't cut corners on the prep work and the result is that my house has never looked so good. I would recommend Varsity Painters without reservations to anyone considering having any exterior painting done. 4 Different neighbors have commented on how great the house works.

Even though I knew Varisty Painters would do a great job, I contacted two other painting contractors to get a competitive bid and their price was right in the ball park and I thought the price was more than fair for what was completed. I know they have liability insurance and workers comp and this was really important to me and you don't, you should always ask to see a copy of their coverage and don't take their word for it. You can trust, but you must verify. Anyway, I could go on and on, but in summary, hire Varisty Painters with confidence and make sure you to have Joe Perry come out to meet you and give you the quote. He is a very pleasant guy and he knows his business and is one of the owners. These guys are straight shooters and I would highly recommend them. I will hire them again and again and again for big and small jobs. Don't take my word for it, read the other 60+ plus reports on Angie's List and see what others say about Varsity Painters. If it wasn't for Angie's List, I would still be going through the classified ads in the local paper and hiring somebody in the blind like I did for years and getting mediiocre results. Those days are over! Thank you, Joe Perry and Varsity Painters for a sensational job, two times in a row (at a very good price)! You are FIVE STARS in my eyes!

I really liked him right off the bat. He didn't pressure us at all. He was priced great. He did a wonderful job. He cleaned up so well. He is such a nice person. He was so friendly and nice. He painted my husbands grab bars for free! He also painted my neighbors house that was huge. People really like him.

It was very good, curteous, and polite. He was very prompt, kept his time commitments. He was also very thorough in completing his estimate. He completed the work within the time given, and also had an accurate estimate.

the attention to detail was incredible. their team saw and fixed issues than I had no seen previously.

Joe came out to provide an estimate and provided excellent advice on picking colors. We had been looking for grays and couldn't find what we wanted, Joe suggested looking at some different colors and they ended up being the ones we wanted. Varsity did an amazing job prepping the rooms to paint, and working with us as we still needed to be able to move through the painting area to get to/from other parts of the house. They also managed to prevent two cats from messing up the whole project. The project took 4 days and a clean up day which was appropriate for the scope. The finished work looks amazing. We have received numerous compliments on the change from wood trim to bright white and the colors for the walls as well. As for the price, I'm really cheap so that's the only reason I didn't give Varsity an A, but the price seemed reasonable and seeing the finished product makes it all worth it

Varsity received my email through Angies List and contacted me promptly to find out my specific needs. I wasn't able to make the work happen on my end with other contractors in the mix, but I was really impressed with Varsity's can do attitude and promptness in getting back to me. I will be contacting them in the future for my painting needs.

Company rep, Steve Melander, arrived promptly. I was asking for an exterior painting quote to paint my trim for next Spring. However, Steve informed me that due to the warm fall, they had not finished up their exterior work for the season yet and in fact had a cancellation and could complete my work within days. I hadn't planned on it, but was anxious to get the work done. In addition to quoting on the trim work on the second level that I was unable to handle (no large ladders, etc.), he quoted me a very reasonable price to finish up the trim on the first floor, of which I had only managed to do half of all year! The work included repairing areas of rotten wood. I felt his price was reasonable. His men were hard working and they finished everything they agreed to and a few extra bits with no additional charge; a small hexagonal window and three garage windows, which were not originally quoted. Steve also threw in painting of the metal porch railing, which we had scraped in preparation of painting. I would definitely recommend this company!

Very well! Arbor is a complex structure with many parts requiring hand application. No rolling or spraying. Everything that was supposed to be stained was and no missed places or stain where it didn't belong. No spills and very nice clean-up.

We contacted and got estimates from 5 contractors. It became immediately evident that Steve Melander from Varsity Painters had the knowledge and experience that we were looking for. His estimate was very detailed and competitive. The once beautiful redwood siding on our home was in bad shape. It had been 15 years since any stain had been applied. The sides of the house varied greatly in terms of fading. Steve was extremely helpful in helping pick the right colors, recommending the types of stains and paints, and the right manufacturers. The surface prep was excellent as were the results. As previously mentioned, the sides of the house varied greatly in terms weathering. This created a huge challenge when it came to getting a consistent look with semi transparent stains. We wanted to revive the look you get with a semi and the underlying grain of the redwood. So during the applying of the stain, it became evident that the color used on one side of the house didn't work for the other sides. Steve immediately became our solution expert guy. He would make suggestions, get and test custom batches of stain - problem solved! It was always so refreshing to always get a "Here's how we can solve this and or make it better" approach. Bottom line - excellent prep, excellent stains and paints (windows and doors), excellent results, first class customer interaction. He really was focused and committed to making us happy.

Overall it was positive and I am happy with the end result. The initial bid was higher than the other two I received, but we can up with an alternative (second coat on some parts, single coat on others) which lowered the price a little and seemed like a good approach given the exposure. I gave one "b" because several times near the "end" some issues came up which had to be re-addressed. The most concerning was one area of dry rot which was heavily painted instead of being corrected as originally agreed upon. To Varsity's credit, every issue I brought up was addressed, but I felt like if I had been less diligent going over the work, some things could have slide by that were done incorrectly at first.