Reviews of College Works Painting (Painter)

Judy McCleary

For Kyle Vanwambeke: Kyle made a professional presentation about painting our house in the Spring. It was solid and answered all of our questions nicely. So we scheduled the job. The painting was very fast and went quite well. When I mentioned things that needed attention Kyle came out on his own time and corrected the things. I also had discussed a few things with the painter who painted our house in 1993 they were in agreement with what Kyle said. This is an older (1966) house made of rough cedar. It is not easy to do and considering the weather and other factors, they did a pretty darn good job. Thank You. John and Judy McCleary

Stacy Logan

We had lots of knot holes and woodpecker holes in our cedar. They repaired all of them, and applied paint with bug-out to help prevent more woodpecker damage. There were walls up on the roof and even an exterior wall in our solarium that they remembered to get. When Paul came to give me the estimate, I was very impressed with his professionalism. I liked the fact that this company does an outstanding job with these college students, despite the fact that they need to continually train new students as their staff graduate and move on to the careers they are going to college for. The workers showed up on time, cleaned up after themselves each day, and got the job done quickly, within our tight timeline.

G'nee Andrulis

I wanted to thank Michael for the wonderful job he & his crew did painting our house. The crew was polite, neat and on time - all the things a homeowner is looking for in a contractor. Even when we discovered an area that needed retouching, Michael was quick to respond and addressed the area promptly. While we don't expect to be repainting our home soon, we would definitely look to College Works when the time comes.

Jeff Savacool

I hired Paul Odom to paint my home this past spring. He came by my home several different times to answer all my questions, show me paint samples, and lay out all the steps he would use to finish the job. Paul kept me in the loop when any change in schedule was to be made. Paul and his team did a wonderful job of meeting all of my requirements and finished the job quickly and professionally. I am very satisfied with the job Paul did and would recommend him to anyone who needs their house painted.

Lori

Promised a quality job! (Written on my contract) Was very disappointed in the end! Gave them 3 chances to get it right and it just didn’t happen! Was charged over a 1300.00 dollars for a living and hallway ceiling which after not ever being satisfied had to hire professional painters for half the price! Never again college works never again! Upper management in Irvine California! When they come to your door don’t answer!!!! Go with a professional!

Tracy Koenen

While Sam and Mitch did a good job painting the house, I was not happy with the amount of paint on my lawn plus they did not attach my trellis back to the house (had to get a neighbor to do it for me). Also the garage door was very streaky and when they returned to re-spray it they left my hose sitting on the ground in the front yard. Not sure I would recommend them to friends.

Allen Straub

I was impressed by the professionalism of the foreman and his staff. They did a great job and had an eye for detail. I would recommend their services.

Emily Hoffman

I had them do an accent wall and they got the job done in the end, but there was a lot of oversight demanded of me and they had to come back to correct two drip spots. Not an excellent experience

Bo Borland

Bradley Shulman and his team of painters did a great job on the exterior of our house. Bradley was patient and helped us pick out the right color after testing several choices. They are a hard working and reliable team that I would recommend and use again.

Rebecca Adler

My home was painted by a crew from College Works Painting under the supervision of Philip Meyer. I was impressed with Phil’s thorough approach to the estimating process, his desire to meet our high expectations, and his congenial, professional presentation. On painting days, Phil and his crew were respectful of our property and our feedback. He and his crew were polite and made every effort to avoid disrupting our daily life during this large job, and cleaned up the work site thoroughly each day. As an adult education professional, I believe in the importance of providing young men and women with job skills and experience to take into their post-graduate world. I think College Works has done a good job training the collegians in their employ, and that Phil in particular has developed the communication, follow-through, and customer service skills that will help make him a very successful professional.

Chad Kirchhoff

Drew was a very profession young man. We were originally nervous about a college painting company but he went through the entire process with us including the warranty. He kept us up to date on the progress and was attentive to our questions and concerns. We have already recommended him to our friends and family. If you are looking for a a great quality paint job you should reach out to Drew.

Samuel McNally

I am writing this on behalf of Courtney Vadnais, who painted my deck last summer. From the beginning, Courtney was very thorough and professional and made sure to help me pick colors as well as keep me updated on the start date. The project was pushed back due to weather, but she kept me updated the entire time. Her crews came out and worked efficiently and when I saw any areas that needed touch ups Courtney made sure to fix them herself right away. I have an extremely large deck, and Courtney and her crews did a great job at freshening it up! -Laura McNally

Mahesh Khatri

Very poor job in all areas. Will never ever hire them again.

T Riley

Brian Robinson was great. He came to my house, provided me with the thorough history of the company, a free estimate, and an indepth overview of the steps of the job. Once I decided to have my fence power washed and stained, Brian came by and did a pre job visit. They did a great job on my fence! The power washing made an amazing difference and the stain is just beautiful! I would definitely use their services again.

Christy Rickabaugh

We hired Brian to paint the second level of our house and he was great! He was on time every day, very professional, polite, and kept everything clean. He helped us choose between 3 colors by painting 3 samples on the siding so we could see them in the sun. Overall we were very impressed with the color change. We would highly recommend Brian & College Works painting to friends & family.

Matt Pregmon

Christian came to the door a couple months ago. Very polite and professional. Reasonable price to paint two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Work started last Tuesday on what we were told would be a two day job. He staffed the job with two inexperienced college kids. They painted the middle of the wall first and then edged with a gimmicky edging tool that left streaks. We found paint on the carpet and our bathroom cabinets. Oh, they used caulk to “patch” the nail holes and other damage. That didn’t work and I ended up doing the prep for them. At the end of day three they were not even halfway done and the quality was fair in the middle and horrible on the edges. After firing them before day four, we found that they broke our garden hose because they couldn’t even wind it up correctly and left paint residue on the hose reel and patio pavers. Do yourself a favor. Hire a true professional. Our professional was able to come in and correct this disaster within two days. This was a $1000 mistake. Do not make the same mistake.

Kirsten Straughan

We hired College Works Painting, lead by Alex Fulton, to paint the trim on our 2 story stucco home in Oak Park, IL. The project was completed in a few days which I appreciated. The quality of their work was great and I was impressed with the time they spent to prepare the old surface (the house is over 100 years old) prior to painting. I would use them again. Hans Lagoni

Tim Jackson Jackson

Quality work and good leadership.

Michael P

I was very happy with the experience with Chuck L. from College Works Painting. Chuck and his crew painted the outside trim and gutters on my home. He was energetic, attentive to detail, made welcome recommendations on paint color and paint quality and followed through to ensure I was satisfied with their finished product. I would recommend College Works Painting to others, and Chuck in particular. He has a bright future as an entrepreneur.

Shane Krauch

44yr old contractor did all my painting. He did an awesome job! Never saw a college student other than the initial sale. Will deal with the contractor directly. Haven't even heard from a college student or rep....

Ronke Champion

I had the pleasure of working with Mike Marciszewki and his crew from College works this summer, I was very impressed by his professionalism and his composure, and most especially by the knowledge of his products and services available to me and my options. I had a short time to get my house ready for my big event, Michael and his crew came through, each work day they left my house in a clean shape that I could barely tell there was serious work going on Most especially the price was very reasonable for the finish products. My deck has never looked so beautiful in 8 years of living in my house.. That was the hanging place for all my guests from all over the world. Thank you again for completing the task ahead of schedule and for doing a good job.

patty miner

Kyle VanWambeke and his team did a great job painting our entire exterior house. They were courteous and hard working. I would use them again and highly recommend them.

Emily Gass

Alex did a nice job.

T. Moskovich

College Works painting crew did excellent job painting our house exterior. Job was well organized, done on schedule, fast, and accurate. Very young college kids, but mature, responsible, and knowledgable. The house looks great, thank you!

Ron Marsh

Don't ever do business with these people....Once they have your phone number they call you incessantly but never leave a message. They block Caller ID so it doesn't identify who is calling. Their work is OK at best, and it isn't worth the later hassle they inflict.

QMichael Tarlach

A very respected company to trust for your painting needs. Rachel Tarlach, and her staff were very courteous and knowledgeable of their trade. We had our Garage and front patio painted. Also we had a power wash performed on our Vinyl Siding. The staff arrived early in the morning and completed late in the evening. They had us inspect the work and anything we wanted touched up was done immediately to our perfection. I highly recommend this company for your painting needs.

MS Solley

We are so sorry we got involved with these people. Donovan and brendon destroyed my backyard. They were hired to stain the deck with 2 coats, and paint the south side of the house (used only 1 and deck looks terrible!) They did not cover anything and got paint all over furniture, trim, plants and pots. They tried cleaning a chair with a power washer and ripped the fabric. They spilled a can of paint on my patio and did not clean it. At the end of the job leftover paint was dumped at the curb in front of my house, staining the street. They stood on my A/C unit and fell thru it, we are now without air and it’s 90 degrees here. Make sure you hire a reputable painter not these inexperienced kids.

Phyllis Thacker

The end results look great, but the whole experience with this company was exasperating. Staffing was unreliable (different painters, unsure when they would arrive), poor supervision, disregard to property ( paint on driveway, lawn furniture, damages). The painting project took longer than anticipated due to inexperience staff. If hired, the homeowner will need to keep a watchful eye that all is going well and correctly, and intervene accordingly to insure overall expected results.

John Hall

Alex Plavnik and his crew were professional throughout the entire process. Alex was knowledgeable about the College Works process, pricing estimate, paint/stain options and time estimate. He did a good job explaining what we should expect throughout the job. Alex's team of painters worked very hard, was very neat and was very easy to have around our home. Alex's communication about the actual start date of our job could have been been better.

Jennifer

We just had the exterior of our home repainted. Changing the color from blue to a beige/tan. Not a good experience at all. Rachel Tarlach came out to give us the quote and promised a lot on what would be done. She also said she would come out to do the final walk through and that never happened. Pretty much 90% of what she told us was not done. Apparently the job was contracted out to a company called Certa-Pro/Dundee Painting. We were told that there will be a team of 4-5 guys would be out to do the work and will be completed in 2 days. There was 1 guy who came out and it took 2 wks to complete. There was one other guys that came to help twice in that 2wks period. As they painted the sidings, they missed certain areas and I pointed out to them. CJ, the painter told me that I only paid for one coat of paint. If he had to go back a put paint on the areas he missed that is considered two coats. Im not a painter but if you missed some areas, that means there are no paint on it in the first place so that cant be considered as a second coat. We ended up paying for the extra paint on top of what we have been quated for so he can go back to touch up on the areas that was not painted. Anyways after all said and done there are still areas of the siding that is uneven and I have to climb up the ladder myself to finish the job properly. Also, he left paint drops all over my brick paver patio, on my front porch roof, got the beige paint on my white window trims, soffit, and down spout. My husband texted him to see if he would come back to touch up the areas he was suppose to do but he never responded. Learned my lesson. Never again. They promise a lot just to get the job. DO NOT HIRE THESE PEOPLE.

Alicia Nyambwa

Horrible. Would give them 0 stars if possible. We hired Joe and Maddie out of the Illinois division. We were having the front exterior entry way and windows as well as all the overhangs and garage doors painted. They said they would be out on Sept 14th with their crew to start. Well, it was just those 2. They just started painting without powerwashing anything. They also started in several different places and didn't just finished one area before moving on. I mentioned to them about the cleaning before painting, and he said it would be ok. They were here Sat and Sun most of the day. On Sunday, Joe told me that they had to let the primer set for 5-7 days, which I knew was incorrect, but they had a lot of other stuff to do, so it was not a big deal. They left Sunday night. Never came back. I called Wednesday to find out what happened. I was told the primer needed to set for 7-10 days and they couldn't come back out until the weekend of the 28th. I was very upset with this as we live in a HOA. Thursday I called to make a complaint to see if we could get this done sooner. I was told I would receive a call from a higher up in 24-48hrs. I had to call them back on Tuesday and threaten to get a lawyer before someone called back. Finally Tyler called back. He immediately started with, well they've completed 10% of the job and the paint was 8% so you would owe us... I stopped him and asked him what he was talking about. He said Joe told him I didn't want the job finished. I informed him that I had not talked to Joe since Wednesday and said no such thing. By this point I was stuck waiting until the weekend for them to come back. Tyler promised me that when they came back, they would work until the job was finished. Tyler called me on Thur or Friday to inform me that there was rain in the forecast on Sat so they might not be able to paint and that Joe could only work a half day on Sunday, then wouldn't be able to come back for 2 weeks. I explained to him that he promised that they would work on it until it was done and if they couldn't uphold their end, we needed our deposit back and they could come get the paint. He told me that since they completed 10% of the job, they would keep the deposit. I informed them how the contract that we signed with Joe stated we would not be charged until the job was complete. He said they would be out to finish the job if it wasn't raining. Saturday comes and it's a bright, shiny, dry day. At noon I finally call Joe to see where they were with no answer. Then I left a message for Tyler. He called me back later that evening saying they were refunding our deposit and we could keep the paint. They did send a refund, but now we were left finding someone else to complete the job and our HOA is on us about getting it finished. Also, there are places where the paint is already chipping because they did not clean it. We are getting new estimates, but we were informed that they can not guarantee the job because since they painted without cleaning it, the paint will probably chip off over the next couple of years. College Works, you will be paying for any further issues we have over the next 3yr (the length of the warranty we were given by Joe) because no one else can guarantee their work because of you. DO NOT USE COLLEGE WORKS PAINTING. THEY ARE UNPROFESSIONAL AND UNRELIABLE.

Peggy Griffith

Good communication, good work and product. Very happy with the result o the painting of our three deck areas.

Maryann Tarlach

Had work done by College Works Painting in June 2016. They painted front porch, garage door, front door, and fence around patio. Rachel and the crew did a good job and after they were finished cleaned up everything.

Alan Reed

Kyle VanWambeke and his team started by scraping the exterior, to get rid of some loose and blistered paint. They matched the old paint exactly, and completed the job in about a day and a half. I was very pleased with the result. I rated it 4 stars, because 5 would have to be unimaginably perfect.

Nedrianna Brunt

I hired Brian Robinson to paint the trim around my entire house, as well as stain the front and back deck. He was very professional and took the time to make sure each color option I envisioned was shown as a test patch, and after he finished both decks, the rain didn't allow either to dry, but Brian came back out and re-stained the washed away areas swiftly. I would definitely recommend his services, Hilda Brunt

Jim Kapolas

My wife and I hired Wade, a sophomore at the University of Illinois, to paint the entirety of our house. Throughout the entire process, he was very respectful and professional. There were some minimal issues we encountered along the way, but Wade made sure that he took care of them according to our standards. Overall, we were very satisfied with the work he provided, especially given the size of the project. We would definitely recommend this company.

Lisa Brown

David and his crew in Indianapolis were amazing. They had to deal with all types of weather from torrential rains and excessive heat, but they got the job done. Professional and courteous! We love our "new" home

Luv BN Me!!! *******

Brian was absolutely wonderful!! He maintained his professionalism at all times. I would definitely recommend Brian to family and friends for future business. Overall, my experience was exceptional, and I am more than happy with the way my front porch turned out. Great Job Brian!!! Thank You!!!!!

Jim McArdle

I was approached in the spring by a young lady who came to my door. I don't normally answer the door and give a salesman the time of day, but I saw the papers she was holding and knew I had to get the house painted this year. I have used College Works in the past and they were reasonably priced so I gave it another shot.... I'm glad I did. The crew that did the painting did a great job, was friendly and even listened to me ramble on about things that they probably had no interest in. All in all, it was a fair price, for decent work, nice people, and done on time... I think that's what we all hope for in a business.

Keith TenBrook

Courtney Vadnais and her team were hired to paint the cedar siding and trim on the house after an effective planning discussion in the spring. She followed up consistently and delivered on her commitments. The job was delivered per plan with good quality. She created a good customer experience from beginning to end.

Wendy Linden

Charlie Iantorno was a very diligent and professional project manager from proposal to painting completion! He kept us informed during the whole process and even came back to address areas he though could look better on the outside brick. He did an excellent job!

Isaac Schreibman

Courtney was very thorough and professional from the original sale and estimate to the conclusion of the job. She is diligent and professional. She closely supervised her crew and visited the job site often. The project was completed on time and within the original estimate. The quality of the work was professional and the end result was better than expected. We would be more than happy to work with Courtney again. We have already contracted with her to do some additional painting. Courtney insured that the job site was cleaned every day at the conclusion of the work. Her employees seemed highly motivated, arrived early everyday and worked a minimum of 10 hours everyday. We would highly recommend Courtney for future projects.

Kristy Kirchhoff

We had our house painted by Drew Kirchhoff. He was very professional. He showed up on time and completed the work on time and with excellent quality. We have already recommended him to our friends and family.

Irene Goldthwaite

Alex, we are happy with the results and the timely fashion in which you painted our house. Your attention to detail and clean-up each day were much appreciated. You were a true gentlemen and always courteous and that speaks well of your upbringing. Good luck in your future. Irene Goldthwaite

Miles Fogle

One star is one too many. The pyramid scheme known as College Works Painting is a smoke show in which painters and "interns" who have managed to endure at least one year with the company are tasked with finding a fresh batch of "interns" to work under them while they call themselves "district managers". The new "interns" must then go throw training on how to bid out an exterior paint job, hire whoever will work for them as painters ((for $8.25/hr) if anyone tells you different they're lying), and learn how to hand the money over to the higher ups. Employing this company is a waste of money, and a roll of the dice as to the quality of work that will be done on your home. The "interns" will claim that your house will be painted by fellow college students who have been trained by Sherwin Williams- which is false. The "district managers" simply instruct them to hire as many people as possible who respond to their Craig's List ad and have them get to work on your house... It is at that point that they begin to relieve those who do not seem to grasp how to paint (TOTALLY CLUELESS PEOPLE ARE PAINTING YOUR HOUSE!). The "interns" stay motivated because of the promise of a big pay day at the end of painting season, however towards the end they will realize that regardless of the amount of money/jobs they book and produce College Works Painting will take their 40%, employees pay checks come from the "interns" income, and all the ladders, power washer, brushes, paint, etc. are debited from their income as well. The company has done a great job at covering up their negative reviews for poor work being done and unhappy "interns" attempting to forewarn future victims. Despite numerous lawsuits from around the country this company somehow manages to stay afloat. Ps if you are at all familiar with this company you may remember seeing their signs in the front yards of people's homes- they do not do that any more because during the sales pitch they claim to be familiar with the handling of lead paint which is also false. For that reason they do not put up signs because should a safety inspector for the town or local government stop by for an inspection- they the painters and homeowners potentially could be cited and found at fault.

Kelly Deluka

I really wish I had contracted with a professional company. I had the exterior of my house painted in July 2018, and by spring the 2019 the paint was chipping off the entire house. They use great paint, no complaints there, but the prep work was seriously lacking, as well as professionalism, and customer service. They paint job is under warranty for two years but getting someone to fix it is impossible. I started calling in early May, talked to (Steve) sent in photos of the paint chipping and I was told they start working in July and some one would contact me. Well no one contacted me. I had to call again, some one finally came out and took more pictures and I never heard form them until I called again. Keith said he could start September 5th. No show no call. I called again to find out when they will fulfil their warranty agreement and had to leave a message. I got a text from Keith stating I he is in class and will call you in the morning. Surprise! Surprise! I never got a call. I finally got another text, stating that he was sorry and I was in last but they are still planning getting it done. So in other words, even though I called in May, I am last on the list to be painted, I am sorry College Works that is not customer service! I have called the corporate office many times and had to leave a message for a manager or someone in charge to call me back but end up getting a TEXT from Keith. Who brushes me off? At this point I just want a refund and want a respectful company to fix my house. This whole ordeal Is not worth the hassle! Find a professional painter and save yourself time and frustration. Sincerely, Disappointed Customer

Jennifer Preschern

We hired Kyle to re-paint our deck and garage. He followed through several times and was always asking for feedback. It looks good.

Carol Gittinger

September 18, 2015 We recently had one of your crews, headed by Marissa Hutchinson, paint a duplex we own. They did a very nice job. They were especially neat in their work, taking time to do things very well. They arrived when they said they would, and finished when they said they would. We were very pleased with the work, and with the attitude of the crew members. They were very courteous and professional. We would most certainly use your service again. Thanks to Marissa and her crew for a job well done! Carol & Jack Gittinger

Edward Rhyne Jr

I hired Brian to paint the exterior of my home. He gave me a thorough estimate and answered all of my questions. I knew I was overdue to have my home painted and I didn't like the current color of the siding on my home. Brian suggested color options and helped me narrow my choices. When it came time to do the work, Brian and his team did an excellent job.

Brian Grogan

My house was painted by Mike Marciszewski's College Works. Mike was always very professional, efficient, thorough, and timely. Mike explained every detail of the job, was on time, and cleaned up every night. I appreciated Mike being flexible at times during the job as he had to wait for other contractors to finish work. Out of all the contractors I had hired during the summer, Mike and his crew were the only team to show up when they said they would and finish the job in the timeline they had promised. I definitely recommend Mike.

Mary Carol Murphy

My house was painted this summer by Mike Marciszewski's College Works crew and they were great. Mike was very professional, trustworthy, and responsive. The painters did a wonderful job--they were thorough, fast, and cleaned up the site every night. The price was right, too. So we are all-around very satisfied and would definitely use them again.

Jeannie

The boys did a very thorough job from the bid process to finish. Very happy with our deck - it looks perfect!

Milton Zhu

We hired Kyle Look and his team painted our home earlier this month in Peoria, Illinois. Kyle is a good organizer, he prepared well when he did the estimate in early April, he didn’t overwhelming me with all the details we could not understand, he described the proposal very good and clarified with what we really need. When the painting started, his crew worked like professionals, it didn’t cause any mess, even in our lawn. The project is finished as what we expected, the estimate was accurate. We would recommend Kyle as well as College Works Painting for anyone looking for exterior painting work, and we are happy we can provide opportunities for college kids to learn how to do business, it is a win-win call.