Empire Painting
About Empire Painting
When customers describe having their 30-year-old kitchen cabinets transformed to look "fabulous" or their 40-year-old aluminum-sided homes restored to appear "brand new," they capture the essence of what Empire Painting delivers across Southeast Wisconsin. Founded in 2003 by Dan Brooks, who started as a painter himself and still personally writes estimates, this Delafield-based company has grown into a full-service painting operation serving Waukesha County and the Greater Milwaukee area.
The fully insured team specializes in interior and exterior painting, cabinet refinishing, wallpaper removal, deck staining, and commercial projects. Color consultants Janet and Linda help homeowners select the perfect shades, while crew leads including Sergio, Juan, Carlos, Daniel, and Luis execute the work. Senior team member Jeff brings decades of experience overseeing operations and lending carpentry skills when needed.
Empire Painting offers a three-year warranty on full exterior painting jobs and requires no down payment. The company recommends Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore premium products and serves communities from Oconomowoc to Mequon within approximately a 35-mile radius of their Enterprise Road headquarters.
Updated: 04-06-2026
Q&A Based On What Customers Are Saying About Empire Painting
Q: What makes Empire Painting's cabinet refinishing stand out from other contractors?
Cabinet work represents one of Empire Painting's signature specialties. Customers consistently describe transformations of decades-old cabinets, with one noting their 30-year-old kitchen cabinets "now look practically brand new" and another stating results were "better than new." The team uses Benjamin Moore INSL-X Cabinet Coat after in-house testing, and Juan's crews have earned specific praise for detailed work that gives homeowners "a new kitchen."
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Q: Does Empire Painting have repeat customers who return for multiple projects?
Repeat business defines Empire Painting's customer relationships. Kevin B. has returned for "at least our 4th project and 8th room," while Laura Mathews reports hiring them exclusively for "approx. 7 years." Mark Gardetto confirms "multiple times in our homes over the years" and Bob Logan states he has "used Empire painting several times." This pattern reflects the consistent quality that brings customers back.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Q: How does Empire Painting handle communication and scheduling throughout projects?
Reviews frequently highlight communication as a strength. Customers praise the responsiveness of office staff Laci and Myra for scheduling coordination, with one noting "everyone was helpful, responsive and wonderful to work with." Thomas Eisele specifically credited the team structure where "Dan Brooks took a personal interest, Matt Hoskins kept us on track, and Laci organized everything." Morning confirmation texts and daily updates keep homeowners informed.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Q: Do Empire Painting crews actually clean up properly during and after projects?
Cleanup receives consistent praise across reviews. Customers describe crews as "immaculate in their cleanup" and note painters "cleaned up every day." Larry Bucholtz specifically mentioned he "could not find a drop of paint anywhere around the ground around the house." Crews wear shoe covers, thoroughly cover flooring with drop cloths, and protect furniture with painter's plastic throughout projects.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Q: How does Empire Painting handle exterior projects on older homes?
Exterior painting represents a core specialty with documented success on challenging older properties. Bev Smith's "40 year old aluminum sided two story house looks brand new" after Empire's work. The team uses pressure washing, thorough scraping, sanding, priming, and multiple coats of premium products. Thomas Eisele praised how Carlos and his crew "worked 3 days to clean and stain and repair the cedar siding" on badly weathered surfaces.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Q: What happened with the negative review Empire Painting received?
The single 1-star review within the two-year period came from a reviewer whose name did not appear in Empire's customer database. Owner Dan Brooks responded professionally, noting "I cannot find your name in our customer list" and providing the office number for resolution. The remaining 106 reviews during this period are 5-star ratings, demonstrating consistent service quality across the vast majority of customers.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Q: Does Empire Painting offer color consultation services?
Free color consultation comes standard with accepted proposals. Customers specifically mention consultants Janet and Linda by name, with M Karl noting "then there is Janet, the color consultant. Impressive!" The consultation helps homeowners select colors that complement their spaces, and for specialty cabinet projects, Empire provides refinished samples for homeowner approval before full production begins.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Q: How does Empire Painting's pricing compare to competitors according to customers?
While Empire may not always be the lowest bidder, customers consistently describe the value as worth it. Cheryl Zima acknowledged paying "a little bit more than some of the other quotes I received, but it was worth every dollar for the over and above service and quality." Multiple reviews mention "reasonable price" and "fairly priced" alongside praise for transparent, detailed estimates with no surprise charges.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Updated: 04-07-2026