When Jay Beck and his wife, both former house painters themselves, finally hired someone else to paint their home, they chose Varsity Painters. The couple admits to being "pretty darned fussy, to the point that we always had done painting in our house ourselves." The Varsity team, they say, "absolutely met our high standards." That a pair of experienced painters would trust another crew with their own walls says something about the operation Joe Perry and Steve Melander have built since founding the company in 1995.
Varsity Painters handles residential interior and exterior projects, commercial painting, cabinet refinishing, deck staining, wallpaper removal, drywall repair, and popcorn ceiling removal across the Twin Cities metro. Joe and Steve personally conduct every evaluation and provide firm quotes with complimentary color consultation. The fully insured team, carrying both general liability and workers compensation coverage, employs only full-time and seasonal professional painters with experienced crew leaders on every job site.
The company is EPA RRP lead-safe certified and serves Minneapolis, Edina, Plymouth, Golden Valley, Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, Bloomington, Burnsville, and surrounding communities.
Updated: 04-06-2026
Customers notice the difference thorough preparation makes. Mike Tveite describes how the crew "scraped and/or sanded much of the house" so that "every board got individual attention." Hannah Dittmer adds that before painting, the crew "thoroughly sanded and caulked all our corners and seams." pete godich notes the team handled powerwashing, vine removal from stucco, and wood rot fixes before any paint went on.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Joe and Steve bring decades of color knowledge to every evaluation. Mike Tveite appreciated conversations with Joe about "how to increase our use of trim color to create contrast and interest" and says "Joe had some ideas we wouldn't have considered, and they look great." Hannah Dittmer was connected with a color consultant at no added cost, and Felicia Merkson's team painted sample swatches directly on the house so the family could decide before committing.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Return business is a consistent pattern. Tom Rubenstein hired Varsity for "the third time" to paint his exterior, praising Joe's thorough bidding and crew lead Mark's follow-through. Beth Specht has used them for "4 separate projects, both interior and exterior." Cathy Peick writes that they have "used Varsity for many years and always happy with their team's work." Eva Chapman, Matt Schmidt, Kevin Finley, Mike Pederson, and Deirdre Ferris all describe repeat engagements.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Multiple reviewers report getting competing estimates before choosing Varsity. Dan Larson had "much higher and some lower bids but am glad to have chosen Varsity." Dale Greene found the written bid "reasonable in relation to my other bids." wayne J called the price "a bargain" for stucco and trim work. Felicia Merkson sums it up as a "price was very reasonable especially for quality service."
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Reviews reveal a roster of named crew leaders running job sites. Felicia Merkson describes Enrique as "very kind and enthusiastic" after his team completed an exterior, door, and shed in 2.5 days. Kathy Montzka praises Hector and his four-person crew for painting a sports court in nine straight hours. Tom Rubenstein credits Mark for always following up "to make sure the job was completed to our specs." M. Vesall names Roberto, Angel, and Mayno for finishing a wallpaper removal and painting job in one day.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Customers highlight care taken beyond the paint itself. Mike Tveite, who has "many native plantings" around his home, reports that he doesn't "think any of them were damaged by the painting process" and calls this "a huge contrast to the last time" his house was painted by someone else. Michael D notes the crew replaced all exterior fixtures and allowed a post-painting walk-around to confirm satisfaction. Multiple reviews mention daily protection and cleanup of surrounding areas.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Cleanup is one of the most frequently praised aspects. Cori L says the team "left no trace" after completing a two-day exterior project. Walt Polley describes it as "the smoothest and least stressful exterior paint job ever" with "no mess to clean up afterwards." Debra Perry notes they "clean up every day and when the project is completed." Dave Huml adds the crew "cleaned up as they went each day."
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Minnesota requires a Residential Building Contractor or Remodeler license for painting projects exceeding $15,000. Varsity Painters, Inc. holds Contractor Registration No. IR657168 with the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry, with an effective date of 1/1/2026 and issued status. The company is registered as a Business Corporation (Domestic) with the Minnesota Secretary of State under File No. 8N-183, filed 1/4/1995, with a status of Active / In Good Standing. The registered office address is 5416 Chicago Ave S, Mpls, MN 55417, with Joseph E Perry listed as Chief Executive Officer.
-Verification Sources: Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (https://ims.dli.mn.gov/ims/Base/Details?EncrID=704332605), Minnesota Secretary of State (https://mblsportal.sos.mn.gov/Business/SearchDetails?filingGuid=942211ed-b1d4-e011-a886-001ec94ffe7f)
Updated: 04-07-2026