Empire Painting Services, LLC
About Empire Painting Services
When Kevin Neff called for interior painting, he expected fresh walls. What he found was a painter who "goes over every wall with a fine tooth comb and repairs every blemish before he paints," fixing 60 nail pops in a single stairwell and bathroom before any color was applied. That orientation toward surface preparation over speed defines how Empire Painting Services operates.
Owner Rob Wengert founded Empire Painting Services in 2013 after graduating from Binghamton University, building the Syracuse operation from residential work into a full-service painting contractor. Project manager Adam leads on-site crews while Rob handles estimates, client communication, and quality oversight throughout every project. The company specializes in exterior and interior painting, kitchen cabinet refinishing, deck staining, and carpentry repairs.
The fully insured team serves Syracuse, Fayetteville, Manlius, DeWitt, Liverpool, Camillus, Baldwinsville, and surrounding Onondaga County communities. The company provides a workmanship warranty on all completed projects and earned recognition as the top-ranked painters in Syracuse through Quality Business Awards 2026 with a 95-plus quality score.
Updated: 02-27-2026
Q&A Based On What Customers Are Saying About Empire Painting Services
Q: Why do Empire Painting Services customers consistently highlight surface preparation as the defining characteristic of their projects?
Rob Wengert's prep-first approach surfaces independently across multiple unrelated customers. Kevin Neff documents a painter who "spends more time prepping than painting" and fixed 60 nail pops in one stairwell and bathroom before touching a brush. Carolyn Bradford describes Rob taking time to sand down textured stenciling wall to wall before applying paint. Todd Laffer confirms the crew "hand scraped the entire house and collected the old paint to prevent lead contamination." These are not marketing claims — they are specific details from separate customers describing the same underlying philosophy.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Q: What makes Empire Painting Services cabinet refinishing results stand out in customer reviews?
Amy Allen, returning for a second project after a previous interior job, calls her cabinet results "perfect" and notes "we love the way the grain still shows through our paint," adding the only regret was not having it done sooner. Michael Maglente reports his kitchen "looks better than new." Rob oversees cabinet projects with the same prep-intensive approach applied to wall surfaces, including careful material selection to achieve specific finish characteristics. Customers consistently describe results that meet or exceed the quality of new cabinet replacement.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Q: How does Empire Painting Services keep customers informed throughout a project?
Communication is documented at every stage. Sam De Ycaza describes receiving "clear quotes, offered great insights" alongside diligent scheduling coordination before work began. Both Samuel Herberg and Kyle independently mention a detailed estimate that included photos showing exactly what would be painted and what was excluded. Alex Rubenstein notes the crew "gave progress updates every day." Barbara Lombardo confirms the team "kept us informed when the plan or schedule changed." Multiple customers describe Rob as prompt with calls, emails, and texts — including after project completion during final walkthroughs.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Q: What is the story behind Empire Painting Services using hand brushing rather than spray application?
Keith Wolfe identifies this as a deliberate choice his family made when selecting a painter. He notes "one of the reasons we chose Empire was due to the fact that everything is done by hand brushing rather than spraying and the quality of work and attention to detail shows," adding that neighbors independently commented on the results after the project was complete. Hand brushing requires more time per project but produces cleaner edge definition and eliminates overspray concerns on adjacent surfaces. No other reviews describe spray application being used.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Q: How do Empire Painting Services customers describe pricing and value relative to other contractors they considered?
Reviews reflect a consistent pattern: transparent pricing over lowest price. Todd Laffer acknowledges "while they were not the cheapest they were upfront and honest about cost from the beginning." JoAnna Cockram describes pricing as "very competitive" while Cassandra Maxam confirms "the price he quoted was what he paid. There were no surprises." The estimate process includes itemized detail with photos documenting exactly what is and is not included. Beth Eckert calls Empire "reasonably priced" while noting she had never received better service from a home improvement contractor.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Q: Which Empire Painting Services crew members do customers mention by name across reviews?
The same names appear independently across unrelated customer accounts — a strong indicator of consistent crew assignments. Joe is praised by Barbara McConnell for doing "a wonderful job on the house," described by Dorcas Mahon as "incredible" and punctual, and cited by Erin Skaradek as "clean, neat, and meticulous." Project manager Adam is mentioned by Sam De Ycaza and Shelley Wlodarczyk for on-site leadership. Bob, Ross, Jim, Lou, Mike, and Brian each appear by name in separate reviews. The recurrence of the same names across different customers and project types suggests W2 employees with regular assignments rather than rotating subcontractors.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Q: Does Empire Painting Services have any documented customer complaints or negative feedback?
No negative reviews appear in the publicly available record. Where customers raise concerns mid-project, Rob addresses them before completion. Kyle notes that Rob "inspected the house multiple times throughout the project and gave us an opportunity to share any concerns and any minor issues were immediately remedied." The pattern suggests concerns are resolved during projects rather than escalating to formal complaints. Customers who report mid-project adjustments consistently describe the outcome as fully satisfactory.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Q: Is Empire Painting Services licensed and registered in New York State?
New York State does not require a painting contractor license at the state level for residential work. Onondaga County and the City of Syracuse are not among the New York jurisdictions requiring municipal home improvement contractor licenses (those requirements apply only to New York City, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, and Buffalo). Empire Painting Services is therefore fully compliant without a state contractor license. The company operates as Empire Painting Services, LLC, a registered limited liability company in New York State. The company is fully insured, as stated on the company website and Nextdoor profile.
-Verification Sources: NY State licensing framework — https://www.dos.ny.gov/licensing/ | NY SOS Business Entity Search — https://apps.dos.ny.gov/publicInquiry/
Updated: 02-27-2026