Our Chooz Score evaluates 44 factors across reviews, digital presence, and business credentials. Here's what stands out for Empire Painting Services, LLC
Empire Painting Services, LLC serves the Greater Syracuse Area with a hands-on approach to residential painting that begins well before the first brush stroke. Owner Rob Wengert walks every project site with clients, delivering itemized estimates with photo documentation of what is and is not included. From that initial visit through final inspection, the process centers on transparent communication and deliberate preparation.
Prep work defines how Empire Painting operates. Crews hand-scrape, sand, repair drywall imperfections, and fix nail pops before priming and applying finish coats. Named team members including project manager Adam and painters Joe, Bob, Ross, and Jim handle assignments consistently across projects, cleaning work areas at the end of each day and walking clients through progress updates.
The company performs interior and exterior painting, kitchen cabinet refinishing, deck staining, and light carpentry repairs for homeowners throughout Syracuse, Fayetteville, Manlius, DeWitt, Liverpool, Camillus, Baldwinsville, and surrounding Onondaga County communities. Empire Painting Services is fully insured and registered as a New York State LLC since 2014.
Updated: 06-11-2026
Rob Wengert personally visits each project site and walks the property with the homeowner. Kyle describes receiving a very detailed quote showing exactly what would be painted and what was excluded with photos. Samuel Herberg found this photo-documented approach super helpful and notes that the process from first call to final inspection was transparent throughout.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Surface preparation is a consistent theme across customer accounts. Kevin Neff observes that Rob spends more time prepping than painting and mentions that 60 nail pops were repaired in just the stairwell and bathroom alone. Todd Laffer describes the crew hand-scraping the entire house and collecting old paint chips to prevent lead contamination. Carolyn Bradford notes that textured stenciling was carefully sanded down and repaired before painting began.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Reviews independently name the same team members across different households. Joe is described by Barbara McConnell as doing a wonderful job and by Erin Skaradek as clean, neat, and meticulous. Project manager Adam leads exterior crews according to Sam De Ycaza and Shelley Wlodarczyk. Bob and Ross are praised by Erin Corrigan for their hard work and attention to detail. The consistent recurrence of names suggests dedicated in-house employees rather than rotating subcontractors.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
The team takes on a range of interior work that extends past standard wall coats. Helen Reinhardt describes a family room project involving wainscoting, bookshelves, ceiling, walls, and brick fireplace painting. Michael Maglente reports cabinet refinishing that left the kitchen better than new. Ben Hill highlights interior painting combined with crown molding installation. Christine Tolentino details a multi-room project covering bedrooms, bathrooms, hallway, foyer, plaster repair, and all trim and doors.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Communication is among the most frequently cited strengths. Beth Eckert notes the team communicated the whole way through so we knew what to expect each day. Matt Germain highlights frequent progress updates maintained throughout the project. JoAnna Cockram describes the crew always checking in before arriving early or adjusting the schedule. Multiple reviewers note that Rob responds quickly to calls, texts, and emails at every stage from estimate through final walkthrough.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Several customers have returned for additional projects after their first experience. Anthony Russo hired Empire for interior work and later for the full exterior, calling the transformation incredible. Dorcas Mahon reports a second visit that was amazing and praises the painters for completing extras. Samuel Herberg wrote an updated review after a second engagement, noting the outcome was absolutely fantastic. Chris Young returned for interior painting after an exterior project completed over a decade earlier.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Exterior clients consistently highlight both the visual outcome and the process behind it. Sally Carmer describes a transformation from bland baby blue to a gorgeous sage with navy and white trim completed within nine days. Jacqueline Picciano was surprised the crew finished painting old aluminum siding in a single week and notes it looks like a new house. Keith Wolfe values that everything was done by hand brushing rather than spraying, praising the quality and detail that approach provides.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
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 jurisdictions requiring municipal home improvement contractor licenses. Empire Painting Services, LLC is registered as a Domestic Limited Liability Company in New York State with DOS ID 4536289, filed 02/28/2014, entity status Active. The company is fully insured as stated on the website and Nextdoor profile.
-Verification Sources: NY DOS, NY State licensing framework
Updated: 06-11-2026