About College Works Painting
Marc Lemaitre returned to College Works Painting after ten years for a second exterior repaint and reported the same satisfaction, calling the team "reasonably priced, well executed, timely execution, competent and nice people, hard workers." Brandon Burdette's crew drove to three different paint stores in a single day to finish a cedar shake siding house. When Holly Leonard left a four-star review citing edge work concerns, her manager Sean returned to correct the issues, and she updated her rating.
College Works Painting operates through its Student Professional Program, training undergraduate interns who run their own painting businesses under full-time district manager oversight. The Ohio team works from 265 E. State Street in Columbus, with student managers drawn from Ohio State, the University of Cincinnati, Kent State, and other Ohio universities. Services include exterior painting, deck and fence work, interior projects, color consultation, and wood rot repair.
The team is fully licensed and insured, BBB Accredited, and offers a one-year warranty on one-coat projects and three-year warranty on two-coat projects across 37 Ohio cities from Cleveland to Cincinnati.
Updated: 05-12-2026
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Additional Questions Answered
Why do College Works Painting reviews so consistently single out individual student managers like Nicole Ratka, Phil Kristoff, Luke Day, and Morgan Lish by name?
The Student Professional Program assigns one undergraduate manager to each customer's project, putting a single point of contact on the work from estimate through final walkthrough. Reviewers call out specific managers by name across Google and Yelp. Dan Kamionkowski wrote that "Nicole Ratka was extremely professional throughout the entire process" and Holly Doggett described Morgan as "a pleasure to work with on my house painting project."
How does College Works Painting keep homeowners informed once a project is underway, given the rotating mix of student managers and seasonal crews?
Student managers and district managers share day-to-day oversight, with reviewers describing regular status updates that hold up through weather delays. Sandra Drager wrote that her manager Alex was "in contact with days & times when our crew would be back and they were always there" despite rainy weather. Ward Smith reported "Excellent communication throughout the job" from Phil Kristoff in Cincinnati.
What's the story behind College Works Painting customers returning years later for repeat projects?
Two long-term customers explicitly returned years after their original work. Marc Lemaitre repainted his house a second time and wrote "Second time that we repainted our house with College paintings (10 years after the first time) We are as happy as before." P Barrett returned after eight years and noted "I used them 8 years ago, and knew they were good" before hiring the team again.
What happened with the Holly Leonard review where College Works Painting came back to redo work?
Holly Leonard initially left a four-star review describing sloppy edges on her soffits, garage door, and front-door trim, plus a paint puddle in her flower bed. She updated her rating after her manager Sean returned to address the issues, noting his "willingness to make things right and his dedication to improving."
Does College Works Painting handle wood rot repair, brick fixes, and deeper prep work beyond standard painting?
Reviews repeatedly describe prep work that goes beyond surface painting. Jim Curell wrote that Phil offered solutions "like fixing some old damaged brick or some rotten wood" during a week-long whole-house project. Christopher Morgan reported Luke Day's crew did "Scraping and wood filling and priming" on his trim. Yelp reviewer Lynne L. described "Pressure washing entire house siding, painting trim on front porch (spindles, columns, fascia caulking where needed)."
How does College Works Painting approach unusual or difficult projects like cedar shake siding or century-old homes?
Reviewers describe specific challenging conditions and how crews adapted. Branden Chambers wrote that Brandon Burdette's crew tackled "their first cedar shake siding house and they went above and beyond to make sure every shake had adequate coverage" and "traveled to three different stores to ensure he had enough paint." LAURA CRONIGER described Gavin's work on her "100+ year old home" as professional and on schedule.
Why do multiple reviews mention College Works Painting for deck staining and fence work, not just exterior house painting?
Deck and fence staining appear as standalone projects across several reviews. Michael Beam wrote that "Joseph (an OSU student) who was professional, fair, and clear throughout the process" managed his deck staining. Tracy Vaughn's Joseph Delambo team "did an outstanding job" on her deck. BrittMarie Horrocks praised work on her "house, deck, and garage," and Cordell Caley described "washing/staining my deck" completed in a single day.
Is College Works Painting a registered business entity in Ohio, and does the state require a contractor license for painters?
College Works Painting operates in Ohio as a fictitious name registered to CWPOhio, Inc. The fictitious name filing is Active under Entity No. 4363379 with the Ohio Secretary of State, originally filed July 30, 2019 with an expiration of July 30, 2029. Ohio does not require a state-level painting contractor license. The company is also BBB Accredited through the BBB of Central Ohio since March 8, 2024.
-Verification Sources: Ohio Secretary of State Business Search, Better Business Bureau of Central Ohio, Project License Lookup File