Founded in 2005 by Michael Murray while attending Miami University, Textbook Painting grew from a student painting operation into one of Northeast Ohio's most recognized residential painting companies. The fully insured team operates from offices in Cleveland and Westlake, serving homeowners throughout the Greater Cleveland and Akron markets with interior painting, exterior painting, cabinet refinishing, deck staining, wallpaper installation, and light carpentry.
The company employs full-time, uniformed painters organized under named crew leaders including Eddie, Fred, Monaca, Chuck, Brandon, Kassidy, and Bethany. Sales consultant Jen guides homeowners through color selection and cabinet options, while project coordinator Courtney manages scheduling and daily client communication. Operations Manager Tyler oversees field teams.
Textbook Painting backs all cabinet refinishing with a Lifetime Touch-up Promise, interior painting with an annual touch-up promise, and exterior wood with a Four-Year Worry-Free Guarantee (ten years on aluminum and vinyl siding). The company is EPA Lead-Safe Certified and BBB accredited since 2019.
Multiple reviewers describe the transformation in nearly identical terms. Janice Forgione wrote that her cabinets and trim "honestly look like they are brand new from the factory," and Boris Isakov described them as going "from outdated to looking like brand new." The company uses a dedicated process where specialists like Monaca and Eddie handle cabinet boxes on-site while door painter Andraya refinishes fronts separately, creating a smooth, uniform finish.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Communication is the most frequently praised aspect across reviews. Jennifer Podavini described receiving "updates, pictures, and timeframes of when they would be in and out of my home" via text over four days. William Reiff noted his team lead "walked me through the project plan each day before beginning." Project coordinator Courtney handles pre-project scheduling while crew leaders like Fred and Eddie text daily arrival times and progress updates.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Several reviewers mention obtaining competing bids before choosing Textbook. greg dorner noted it was the "lowest bid, but also contained the most detailed quote." Vickie Curry said Tyler's estimate was "in line with 3 other estimates" but won through knowledge and speed. Jennifer Podavini acknowledged she "could have price shopped and found a cheaper company" but felt the quality justified the investment. Multiple Google reviews carry the "Reasonable price" tag.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Cleanup is among the most cited positives. Jennifer Podavini described crews taping cardboard to laminate floors and wrapping carpets in plastic on day one. Blaine Almstrum wrote that Irvin "left the kitchen cleaner than it was before he started." Sharon Thompson noted Andy's crew "moved furniture and covered it as well as covering the floors" and cleaned up every night. The consistent pattern shows systematic floor and furniture protection across different crews and projects.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Jennifer Podavini described one of the most memorable moments in Textbook Painting reviews. On the final day of painting her four-color interior project, she needed to carry boxes from her car. When she turned around, "Kassidy and Marty both had a box in their hands." She called it "definitely outside of the job description" and deeply appreciated. darlene rocco, a repeat customer, also praised Kassidy and Marty for their "excellent attention to detail" on a separate project.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Chuck handles the carpentry side of projects and appears in more reviews than almost any other team member. Daniel Smaltz described Chuck building a "large custom living room built-in" with attention to detail that was "second to none." Mark England noted that when a cabinet issue arose, Chuck "swiftly came up with a solution." Gretchen Bunnell praised his "creativity on adding framing and shiplap" to kitchen counters. Chuck also handles backsplash tile work and warranty touch-ups.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
The company responds to the majority of reviews but has gaps on some critical ones. When Tania Wilder mentioned an "inflexible schedule" causing early disruption, the owner acknowledged the concern and promised improvement. The response to Matthew Rhodes' 1-star review directly addressed that he was a late job applicant, not a customer. However, two negative reviews from Ruth Truxall and Alexa Weiland received no owner response, representing a communication inconsistency the company could improve.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Mark Coughlin's review confirms the warranty works in practice. He wrote that Textbook "really came through on their warranty promise" when Chuck returned to clean, prep, and repaint areas needing touch-ups. Joanna Pritchard mentioned the "added warranty of lifetime touchups throughout the years" as a selling point for her cabinet project. The company offers a Lifetime Touch-up Promise on cabinets, an annual touch-up promise on interior painting, and a Four-Year Worry-Free Guarantee on exterior wood.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Ohio does not require a state-level painting contractor license. The Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board only covers electrical, plumbing, HVAC, hydronics, and refrigeration trades. Cleveland's Department of Building and Housing explicitly states that a permit is not needed for painting work. Textbook Painting operates under the registered trade name "TEXTBOOK PAINTING" with the Ohio Secretary of State, Entity No. 4100694, registered by The Student Development Company, LLC, originally filed 11/22/2017, with Active status expiring 11/22/2027. The registered agent address is 13000 Athens Ave, Suite 200, Lakewood, OH 44107.
-Verification Sources: Ohio Secretary of State Business Search, Ohio CILB, Cleveland Dept. of Building & Housing