May 2026 update - Unfortunately after another five months of the same (promises made, none kept), I've officially given up in trying to get this resolved. While Brian did come out to sand out all the bubbles, it actually made things worse as I have areas of raw wood now. I've had to hire another contractor and will weigh my options as far as recovering compensation for a job that wasn't done right. read more

UPDATE (June 8, 2026): We have received neither payment nor communication from Brian. UPDATE (May 2026): We obtained a court judgment in our favor in late April. Brian told us he currently did not have the money, would be traveling in Europe for several weeks, but would "guarantee to pay at latest by June 5th." We will update this review accordingly. ORIGINAL REVIEW (April 2026): Using Brian's Painting was a very disappointing and costly experience that left us with an unfinished home and significant financial loss. We hired Brian for a $10,000 exterior painting project. After collecting $6,000, he completed only about 10% of the work, then abandoned the project and stopped communicating. Brian requested a 40% deposit ($4,000) and later an additional 20% ($2,000) after a short prep stage that took about eight hours. After receiving the $6,000, he returned only twice for brief visits over several weeks, then dropped the job, leaving the house unfinished. (See attached photos.) We attempted to resolve the matter in good faith. We agreed he could keep the $2,000 even though several licensed painters we consulted estimated that only about 10% ($1,000) of the work had been completed by Brian. He eventually agreed to refund the $4,000 deposit, but after multiple deadline extensions has only returned $1,300 and has now stopped communicating altogether. We are now pursuing recovery through court and filing a complaint with the Regulated Industries Complaints Office (RICO), which takes enforcement action against unlicensed contractors operating illegally in Hawaii. We also had prior issues with a smaller job he completed in 2023, including use of lower-grade paint than what we paid for and paint splatter left on appliances. Despite this, we gave him another opportunity when he repeatedly requested the exterior project. We greatly regret that decision now. Bottom line: We strongly recommend homeowners to look elsewhere. read more

Brian's Painting - left unfinished - Painters Near Me

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We hired Brian's Painting to paint the entire interior of our home 5 years ago and I'm reminded of the poor paint job every single day I look around my home. Unfortunately, the quality of the work was sub par, and many of the issues were clearly the result of inadequate preparation, incomplete coverage, and lack of attention to detail during the original paint job. The master bedroom ceiling was not properly primed, and wood tannins continue to bleed through the paint years later. In other areas, paint coverage was incomplete from day one. My master closet appears to have received only a single coat of paint, leaving obvious inconsistencies in color and coverage. Throughout the house there are numerous areas that were simply missed altogether. Corners, trim details, and other surfaces were left partially painted or not painted at all. The work often looks rushed rather than professionally finished. Texture repairs on the ceilings were also poorly executed. Instead of matching the existing texture, the orange-peel texture was applied from a spray can, (in multiple rooms!!!) resulting in visible patches that do not blend with the surrounding ceiling. As we prepare to repaint our home in the spots Brian's Painting failed, we've been reminded just how many deficiencies existed in the original job. Proper priming, complete paint coverage, and attention to detail are fundamental expectations when hiring a professional painter. Unfortunately, that was not our experience with Brian's Painting. At the time the work was being completed, my immediate family experienced a death, and addressing paint deficiencies understandably was not my priority. That's totally on me. But as a result, many of these issues were never formally raised or corrected. Now that I am preparing to have the home repainted, the extent of the original workmanship problems has become impossible to ignore. I cannot recommend them based on the quality of the work performed in our home. My neighbor down the street will be posting an even worse example of her home!!! read more

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DO NOT hire this company for painting. Terrible quality of work. I hired him for exterior and interior of a house and it never got finished. First of all, he didn't prep the surfaces correctly and it wasn't even 3 months before it started to peel. I had another review up here, but he asked me to take it down because he was going to finish the house for me. Well, he never did. The interior and exterior that he worked on is now peeling and cracking. He missed so many spots on the exterior of the house and painted over light switches. Lesson learned with hiring Brian. Always check THE BAD REVIEWS on Yelp. Definitely going to have to settle this in court now. read more

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Brian Mahalo for doing such a great job! You and your crew are super easy to work with and appreciate the attention to taking care of us as customers. I definitely feel like we got a good value for your service and the price was more than reasonable. Appreciate you also going above and beyond and helping us to fix one of our pillars in the back. You are the man. Definitely recommend you guys as you are Aloha in action. read more

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I hired Brian's Painting (owner: Brian Merkel) and deeply regret it. Here's what happened: They painted over light switches, switch covers, and even into electrical outlets. This isn't just sloppy--it's a fire hazard. Brian constantly reassured me how great the job was while working, which honestly made me suspicious. My gut was right. I paid half up front as agreed. Then Brian pressured me to pay the remaining balance before finishing, claiming he needed to pay his employees. Against my better judgment, I paid in good faith. Huge mistake. The finished work was a disaster: bubbling paint in multiple areas, uneven spots where they skipped proper mudding and sanding, hinges and doorknobs painted over, and zero masking of edges. They simply sprayed/rolled everything one color without care. Afterward, Brian disappeared. He's ignored my calls, texts, and emails. No accountability, no effort to fix anything. I asked for reimbursement to cover the cost of an electrician to replace the outlets they ruined--silence. He has not offered to fix the issues himself and is now nowhere to be found. I have never encountered such negligence, cowardice, brazenness, and unprofessionalism in my life working with contractors. Because of the unsafe electrical work and refusal to make things right, I am filing a lawsuit against Brian and his company. Bottom line: Do NOT hire Brian's Painting. They cut corners, deliver poor workmanship, vanish when confronted, and leave you with safety hazards and costly repairs. read more

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I wanted to extend my heartfelt thanks to Brian's team for the fantastic job you guys did repainting the entire interior of my condo and the exterior of my lanai. I am extremely pleased with the final result. The new paint has given my home a fresh and modern look, which has already received compliments from friends. I believe this facelift will certainly add value to the property. Brian, your communication throughout the process was excellent. You were responsive, accommodating, and listened to all my concerns. I appreciated how quickly your team addressed the few spots I pointed out, ensuring everything was up to the highest standard. Your customer service was exceptional. The quote was very fair compared to several places I quoted on island. I also want to thank you for your great recommendations on paint choices and colors. Your willingness to go out of your way to find the perfect color, even when it wasn't in stock, showed your dedication to delivering the best results. A special shoutout to Ericson and his grandson Landon for their beautiful work on the ceiling and for their excellent customer service. Even though the project took a bit longer than expected, I appreciated the team's dedication to making my home perfect while I was away on the mainland. Your trustworthiness and professionalism is greatly appreciated. Thank you all again for your hard work and dedication. I am very grateful and will happily recommend your services to others. read more

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I have a room which was recently painted by my contractor and looked like it was painted with no regard to the end result. It bothered me because it looked like it was painted by someone who was intoxicated. At that point I knew I needed to have it repainted by a professional. I asked friends for referrals-I got three. All of them made appointments and did not show up or made an excuse. I found Brian's Painting by clicking on the internet. I called and he (Brian) answered right away. He listened to my story without interrupting and looked at my room that morning. I got a quote and a date as to when he could start. My job was delayed a couple of days due to unforeseen circumstances with his business, but I was flexible. He repainted my room with efficiency and care-this is what every homeowner should expect-correct? Most people want to rush and do the job and hope that the customer does not notice flaws or imperfections. What does the average customer know about painting anyway. The average customer DOES know about compassion and kindness, about listening to concerns, about courtesy and about job completion with professionalism. Brian's Painting is this company, it is a company which values care and integrity. If you are looking for a quality paint company who believes in quality then please contact Brian's Painting. read more

Brian painted two bedrooms, including the walls, one doorframe, and folding closet doors in one room. He was very accommodating, and his painter Tyson did quality work. There were a couple of one-day delays but I had told him there was no rush. His bid was far below the other two I got. He used Sherwin-Williams paint--which all three bidders seemed to think was the best--and accepted the three colors I requested from other brands, adapting them to S-W's colors. He came by to give things a good look, and began painting about a week later. Tyson cut around the numbers of my giant stuck-on wall clock. On final walkthrough, I did find three small spots that needed touch-up, but Tyson came the next day and fixed them. I'm very satisfied! read more

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Wanted to do a shout out to Brian Merkel and his team for doing an outstanding job in painting our one level house in Salt Lake last week. From the get-go to completion, it was easy to see that Brian was very "service oriented" and addressed every concern I had in a manner that was professional but not overbearing. He came by the house, took notes, and a quote was given within 48 hours. We had tented the house prior to painting and a week later, his team was on the job. You can tell a good work force when the boss does not have to be present and his boys are constantly working and not taking breaks every hour. Upon completion in 3 days, there were a few missed spots that I noted and the next day, Brian was on the property to take care of the problem. I could not be happier with the services provided & would highly recommend this company to others. Brian's personality is humbling while at the same time, he actually listens to you and your concerns. Brian learned the trade from his father and if I were his dad, I would be very proud of his son. Mahalo to Brian and his team!!! read more

I had a last minute paint issue when moving out of my rental and Brian was the first to message me on Yelp! Awesome service, professionalism, patience, and full of aloha! Very happy with the overall experience and the. Bottom line is I got my security deposit back! Mahalo Brian read more

Had my house painted last summer 2023 Very good service Brian explained thoroughly what is a good paint job, showed why prior painter was inadequate like unpainted under edge, prior painter Missed tops of beams So brian made sure that all surfaces were painted He also inspected entire outside of house to show what should be repaired before he painted, and even pointed out a bowed panel suggesting something going on underneath the panel that needed to be fixed He helped sort out various paint color combinations. And used quality paint I highly reccomend him read more

Brian and his crew just finished painting the exterior of our house. We are very pleased with their professionalism, the quality of their work and attention to detail. It took 5 days due to the previous paint job being done in Oil based paint. They had to sand the walls first and then prep all of the cracks and rusted areas before painting. I will definitely use them again and I can highly recommend Brian for any paint jobs you have. read more

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Brian and his team finished painting the exterior of our house two weeks ago and I am so pleased we worked with him! Brian was prompt in taking my call and coming by for an estimate, and throughout the painting process he was a great communicator and had excellent follow through. I liked that during the estimate he walked me around our house and explained what his process would be. His estimate was fair (another bid we got was slightly lower but not as thorough) and we definitely feel that what we paid was a great value for all the work the team had to do. Not only is the paint job stellar, but the guys did a ton of sanding, patching and repairing. We have an old single wall house with a prior bad paint job, termite damage, live in a steep hill, etc. and now everything looks great and new! The crew who worked on our house - Derreck and Johnny especially - were efficient, professional, seem to have many years of experience and expertise, and did great work. I know this review sounds glowing but I am just really happy with Brian and the work his team did. I found Brian on Yelp and it's always a little nerve-wracking to have work done on your house without a personal reference, so wanted to share. read more

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6 Aug 24: A big shout-out to Brian Merkel of Brian's Painting for a great job on painting our whole house exterior and walls. Great prep and 2-coats and they moved and replaced all outdoor furniture and decor to cover literally every inch of paintable surface. No mess, no fuss, just a great job at a fair price. read more

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Love their work from beginning to end! Exceptional attention to detail. Reliable, caring and awesome customer service. 6 s

I spoke with a few painters on the phone, most were "too busy" to meet or only offered a pricing range. Brian actually made the attempt to meet me in person and throughly assessed the scope of work needed, he understood my time frame and offered a fair quote in site. We shook hands and he & his crew started the very next day. His team are both professional and friendly. I absolutely recommend Brian's Painting! I look forward to having Brian paint the exterior next year. Mahalo Brian. read more

Shopped around for a contractor to paint my two story residence. Ended up going with Brian's Painting mainly due to the positive reviews online. I submitted an online estimate to which Brian quickly responded and came by to take a look at the job. He took time to explain the different types of paints to choose from (not colors) and explained how they would get the job done, particularly focusing on the prep work which is the most important. I'm glad I ended up going with him as he and his team did a helluva job. They finished the job quickly and Brian quickly addressed small punch list items at the end. Brian isn't the cheapest or most expensive but does quality work and uses quality materials which is really all that matters. Thanks again Brian and crew!! read more

Brian and his staff are awesome. One of the best local painting companies around #SUPPORTLOCAL. I would say I'm quite knowledgeable about the painting industry and the "ins and outs" of it. So I definitely can tell the difference in painter quality. Brian checks all the boxes; quality work, prompt communication, genuine, honest, fair priced, detail-oriented, punctual, accomodating, and diligent. It has been a pleasure working with Brian on a few projects thus far. Brian has a decent-sized crew and works residential and commercial jobs. No job too big, no job too small. We already have had several neighbors, friends, and family compliment the work that Brian has done. We are looking forward to our future projects with Brian and would gladly recommend him and his company. read more

I highly recommend Brian's Painting. Highly responsive, unfailingly patient, punctual, and competitively priced. When I painted my house originally, I didn't ask a lot of questions or conduct any research since I was in a rush to get into the house. Accordingly, I had the contractor working on remodeling/upgrades just paint the home resulting in a steep learning curve. This time around, I generally researched paints, average cost per square footage, and painting process. I then called around and met with several contractors: some were unreliable as to meeting time or seemingly unrealistic (underbid); some over-bid; and some who were mid-range like Brian's painting. I also compared all of their Yelp reviews, BBB complaints, and looked through their portfolio of prior jobs. After comparing the above, I narrowed down to four companies with Brian's Painting amongst the top two. Then I compared the scope of work (minor house repairs before caulking, sanding, priming, and painting), the proposed paint to be used, and the technique utilized (i.e., spray, roll, etc.) for the remaining companies. Brian's Painting still remained in the top two for being highly competitive and detailed. Ultimately, I had to pivot in the scope and timing of the work due to other issues related to the house that needed repairs first. I felt extremely apologetic as during a week process of meetings, estimates, and follow-on questions, Brian remained immediately responsive, professional and patient. I have no reservations with going back to engage Brian's services in the future and I highly recommend Brian's Painting. read more

I was promised a professional paint job but got one done by amateurs. They left a big mess with paint splattered over everything. Most of my stuff stacked in the center of each room was left uncovered. I thought the painters were supposed to cover items that weren't supposed to be painted. Several areas had paint peeling where primer was put on but no top coat. Drywall repairs were done haphazardly or not at all. I poked a hole with my finger in one of them. They brought no vacuum cleaner to clean up drywall sanding dust. read more

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Superb painters that you can count on to complete the Very Best painting work on this island. We've used Brian's Painting twoce on our home and have always been impressed with his precise attention to detail when painting and his knowledge of the right type of paint needed for the job. He's a master at painting and will tackle work others may not know how to complete. He was able to paint our lanai decking properly and beautifully. He's patient and will truly listen to your needs. Each of his painters, Ben and Bryson were wonderful as well. It was a miracle how they were able to paint our high ceilings and stairwells. You can count on his entire team to complete the job within a reasonable amount of time. We highly recommend Brian's Painting and will use them again. read more

Brian's Painting - Painters Near Me

If you want a painting contractor who charges a fair price, does an excellent job, stands by his work, is trustworthy, reliable, and cares about you, his customer, then look no further than Brian at Brian's Painting. I had a fairly large interior painting job. After meeting with two other contractors, I decided to hire Brian mainly because of the excellent reviews his work has received. Brian and his crew have earned those reviews. They are easy to work with, show up as scheduled, do great work, and clean up after themselves. They encouraged me to check out their work and point out anything I felt was not up to my specifications. Imho, that's pride in work. Jon, Wil, Brandon, and Lando, outstanding job. Hiring Brian as your painting contractor will be one of the best decisions you make. I'll hire him again for any future painting jobs. read more

Brian is a great independent painter. We hire him every couple years to do a few rooms of the house or exterior work. Friendly, solid work, easy to communicate with. I've never had any issues with work quality or timeliness as I have with other trades people. I take that back. I think he couldn't make it one day, but told me asap that something came up personally and he would be in later that day. But life Happens and communicating that is excellent in my book. read more

We needed our garage door painted and not only did Brian respond immediately the date was set and the job was done. Door looks good and the service was excellent. read more

Brian and his crew did a wonderful job painting the exterior of my home. They were very detailed in the prepping, painting and overall quality of their work. I highly recommend Brian's Painting to paint your home. read more

We had a great experience with Brian and his crew. From the first appointment to look at the house to the last day on the job, they were very easy to work with. They were hard working and very respectable with the volume of their music too. No complaints from us or our neighbors. Our house never looked better. They had to do a lot of prep work before painting. The results were amazing! We would definitely not only recommend them, we would also hire them again for any future painting projects. Wonderful painting company! For reference, we chose SW Windy Blue with extra white trim. We love it! read more

Brian's Painting - From a plain all white house to this pretty blue/gray color. - Painters Near Me

Brian is very professional and respectful. I interviewed four other painters and there was no comparison. Brian was polite and attentive and answered all my questions. I could tell he had experience. Brian, Bryson, and Ben did an excellent job painting my bedrooms and baths. They go over the work again and again to make sure everything is perfect. They are quiet and respectful and concentrate on their painting. The walls look beautiful. I will hire Brian again. It would be a mistake to choose another company. Marlene read more

It is now official We are no longer the pink house on the corner of our street Thanks to Brian's Painting for doing an awesome, fast and very high quality of work on our future home. My finacé and I were truly amazed that they finish this job only for 4 1/2 days and I believe it was reasonably prized too. I appreciate the professionalism, respect, dedication, good communication and quality he provided us and our house... If someone needs a painting job, I definitely recommends them. The service and quality they provide is worth every penny we paid read more

Great job and responsive to emails Great customer service and business Brian has a great team too

Brian's Painting has earned its 5-star Yelp rating. We have a 17 year old 2 story stucco house that has never been painted. The objective was to correct the hairline cracks that naturally occur with stucco (most of them within the first year) and seal the entire surface with high quality paint. We especially sought quotes from contractors with 5-star Yelp ratings. Brian was very thorough in determining the scope of work and explaining the process he would use. Based upon detailed discussions, his impeccable reputation (he also has a clean record with the state and BBB and was the only contractor to provide a copy of his liability insurance certificate with his quote), and responsiveness (the quickest to provide a quote), I knew we could trust Brian to provide a quality project. His price was very competitive and the scheduling was favorable, so it wasn't a hard decision to hire him. That decision was validated every day of our 2-week project. His full-time team on our project consisting of Bryce, Shane, and Randon, which was also augmented by Lawrence and Will from other projects, were all terrific professionals - very polite and always looking to ways to achieve the best results. The detailed prep work was exceptional. From my research I know stucco crack repair locations can often really stick out, but Brian and his entire team were very meticulous in their technique and effort so that by the time they were done you really have to look very hard to find any traces of these areas. For every aspect of this project Brian's #1 concern was to provide a high quality result, regardless of his cost or effort. My wife and I truly admire that genuine approach and give him two thumbs up and our highest recommendation. The results are absolutely superb! read more

Brian's Painting - Newly painted house 9-18-23. - Painters Near Me

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I contacted Brian and he came by and gave me an estimate later the next day. I thought his estimate was fair and he was honest. As we spoke about the workmanship and detail of the work, I was impressed, especially when two other estimators walked around the property and noticed the same areas and never mentioned details that I hadn't noticed, like a section of trim that needed repair. He also followed up with any questions about the work, estimate or my decision/scheduling the job. He puts out effort and is superior with a good feeling about his workmanship. I checked the State Business web site, and his license is active and there are no complaints about him. read more

Brian's Painting provided excellent service, and we would hire them again. Within 24 hours of my initial request for an estimate, Brian contacted me and came out soon thereafter to provide a fast and fair estimate. Fortunately, he was available and was able to start the job quickly. I have a small two bedroom apartment in Kailua and he and his team painted everything. We are so pleased with the results. It is like living in a new apartment. All the details were painstakingly noted and he followed through on all the promises to correct the problems we had with our walls (holes, blistered ceiling, drywall patches, etc). He helped us pick out colors and offered several samples to choose the right ones. We are now loving our more personalized home interior. Again, we highly recommend Brian's Painting! read more

Brian and one crew member have been painting my house inside and out during the pandemic. The house is empty and we are getting it ready to sell. The work has gone far above my expectations. Quality and attention to detail is apparent in everything Brian does. Since I do not live in this house, there have been a few surprises along the way, that required additional work. Brian is always agreeable and has even had to redo some painting due to my mistakes and lack of planning. He has great suggestions and is a perfectionist in all his work. I know the house looks so much better and will appeal to Buyers. Having the painting done during the pandemic (especially outside) has allowed us to move forward. I would recommend Brian to anyone considering this project. Believe me, you will be glad you hired a professional like Brian rather than tackle the job yourself. read more

We want to thank Brian and his team for doing a great job repainting our Makiki condo. Not only did he do a great job painting, but he was also very helpful in suggesting colors that work together! He was very quick to respond to our requests and very efficient in getting the whole job done timely. He also had great suggestions on other improvements to clean up, repair and refresh the look of the condo. We highly recommend Brian's Painting! read more

Best painters and people ever! I can't thank Brian and Jeremy enough for their over and above work and work ethic! My more mature mother had been cheated by some shady painters who did awful work , took her money and did not complete the job! Needless to say we were skeptical to try again! But Brian's painting was AMAZING! Their work is impeccable, attention to detail and their communication is beyond amazing! Brian is honest, trustworthy, communicates and DELIVERS! He went over and above to help my mom through the process. If you want to make an investment in your property call them now! Thanks for everything Brian! read more

Just had Brian do a second job for us, including some difficult work around a planted area. Very good work again, and continued timely responsiveness. We continue to recommend Brian's Painting. [May 2019] First job (2017/18). Brian and his team did a great job on our old house. The new paint job actually sparkles in the afternoon sun! Brian was quick getting back to our inquiry on Yelp, gave us a prompt estimate that matched what I expected the cost to be, and the results were excellent. The job involved oil priming the front of the house and then repainting the front, front porch, and side porch, as well as repainting the porch floors. It also involved a fair amount of patching, and that worked well too. We'd definitely recommend Brian's Painting (and would use him again). read more

Brian's Painting - Painters Near Me

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Brian is our go to guy for all our painting needs. He painted the outside of our house and some interior painting as well. He consistently does an excellent job at the best, fairest price. You don't need to look any further for your painting needs. Brian is kind, courteous, efficient, fair, and professional. Highly recommend. read more

Brian and his crew did a great job painting the exterior of our home. They were very meticulous and diligent and the quality of work was second to none. From prep to painting, they took their time to do things right and even went above and beyond to work with us to address any issues that came up. Brian does an excellent job of communicating and worked with us to ensure we got the exact color we were looking for. Would highly recommend using this local company to take care of your painting needs, as we would not hesitate to contact them in the future for any of our projects. read more

Brian was amazing to work with. He is very polite, communicative, conscientious, trustworthy and dependable. Hard to find these qualities nowadays. We met at least 4-5 other painters and it was easy to select Brian. His estimate was reasonable and competitive, and we could tell that he cared a lot about his work and customers. Brian went above and beyond to help us and was willing to do whatever he could to ensure that the house looked great. He did not just paint over and cover up issues he found (like rotting wood, cracks, gaps, etc.), but made sure to let us know if he found anything that needed attention. Thanks to him we discovered some issues in our window frames and beams that needed to be fixed. He was also very patient with our multiple add-on requests. As we saw the amazing work he did on our exterior, we had him paint some of our interior, sky light areas, doors and lanai floor as well. Everything turned out wonderfully and our almost 60 year old home looks like new! He and his crew were wonderful - thank you Brian, Bryson, Ben and Alex for all your hard work, diligence, and attention to detail! We definitely recommend Brian without hesitation and would hire Brian again for any future painting needs! read more