Excel Painting & Restoration

Excel Painting & Restoration has served San Francisco since 1989. The company specializes in Victorian restoration and painting work across the city. Bill McKeever, owner and operator, established the business after moving to San Francisco in 1986 and has spent over three decades dedicated to preserving the character of San Francisco's architecture.

Services include exterior painting, interior painting, and restoration work. The team can handle anything from a basic repaint to custom color schemes, ornamental features, and hand gilded gold leaf work. Interior projects range from bedroom walls to balustrades and coffered ceilings. The company also offers fine carpentry services including spindle turning, sash window replacement, copper flashings, crown molding milling, and siding installation. With 30 years of color expertise, they provide customized color palettes and renderings to help visualize possibilities before work begins.

In California, painters must hold a Painting and Decorating Contractor license (C-33 classification) issued by the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB). Before hiring any painter, verify their license by visiting the CSLB's online license checker at www.cslb.ca.gov. You can search by license number, business name, or the contractor's name. The license lookup will show whether the license is active and disclose any complaints filed against the contractor.

Building permits for painting projects depend on the scope of work and local requirements. Basic interior or exterior repainting typically does not require a permit, but work involving structural changes, significant restoration, or other alterations may. San Francisco has its own building department with specific code requirements. Check with the City and County of San Francisco Building Department to determine whether your project needs a permit before work begins.

When hiring a painter, ask to see their active CSLB license, request references from similar projects, and get a detailed written contract that describes the scope of work, materials to be used, timeline, and payment terms. Clarify what preparation work will be done, as proper prep is critical for a quality paint job that lasts.