Korth & Shannahan

The Brush Strokes of Success: Korth & Shannahan Painting Celebrates 45 Years

April 17, 2024 by The Inside Press

When Will Korth first picked up a paintbrush 45 years ago, he had no idea that this paintbrush would one day lead him to owning one of the most successful painting businesses in Westchester: Korth & Shannahan Painting and Carpentry. What started as a summer job painting houses for the Shannahan brothers in Will’s hometown of Chappaqua turned into a more serious opportunity for Will as he quickly moved up in the company. Will honed his painting techniques and quality of work while up on the ladders in these early days. These foundational years of painting taught Will the mantra that he instills within himself and his team to this very day: Hard work pays off.

Today, you won’t find Will at the top of a 3-story ladder. He now spends his days estimating new projects and building culture among his all-star team of house painters. Will and his black Labrador, Luna, are known to stop by job sites for safety checks or to make color testing samples for his loyal customers. From its humble beginnings, Korth & Shannahan Painting has made a name for itself as the go-to company for interior and exterior painting, custom carpentry, lead work, and historical restoration here in Westchester County.

After 45 years of leading the residential painting industry in Westchester, Korth & Shannahan knows the key to making a happy customer. “The best painter really listens to what their customer wants. We pay attention to the ‘pain points’ our customers have, like being careful with their pets, protecting the vintage mirror from their great-grandfather, or making sure to cover the new bed of roses in the garden. “What matters to the customer must matter to you” says Korth. For a few lucky customers, Will has been personally taking care of their homes since he was a teenager. 45 years down the line, these customers still call him for their painting and carpentry work. When asked about these long-standing accounts, Korth “believes that its customer service that really drives the bus. There’s no replacement for a happy customer to build your business”.

Will sets the bar extremely high for himself and his team of professional painters and carpenters when it comes to the quality of their work. Each job the Korth team completes is executed to the highest level of workmanship, building trust among their clientele with each coat of paint applied. Unlike the competition, Korth is so confident in his finished product that he provides a 4-year warrantee on every job.

What’s next for Korth? Will and his crew are gearing up for a huge summer of exterior painting. Will’s daughter Olivia, who handles the company’s marketing and recruitment efforts, is hiring new painters to join the team at a steady clip. At the height of the painting season in Spring and Summer, the crew is comprised of over 35 full-time foremen, painters and carpenters who are the core of the company. Olivia is already planning a huge barbeque for the crew, friends, and family in celebration of the company’s official anniversary date in mid-July.

The Korth & Shannahan team expects their 45th year of business to be the best yet. Decades of hard work have certainly paid off for this local, family-owned business. As Will says, “we’ve come a long way…I can’t wait to see where the business takes us next”.

To start your painting or carpentry project, call the Korth Painting office at 914-238-3588, visit our website korthpainting.com, or email olivia@korthpainting.com.

Korth & Shannahan: A Dynamic Family-Owned House Painting Business

August 18, 2023 by The Inside Press

Will Korth, owner and founder of Korth & Shannahan Painting and Carpentry, started his career in the painting industry at the young age of 14. As a teenager, Will painted houses during his summer breaks from Horace Greeley High School. He started from the bottom of the ladder (literally) and climbed his way to the top of the company. Today, Will is the leader of a 40-person team of professional painters and carpenters that are dedicated to making Westchester a more beautiful place to live.

Founded in Family, Rooted in Westchester

For 44 years, the core values of Korth & Shannahan Painting have been founded in family. Today, owner Will is joined by his daughter Olivia Korth as she steps into the family business. Olivia is putting her Business Administration degree to use in her new role as the Director of Marketing & Recruitment for Korth Painting. Now the second generation to join her family business, Olivia finds her now role to be both challenging and exciting. This father-daughter team is tackling Westchester’s house painting industry head on.

Working with family surely comes with its benefits and challenges for this father-daughter duo. Will and Olivia both love working together every day and have become even closer than they were before Olivia came into the business. The pair certainly had to learn how to balance life and work as they navigate this new dynamic. In Olivia’s words, “We try not to ‘talk shop’ at home, or ‘talk family’ at the office. It’s all about balance.”

The perks of trusting a local and family-owned business are clear to Korth’s new and returning customers. When you call Korth & Shannahan to set up an estimate, Olivia is the one to pick up the phone. From there, she’ll send Will over to your home to provide an estimate for your project. There’s nothing better than working with a local family business.

Industry Leaders

Will Korth and his daughter Olivia Korth

Over their 44 years in the House Painting industry, Korth Painting has adapted to become the industry leader in the Westchester area, all the while keeping their roots firmly grounded in their local history.

Will Korth and his team are deeply committed to providing the highest quality workmanship for their customers. As Will says: “Customer service drives the bus.” Their outstanding service and attention to detail results in many repeat customers and long-lasting client relationships. One of Will’s favorite parts of the job is seeing the long-time customers that he painted for when he was a teenager. More than 40 years later, his customers still trust him to handle their home’s painting and carpentry needs.

Some of the notable customers the Korth team paints for include the Clintons, Clive Davis, and the Zabar family. Will is also proud of the work he’s done for local organizations such as the New Castle Historical Society and the Bedford Presbyterian Church. “Painting the Horace Greeley House was certainly a feather in our cap,” notes Will, who’s painted some of Westchester’s most notable historical buildings over the years.

A family owned and operated business like Korth & Shannahan Painting understands what it means to be dynamic. They’ve pivoted through five decades of change and survived a global Pandemic, using every challenge they’ve faced as an opportunity to learn and change with the times.

“Our customers will always get a team I know and trained, which ultimately results in consistently happy customers” says Korth. From their original service area of Chappaqua, Korth has expanded his base to now serve Northern and Southern Westchester as well. Armonk, Bedford, Pound Ridge, Mount Kisco, Chappaqua, Scarsdale and Rye are where Korth sees many of his customers. Will also provides a four-year warranty on every job he completes, which is double the industry standard. The team at Korth Painting works hard to stay ahead of new color trends, provide in-person color consultations, train their painters on new paint products, and find the best methods of paint application – all in the name of phenomenal customer service.

To start your next project with Korth & Shannahan Painting, call 914-238-5388 or visit korthpainting.com.

Korth & Shannahan Paints Picture Perfect Homes for 40 Years

August 24, 2021 by Stacey Pfeffer

In the process of buying a home, it’s widely agreed that a home’s curb appeal is a key purchasing factor. A well-maintained home’s exterior appearance sends a signal to buyers that the owners cared for their property. And one of the most important features of the exterior is a good, neat paint job. That’s where Korth & Shannahan, a 40-year old residential painting and carpentry business with New Castle roots comes in.

A Company with Local Roots

Will Korth, the owner of the business started painting at 14 years old as a summer job while attending Horace Greeley High School. He can still recall the first house he ever painted, a yellow Victorian on Roaring Brook Road in the 1980s. At the time, the company was called Shannahan & Shannahan and run by two local brothers Greg and Kevin who also attended Greeley. They did most of their work within Chappaqua, Mount Kisco and Millwood during the summer. People came to rely on the company because they were honest, hard working teens who made every effort to make the customers satisfied.

Upon graduating college and entering the workforce, Korth held a number of successful sales positions but when Greg offered him the opportunity to buy the company, Korth decided to pursue it and he’s never looked back.

Korth’s company counts notable customers including the Clintons, Clive Davis and the Zabar family. “Painting the Horace Greeley House was certainly a feather in our cap,” notes Korth, who has done it several times over the past four decades. His company’s commitment to high quality workmanship and service results in many repeat customers and long-standing relationships with his customers. He also offers customers a four-year warranty which is double the industry standard.

Currently the company consists of 32 painters and four carpenters who do everything from crown molding to replacing decks and they’ve expanded their customer base to include Southern Westchester towns. But Chappaqua and Armonk homes still account for one-third of his business. “The customer will always get a team I know and trained which ultimately results in consistently happy customers,” says Korth.

Cutting corners isn’t part of Korth’s mentality. When his team preps for a paint job, they sand rather than scrape the old paint which is more labor intensive but results in a smoother finish. He will also at times consult with a color consultant if a customer can’t decide on which color to choose. “The worst thing is to make a client feel pressured to choose a color,” explains Korth.

Painting Through the Pandemic

Like many other home improvement companies, Korth has seen an increase in demand for his services during the pandemic. “People are home more now than ever and really seeing the value in investing in their home,” notes Korth. When the pandemic started, Korth ensured that all his employees took COVID safety protocol courses.

Korth is proud of his company’s “squeaky clean reputation.” Whether it is learning the latest COVID protocols or becoming certified EPA lead renovators, Korth cares deeply about the safety of his customers and his employees. “Lead paint can be particularly dangerous to young children and is actually way more toxic than asbestos,” explains Korth. “If you are getting rid of lead paint, you don’t want to be sanding it off and get it on the children’s swing set. It needs to be removed properly to ensure everyone’s safety but it isn’t as costly as many customers initially think.”

Painting Tips

Most paint jobs tend to last eight to ten years. If you are thinking of painting your home in the near future, Korth suggests painting a few rooms each year and asking to see the company’s liability insurance. Fall is actually a great time to paint as Korth’s crew continues to do exterior work through early November so that your home will be picture perfect just in time for the holiday season and beyond. For more info or to contact, visit: korthpainting.com

Korth & Shannahan