Jedd Haas wrote:
You've gotten all these different prices and different opinions
because
the painters are all working their own agenda; some are pricing for a
good
job, some for a not-so-good job. Write your own specs and have each
painter give you a price. Note how some of them will whine about you
"not needing to do" certain steps you specify. As others have noted,
prep is
key; so some of the following steps may or may not be applicable.
Here are
the basic steps for a good job:

1. Pressure wash the house.

Not always a good idea. Pressure washing can cause problems. Under the
right conditions with a good crew it is a good idea. Note Jedd did cover
this under his comment "some of the following steps may or may not be
applicable"

2. Sand down to bare wood.
3. Replace any cracked or broken boards.
4. Tighten up all the nails.
5. Set the nails below the surface with a nail set.
6. Prime the entire house.
7. Putty/spackle, and caulk all holes and cracks, including all the
siding gaps.
8. Hand sand.
9. Prime again.
10. Hand sand.
11. Two finish coats, oil or latex, your pick.

Not a bad list and if your comment "some of the following steps may or
may not be applicable" is taken seriously it is a very good list.

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math