[Zeke]

I started out in the trades as a union painter and soon went out on my own. It takes more gear than you think to paint an exterior, especially a 2-story. You don't say what kind of construction nor the condition. If there is a lot of wood, plan on spending quite a bit of time doing preparation.

Preparation. This is where the hired guys tend to fall off (not literally). Having good power tools will help in the right hands and make a terrible mess in inexperienced hands. The faster one can go, the more damage one can do. IOW, if everything was sanded by hand there would be minimal imperfections in the finish coats. No one has that kind of time unless it's a labor of love.

The idea is to get the surfaces clean, smooth where they should be, and free of any loose paint or mold that has sneaked under a layer of paint. I recommend priming everything but cementuous surfaces in relatively good condition that have been washed. Power washing is good, again in the right hands. I use PW on a limited basis and certainly never on wood.

There are many tricks and techniques to prep a house and I hate to sound like a parrot, but in the inexperienced hand, the results may not stand the test of time. This is a whole 'nother discussion and there's not room here. If you have any particular questions, say like the use of bondo as a filler, PM my and I'll run it down for you. For the moment, and if you encounter any soft wood due to rot, etc., use a search for "wood fiber consolidation."

It's a good idea to do the house in sections whereas a pro would tackle the whole thing at once doing a process at a time all around then beginning the next process back at the starting point. That's when there is a crew to set up ladders and planks and then keep moving same day by day. You should just plant yourself on a gable, porch, side, wherever and do all you can while you're there.

Buy the best paints. You can get a deal on your own if you talk to a paint supply manager and tell him you will buy and rent everything from his store. Then give him the particulars and ask for recommendations for each primer and paint. You should get a minimum of 30% off vs. the housewife that walks in and buys a quart after taking up 45 minutes of the store's time. That's for the paint. The store makes the money selling the supplies, so if you are totally loyal, they could give you the paint. Act like a pro and you will be treated as a pro. The HD and Lowes don't give a rat's ass however they do carry good paint if you happen to catch a smokin' sale.

And a funny thing: start at the back and finish out front. You don't know how many have petered out and have a good looking front side while the back didn't get a lick.