Exterior Paint Estimate for this house

Red -- thanks for responses. I don't have an extension ladder. So by the time I buy a type 2 or better ladder I could probably buy some used scaffolding and have a nice working platform to dive off of -- or so that is my thought. The ladder atop scaffolding idea I mentioned would be a step ladder to get another 3' above the scaffolding -- not an extension ladder off the scaffolding!! Your picture is exactly where I need to get.

This is the exact house,

As for the paint itself -- I'm using Moorgard.

I had a full can from 10 years ago that I used on another project. That stuff is THICK. I did not have good luck with using a roller. Any suggestions? Would a different roller cover help? Some paint additive? A bit of water to thin?

Mooreguard is good stuff but don't roll it and *certainly* don't thin it with water! Use a 3 1/2" or 4" brush. You need to get the paint on the bottom edge of the clapboards, too.

If this is all you need the ladder for (once a decade), rent an appropriate ladder. My previous house had cedar clapboards, with a 20' dormer on the back. I used a 20' Type 1A ladder to paint it (rented scaffolding to put up the cedar).

So brush on the entire house? I suppose I could roll and then back- brush?

Absolutely! It's not *that* hard. Start at the top, moving the ladder from side to side. You need to leave a wet edge, so depending on the weather, maybe only three or four clapboards at a pass. After all the prep work this part is easy.

I certainly wouldn't. It's expensive paint and a lot of work to waste by cutting corners.

I might be able to come-up with 12' of scaffolding for < $200 (72" x

I do appreciate the insights given here. Until I actuall stand on a

house,

You also have a death trap.

A 24' type-1A ladder at the Borg is $260, new. $184 for a Type-II (but I wouldn't trust one fully extended). There may be used ones around for half that.

Hope you have your sea legs and insurance paid up.

It's $41 a gallon. I have the 4" Purdy. The painters I have bids from all said they would spray on and back brush. I was planning to roll/brush. I have some 3 and 4 inch rollers I might still try. But in my one trial the rollers caused too much "bubbling".

Spray or rollers won't apply as much paint, or as well, as a brush. I expect painters to cut corners. I certainly wouldn't.

Seems like scaffolding would be more stable than a ladder. I need to get up to those places to do some caulking, priming, and then painting. I'm not too concerned about the time to move the scaffolding. But I can honestly say I've never stood atop 12' of 30" x 72" scaffold. The 5' x 7' stuff would probably be better.

I was going to tell you exactly that. Professionals would SPRAY and back brush/back roll. Why not plan on doing exactly that? Yes, you can brush the whole thing, but I wouldn't.

I'm tempted to send this thread to my brother, the ex-pro painter. He lives in Phoenix and what with home prices and all he probably could use a good laugh.

Let me be sum up what we've determined to date.

You're scared of heights. You've never done this before. You're ignoring the advice of people that have. You're scared of heights.

That's all I'm getting from this. The only semi-serious question you have is about accessing the dormers. I would tell you to Google "chicken ladder", but you're afraid of heights so that's pointless advice.

Do yourself the favor and hire someone. You can get any laborer who's not afraid of heights to paint it while you supervise from the ground. It'll cost you ten or fifteen bucks an hour, the guy will be done with all of the high parts within two or three days, and he'll even bring his own ladder.

R - the bids came in at 3.5K to 5.5K. I don't know how many days that was intended to be, but given I have other needs for the sorts of tools (pressure washer, scaffolding, etc) that are needed in the project I've decided to undertake it. I see value (beyond the 3K) to doing it myself, e.g. identifying poor drainage spots, future issue areas, etc, so I'm proceeding with the challenge. Heck I might even find I like it.

Not if you don't listen to the voice of experience you won't. You'll make all sorts of stupid mistakes, and hopefully not the "final solution" one.

I don't care how you spend your time, I don't care what you do to risk you life, I don't care how you spend your money. Just don't ask for approval. Other idiots reading this thread down the road might not know enough to know _you_ don't know enough, and they might follow your example.

We're done, right?

All,

Continue to appreciate the suggestions (most of them).

I bought a pair of multi-purpose scaffolds (aka Perry) from TSC who had them for $150 each this past weekend. We have only used them thusfar to get us 2' and 4' above the ground. All I can say is it's Much better for me than setting up a ladder, climbing, painting a small section, repeat. I suppose if I was a very good painter, I'd develop the right muscles and skills to paint rapidly from a ladder, but for me, the 6' of scaffold space plus another foot to either side lets me attack 8' of soffit, fascia, siding, etc as if I'm standing on the ground. One unit alone will get me 6' off the ground which will be enough to reach 13-14' which is 80% or so of what I need. If I stack I can get at another 10% or so, leaving that last 10% as the 22' peaks and a couple of spots on the dormers. Brush on a stick might be the answer this time -- so long as there's no other prep needed. Hanging out that bathroom window to get at the dormer on the 12/12 is an interesting idea. I need to give that some more thought.

Vic & all --

Some good ideas there.

Follow-up.

Project is well underway. I bought 2 sets of Perry-type scaffolds. For stacked use -- about 11.5' top height -- I added a set of 2x4 outriggers to the "back side" that put another set of feet about 30" out. It's solid on concrete, solid on rock, and solid on grass with some shimming under the locked wheels. Scrambling up and down the 6' single scaffold is now second nature -- at 11.5' things are pretty comfortable as well. For my 22' gabel peaks I did sit a 6' ladder atop the scaffolding. The scaffold surface is 30" x 72" so there is good clearance for all the ladder feet. It takes longer to paint those 22' peaks then I thought -- soffits, backside of fascia, etc --- but the two 22' peaks are done except for the fascia trim board (starting to kick myself for not doing that at the same time, even though it would have meant another brush and color of paint). Weather here is getting cool -- I'm trying to paint when the temps for at least 12 hours are > 40. Since I tend to paint noon to sunset, that means 40s through the night. Its' going to be a bit tougher now. I ran across another water damage spot, that I'll post elsewhere.

Some points on painting with a ladder on scaffolding -- it's easier to stand with the dominant hand side of the body away from the wall. So I'm right handed -- I found it easier to paint by climbing the ladder with my left hand against the wall and then reaching across, back, and out to paint with my right hand -- and as needed some with my left hand. That surprised me a little -- as I figured it would be better to paint with my hand closest to the wall - that turned out to be false.

Now onto figuring out how to attach the dormers. Cleats on the roof and a ladder might be the ticket for much of it. That one 12/12 roof dormer still presents some challenges -- but as one noted, it's right out the window of the bathroom.