I last painted my home in 2003.
The disease that cost me my hearing affects the inner ear so I can have balance issues. Thus I was all set to pay to have my home painted. It really didn't need it but I don't believe in waiting until it gets too bad. One of our neighbors is a professional painter. He is semi-retired, cherry picks painting limiting himself to new construction. He also has a finishing room and does a lot of finishing for local cabinet shops. My wife was returning a dish to his wife and asked him to recommend someone to paint our home. He said "Why don't Ken and I do it? I'll paint the high stuff and he can get the lower surfaces."
Thus I got elected into painting our home one last time. At my age, with the problems with both knees, my right hip and my back, I won't be doing it again.
He had me charge the paint to his account so we got the "Pro" discount at the local Sherman-Williams store and we bought their best exterior paint. He finished the "high" surfaces and trim last week and I have been working on my portion. Between family obligations, my wife's cataract surgery and weather, today I finally painted the 1st coat on the last wall on our home. The shop, carport and attached shed are all done with 2 coats. I like to pad paint on the lap cedar siding and have also been using a cheap paint brush for those areas where a pad wouldn't fit. I wasn't impressed with this "noname" brush.
This evening after getting the 1st coat on the last wall of the house, I decided to start painting the trim around the doors of the shop. I broke out my 11 year old Purdy brush and began cutting in where the lap siding meets the door casing. What a pleasure to use a brush that will accurately and repeatedly flow paint in a straight line.
I'm sure a lot of people will disagree but it sure seems you get what you pay for........