Marketing century-old timber-frames???
I’ve bumped this over from the building room – we’re new to this BB, and I wasn’t sure where to post my query, so here goes in Breaktime!
We bought a lovely old farm last fall, and on it sit two glorious timber-frame barns built in 1901 – I think they’re in the style known as “Pennsylvania Dutch.” One is 30×60, the other is huge, at 140×40. The post-and-beam structures for both are sound, hand-hewn old lumber, broad pine floors, etc, and the larger one also has 6′ high, 4′ thick walls made from cut limestone as its foundation (originally a dairy).
Our problem is they do not suit our current needs (horse barn and indoor arena!), but rather than just rip them down, we think they probably have lots of potential dissassembled, cleaned, moved, and reassembled as houses, shop, etc. We know there are people/companies who do this, but the prices vary so wildly that it’s hard to know what’s realistic, and who’s “smokin’ rope”!
Our next problem is marketing them….we can’t find any suitable magazines on the news-stands….there do appear to be some great websites out there, but what we’d like is some feedback, experiences, etc, on what works and doesn’t work. I’ve also watched eBay, but again, there’s very little action in the area of historic timber-frames!
All suggestions VERY gratefully received!
Bubblyjock
Replies
Your location is important...you might want to fill in your profile.
Two things come to mind:
1...there are advertisers, at least in the print version of FHB, that SELL recycled timbers. They may also purchase and reclaim.
2...If you have any Amish nearby...I know they love old barns and timbers, but probably won't pay much...at least you would know the recycled materials would be put to good use.
2...If you have any Amish nearby...I know they love old barns and timbers, but probably won't pay much...at least you would know the recycled materials would be put to good use.
Wonder if they could barter with the Amish. Give them the timber in exchange for donating their labor to constuct a building more suitable to the ho?jt8
"If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an infant's life, she will choose to save the infant's life without even considering if there are men on base." -- Dave Barry
Yes, they like to wheel and deal.
Search the internet for "Reclaimed Timber". Several months ago, I saw a TV show about a company (in New England?) that bought timber from all over the country. They dismantled the buildings and salvaged the timbers for reuse - often as flooring material.
Dismantling and salvage are much more labor intensive than demolition so I wouldn't expect to get much money for your buildings, but you may feel good about seeing the timbers recycled instead of destroyed.
Dismantling and salvage are much more labor intensive than demolition so I wouldn't expect to get much money for your buildings, but you may feel good about seeing the timbers recycled instead of destroyed.
I was wondering about that - doesn't seem like it could be very profitable recycling old buildings like that. Probably one of the main reasons recycling is not a significant part of our profit-driven economic system. I would think a notice in the local paper announcing free timber-frame to anyone willing to come dismantle and haul it away might do it."he...never charged nothing for his preaching, and it was worth it, too" - Mark Twain
I would think a notice in the local paper announcing free timber-frame to anyone willing to come dismantle and haul it away might do it.
You betcha, I'd come if it prob'bly wasnt 2200 miles away.
Do you know what kind of wood your buildings are made of? I see that you're in Bakersfield, so I wonder if they're redwood.
Here in the SF Bay area, many old buildings were made from old growth redwood from the Santa Cruz mountains. Some of it is just as good as the day it was cut.
Maybe it's just Bay Area paranoia, but if I were offering an old building to whoever would take it, I would make sure that they were insured up the wazoo before I let them near the place. Demolition/disassembly ain't for rookies and I wouldn't want someone to come after me because they did something dumb - lol.
Dave - the original poster (and owner of the buildings under discussion), Bubblyjock, lists their location as Ontario.
"he...never charged nothing for his preaching, and it was worth it, too" - Mark Twain
Edited 4/8/2006 12:42 pm by Huck
Oops. I must have seen Bakersfield on someone else's profile - lol.
Here In Sask Canada, my good friend tears down all the old Grain Elevators here, and turns them into timbers for everything from decks to houses.
http://www.lastmountaintimber.comHere is a pic of the house we spent 9 months buildingSecond Chance Renovations and Repairs
Where?
I might be interested.
"I always say they should make killing people legal. Of course, if they did, I would probably be the first one killed."- Barry Bonds
There are a number of places that buy and sell old barns. Do a google search on 'barn restore' and you'll get a number of hits. Here's a list of barn recycling links: http://www.tier.net/nvhistory/barn/barn_restoration_links.htm
where are you? I might be interested... Do you have photos (interior/exterior)?
Edited 4/7/2006 10:35 am by torn
There are a number of companies that used to dismantle old structures and resurrect them. Here are two links, one for the Timber Framers Guild. Another is for a company I've worked with in the past, David Howard. At one time they would dismantle antique frames and ship them from England to the US. I don't know if this work is still done by David but it wouldn't hurt to contact him.
http://www.tfguild.org/
http://www.firstdaycottage.com/history.html
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
Thanks all for the leads and suggestions. We've updated our profile to include our location (Ontario).
We'll look into buying a classified listing in FHB!
We've also attached a couple of pictures for those who were asking.
Bubblyjock
There is a guy in Windsor, VT who was featured on TOH,you might search their site.
The awful thing is that beauty is mysterious as well as terrible. God and the devil are fighting there, and the battlefield is the heart of man.- Fyodor Dostoyevski
That was Ted Benson, don't knwo the name of the company.And there are any number of timber frame house magazines on the news stand I would thing that they would have ads in them.
http://www.bensonwood.com
"I always say they should make killing people legal. Of course, if they did, I would probably be the first one killed."- Barry Bonds
Edited 4/7/2006 1:45 pm ET by dustinf
Bill,
Bensonwoods doesn't buy single building to dismember them they use old reclaimed wood from warehouses and factories that are sold to them by companies who make it their business to do just that.. era of specialization..
Bubbly - I'm reposting your photos as smaller files for the benefit of those who are on dialup connections...
Try the Kelly Preservation Group in PowderValley, Pa ( sorry, no #)
or
Recycle the BArn in or around Pottstown PA ( again, sorry I moved away yrs ago, but these folks can do ya right).
I only wish I could do it.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
" Iam not a poet, but your hat is singularily inadequate"
How big are the timbers? Are they hardwood or softwood? These will be key in how much it is worth.If they are hardwoods and large sizes it could be worth a lot.
If that's Ontario, Canada I wonder if there will be any export/import implications getting the barn in the US. You can't bring any fruits or veggies over the border due to insects & pests, will there be the same concerns with old barn wood?
-Norm
http://www.oldbarnwoodsite.com/old_barns_for_sale.htm
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For a good time, visit MyToolbox.net
See some of my work at TedsCarpentry.com
You might try contacting this guy:
Brian A Dumais
PO Box 982
New London, NH 03257
email: [email protected]
work: (603) 526-6602
fax: (603) 526-6602
His business is profiled in a Concord (NH) Monitor article:
http://www.cmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060321/REPOSITORY/603210311/0/FRONTPAGE
And another older article:
http://yorkweekly.com/1998news/6_18_bs1.htm
DaveinNH
Two places you can contact right here in Ontario
http://www.timelessmaterials.com/ in Waterloo
http://www.centurywood.com/ between Fergus and Orangeville
They both use old timbers for flooring etc.