Expert: Rikki Nyman - 4/15/2010

Question
I have a 100 year old shed on my property. Unfortunately it is in pretty bad shape and in an inconvenient location, right in the middle of my back yard. As much as I love old structures, I want to have it removed.

Although the exterior and foundation are falling apart, the interior wood is in fair-good condition, and I am wondering if it might be valuable. Do you know how I can determine this?

Thank you.

Answer
The value of the interior wood is probably going to depend on the type (and quantity) of wood and where you are located. If you know any woodworkers who can identify it, start at that point. From there, you'll need to identify potential interest and that's going to require some research. Sometimes, old wood can be remilled and will bring premium prices from remodelers. The cost to take down an old structure and haul it away would probably be a wash if you want someone to do it for you. If you can take the shed down yourself and repurpose the wood onsite, then you'd probably see more benefit. Again, it depends on what you have.

Hope this helps,
Rikki Nyman
www.antiquehomestyle.com