Cuppa-Tea Posted February 19, 2006 Share Posted February 19, 2006 It has taken over three hours, but I have finally gotten my pictures in the gallery. I want to go to bed!!! But, I need to ask you all to look at the Rutherford pictures and give me some idea of what this house is worth. I'm planning to donate it to a charity auction and need to give them a value for it. It's a very old house - about 20 years now - that I received as a shell in 1997 and decorated. I left out the stairs because they didn't fit together right and I had no experience with dollhouses. I also didn't know how to hang the doors, so I omitted the interior ones and glued the exterior ones in place. There is some minor damage to the gingerbread and porch. The hardwood flooring is warped a little because I didn't know how to apply it right. I haven't used that type again. It's those scored basswood strips. But, in spite of all that, it is a very pretty house, and sturdily assembled with no gaps. I put some expensive wallpaper in it, and two fireplaces. I have furniture for it, but I'm only selling the house so I left it out of the photos. The carpet is the dollhouse carpeting from a hobby store. It is wired with tapewire, but the wood is so old and hard that the brads won't go in. I had a devil of a time getting the tape wire in, and not knowing any better, I wasted about $150 in supplies before I realized that it just wasn't going to work. So, the light in the kitchen ceiling (nearest the start of the tape run) is the only light in the house. I gave up trying to install any other lights. I had it priced at $60 for a yard sale. Please let me know if you think that is too much or too little. I have no idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuppa-Tea Posted February 20, 2006 Author Share Posted February 20, 2006 P.S. It is similar to a Beacon Hill in basic design, but less ornate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jing-jing Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 I think $60 seems low. It's a great looking house. If I'd seen it at your yard sale for that price I would have snatched it up! ~Jenny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minis On The Edge Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 I totally agree. $60 is WAY too low. I know sometimes we as miniaturists go low with our items but that is too low for that house and the size of it too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gemlady Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 The house is a great looking House, a man I knew in busniness always said " WHEN IN DOUGHT MAKE A PROFIT!" To buy the house unasembled would be well over $150 you have put your time and talents into it, not many understand miniatures. The work that go into them is as extent as if you were making a full size item. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minis On The Edge Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 The shop I worked with used to take the cost of the kit, Multiply it by 3 ro finish only the outsides and if the insides where finished they multiplied it by 4 plus the cost of lights, wallpaper and paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuppa-Tea Posted February 20, 2006 Author Share Posted February 20, 2006 But... what about the lack of staircases, warped flooring and the damage to the gingerbread and porch, exterior doors glued shut and lack of interior doors? I need to tell the church how much to value it for the auction (fundraiser). Should I say $100? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minis On The Edge Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 The pictures you have in your gallery shows only mild damage. I would at least have it at the cost of the kit. This is My opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuppa-Tea Posted February 20, 2006 Author Share Posted February 20, 2006 The pictures you have in your gallery shows only mild damage. I would at least have it at the cost of the kit. This is My opinion. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> The problem is... this kit is not made anymore. Artply went out of business long ago. So I guess I will price it at a comparable Greenleaf kit price. Another question... the church may ask me if I can sell it on Ebay for them. The reason I haven't done this before is that I have no idea how to get it to the customer in one piece. How do you ship a finished dollhouse? Would a shipping place (like The UPS Store) even accept it (I know movers won't accept dollhouses)? How much would the shipping cost, approximately? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfire Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 I have used UPS to ship a very large Langford class project home from DC to NY and a roombox from NY to VI with great success. They need to do the packing and creating and you need to insure it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuppa-Tea Posted February 21, 2006 Author Share Posted February 21, 2006 Starfire, how much did it cost? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfire Posted February 21, 2006 Share Posted February 21, 2006 It depends on size and weight and distance. My big package (and I do mean big) cost nearly $400 for S&H and insurance. They had to build a special double box for it, but they did a super job. It was on a Sat morning and I was frantic because I was flying out on Sun eve. After spending 4 intense days in class I couldn't just walk away from it. My dh nearly had a heart attack but understood when he saw the finished house. (However I now drive to any shows when I am taking any classes. I was a nervous wreak until I got the package.) My roombox (which was much smaller) cost $55 for S&H. I would call UPS, give them the size and weight of the dollhouse and ask if they can give you an estimate for packaging it up (I recommend double boxing and make sure you remove anything that isn't permanently glued down, wrap and pack it separately. It can tuck inside the big box.) and costs to ship to a couple of destinations. You may also be able to go to their web site and get some idea of cost. Shipping is not cheap and the houses are fragile. That is why so many of the finished houses on ebay are for local pickup only and why many shippers will not handle them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nameless1 Posted February 22, 2006 Share Posted February 22, 2006 $60 is way too low. I'd browse eBay for Beacon Hills at a similar level of finish, then add a little for the rarity value, since the kit has been out of production for a long time. On shipping a dollhouse, your best bet is FedEx Ground -- it's way cheaper than UPS. If you want to double-box it rather than crate it (I'd crate it, but that's pricey), get styrofoam blocks to fill the corners between the inner and outer boxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doogster Posted February 22, 2006 Share Posted February 22, 2006 Wonder why Fed-Ex is cheaper? I think they're 10 times better. I've rarely received anything shipped UPS that wasn't damaged in some way (They call them OOPS (UPS) for a reason). I have never had anything damaged by Fed-Ex. And when Fed-Ex say overnight, it's overnight, Last overnight package I got from UPS took over a week to arrive. When I questioned them they said, "well it's NOT guaranteed." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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