Custom houses

[Anya]

I was wondering if you customise a house such as a discontinued design can it lose its value? For example if a collector was after a Willowcrest and you made changes to it would it still be classed as a Willowcrest or something else?

I would like to do a few changes to my Queen Anne but I don't know if I should keep it in its original state because they are not being made anymore.

What do you think?

[Minis On The Edge]

I think a serious collector would want a bashed house more than a house that looks exactly as it does on the box. The reason is because they know you spent more work in it and chances are you have made modifications that makes the house Unique instead of just like te others.

:lol:

[havanaholly]

if you customise a house such as a discontinued design can it lose its value? For example if a collector was after a Willowcrest and you made changes to it would it still be classed as a Willowcrest or something else?

I think antiques lose value when someone changes the finish or overdoes it trying to "restore" them. In the case of a dollhouse kit, it's the finished product & not the kit itself you're building that will be considered when it's finally old enough to be considered an antique.

[Minis On The Edge]

Also as regards to old kit losing there value, it seems they lose there Value if you open the kit. An open kit means there is a greater chance that some thing can be missing. But if you are gonna build it, it's like Holly said :lol: the final analysis come after the house is built.

[havanaholly]

It's like the vintage toys currently bringing astronomic prices at auction, "new, MIB". That's fine for a museum, I'm of the school that toys are playthings, they have no souls if they aren't played with.

[glen]

I would have to think the value of any assembled item comes from the quality of workmanship rather than the origin. A well bashed kit is very difficult to achieve compared to just putting one together casually, bashed or not.

[Anne]

I also think it depends on the buyer! Some people collect things still in the original box, others are collecting already built houses and are interested in individualism, etc. So I think as long as you dollhouse will look beatiful in the end you will find someone who appreciate your work. And I personally would be more interested in a professional bashed house. Cause nearly everyone can build a dollhouse kit but it's difficult to bash a dollhouse in a beatiful way! So, I would say - go for it! And I'm sure you will have some very nice ideas for the Queen Anne! =) Just make sure - if you wanna sell the house - that it stays affordable, otherwise it will be hard to find a buyer. Cause most millionaires aren't interested in dollhouses, they prefer to live out their dreams in 1/1! :lol:

[doogster]

A collector's prolly gonna want an unbuilt kit, preferably unopened, but at least with guarantee all the parts are there. So if you build it or bash it I don't think the value would differ too much.

[Nameless1]

I'd agree that anyone buying the house already built is buying based on whether the finished product appeals, not on whether it's a specific model.

My recall of conversations here about obsolete kits is that people here buy the KIT from a yen to build a discontinued house... and buy the finished HOUSE if it's offered at a bargain rate for potential rehab.

Once you get away from fanatics like us, I'm not sure collectors care all that passionately about the name that was originally on the box. People who will pay big bucks to own one perfect house are buying because they fell in love with whatever you presented.

[Lisa_F]

Once you get away from fanatics like us, I'm not sure collectors care all that passionately about the name that was originally on the box. People who will pay big bucks to own one perfect house are buying because they fell in love with whatever you presented.

That's what I think too. If I'm looking to buy a kit - it's because I want to build it myself - to make it uniquely mine.

If I'm going to buy an already completed house (one that's ready to go - not needing fixing up) - it's because I am thrilled with what the builder did with that particular house.

I would like to do a few changes to my Queen Anne but I don't know if I should keep it in its original state because they are not being made anymore.

What do you think?

I think that when this house was being made - a good portion of the people who bought it back then & built it *bashed* it when they built it too.

If you are building the kit for your own collection, I'd say build it the way your mind says it needs to be built - changes & all :lol: 'cause the final value will be in what you've done with the house! The house will still be a Queen Anne - it will just be a Queen Anne with *upgrades* that sets it apart from the others.

If you are building the kit with an eye towards eventually selling the house - I'd still say build it the way your mind says it needs to be built 'cause the house will capture the eventual owner's heart based on what you did with the house to make it unique!