PepperJoAz Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 Hi there - My father-in-law built a Vermont Farmhouse Jr and plans to donate it to a local charity for a silent auction. They are asking for an estimated value for the doll house. I know how much he paid for the kit, but would that be the "estimated value"? He finished the house inside and out with paint and wallpaper. It is not wired and has no furnishings. If this isn't the right place to ask...any ideas of a better place?? thanks!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 That's a hard one. They want to know the cost so they can set an initial bid. For tax purposes they will give you a receipt for the final bid price. When I donated mine I determined the cost as (kit + materials)*1.2 for labor (20% of costs). Nowhere near my true labor costs. I couldnt charge for starring at it getting it to talk to me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luanne Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 Etsy says $500 - wired and furnished. That's so sweet of your Dad. I hope this helps. https://www.etsy.com/listing/485765711/doll-house-a-beautiful-vermont-farm?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=vermont%20farm%20house%20for%20dollhouse&ref=sr_gallery_1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 When I sell mine I figure kit + materials because my "labor" is the buzz I get from doing it for a hobby. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrchob Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 I have donated a house for a school auction at the end of the month. I determined the value like Havanaholly. I submitted an itemized list of all materials used. Don't know yet what starting bid they are setting. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luanne Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 search for one on Ebay - in a similar offer? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodentraiser Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 What you could do is go to eBay and look at the sold auctions and see how much previously listed houses sold for. That would give you an idea of what people are willing to spend in the current market. People who buy fully finished dollhouses don't see the labor and the difficulty in getting a dollhouse finished and have no idea of the time and cost that entails. Most people who have never seem a nice, finished dollhouse before will look at even a roughly done one as "darling" and think it's worth a ton of money. You see those people overpricing their houses all the time for sale. People unfamiliar with dollhouses don't notice things like whether or not the baseboard corners are mitered or how carefully the wallpaper is matched or how difficult it might have been to hand make a parquet floor. So asking them to pay a price that includes labor as well as original purchase price, cost of supplies, and the time taken to finish a dollhouse, plus make a profit, is sort of unrealistic. You just sort of have to step back and look at the house as a whole and see what the public is willing to pay for it, regardless of how much work, if any, is put into it. I wouldn't go over $200 myself. From what I've seen on Craig's List and Etsy, that's kind of the break off price, unless a house is unique or hard to find or really, really nicely done, although I will say I look on Etsy and eBay to find bargains. There's a lot of people who can buy a house up to $200, but they start dropping out fast as you approach, $3, $4, and $500. And while I think it's great for your FIL to do this house, the Vermont Jr isn't exactly unique or hard to find anywhere. I'm not trying to be Debbie Downer here, but you do want a realistic price at which people want to start bidding on, instead of one where everyone will pass it by. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PepperJoAz Posted January 14, 2017 Author Share Posted January 14, 2017 Thanks for the input, everyone! I think I will go with the cost of the kit + maybe $30-$40 as the estimated value. He didn't spend much - glue, a few sheets of scrapbook paper, and some spray paint. He's not looking for a profit or even a tax deduction, so I think I could give the charity just about any number and they'd be happy. Thanks again!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luanne Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 That price would get lots of bidders! Would you update us on how it goes? Good luck!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PepperJoAz Posted January 16, 2017 Author Share Posted January 16, 2017 I thought I'd post a quick picture of the house in question, just for completeness sake!! I think he did a pretty good job. He used to be a model train guy, and is still a woodworker (mostly cabinets and such) so it's really not a surprise that he did well!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 Beautifully done. I really like how he finished the roof with the trim on the edges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 6 minutes ago, Sable said: Beautifully done. I really like how he finished the roof with the trim on the edges. What Sable said. I'd put a value of at least $150-175 on this house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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