# Cost to save an old barn.



## sugarbush (Jul 15, 2007)

I built a couple of coops for a guy and delivered them saterday. This fella and his wife have 235 acres, mostly wooded. He has an old dairy barn (1840s-50s)that is 30x50 that he wants to save so he asked me to work up a quote to cut the trees, mill the lumber then crib up the barn and jack it level, take all the old barn board off and replace it, pour concrete peers under the supports; then set the barn back down....... Well as much as I would like to do this job the quote is almost 15K and I can't find any way to cut costs..... Most of the cost is labor which I would need to hire two extra guys to get this done. Maybe that is reasonable, but it sounds high to me.......

This is the breakdown
Cutting the trees and milling 8000 bf $4028 (that is a very reasonable rate)
Labor to jack the barn, replace siding, pour footers etc. 135 hrs at $60.00 hr. $8100
Rental on man lift $1500.00
hardware $500.00
Concrete $680.00
Total $14,808


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## barelahh (Apr 13, 2007)

sugarbush said:


> I built a couple of coops for a guy and delivered them saterday. This fella and his wife have 235 acres, mostly wooded. He has an old dairy barn (1840s-50s)that is 30x50 that he wants to save so he asked me to work up a quote to cut the trees, mill the lumber then crib up the barn and jack it level, take all the old barn board off and replace it, pour concrete peers under the supports; then set the barn back down....... Well as much as I would like to do this job the quote is almost 15K and I can't find any way to cut costs..... Most of the cost is labor which I would need to hire two extra guys to get this done. Maybe that is reasonable, but it sounds high to me.......
> 
> This is the breakdown
> Cutting the trees and milling 8000 bf $4028 (that is a very reasonable rate)
> ...


How long to do and how much profit are you making??? 

15k sounds extremely low for restoration of a 1800's barn.
BTW .50 a board foot is too cheap. you can't buy the lumber for less than about 1.75 - 2.25 a bf depending on location. I would AT LEAST charge half the cost of lumber if you had to go buy it.


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## sugarbush (Jul 15, 2007)

The milling will take me 12 days to cut and mill.....the rest will take 3 of us three weeks from start to finish. The lumber sounds cheap, but you might be forgetting that the trees are his, I am just milling them into lumber. If I had to buy the logs myself and them mill and sell the lumber to him the price would almost double.

It's also not a total rehab. He will still need somebody to re-roof it when I am done.


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

Sounds reasonable to me and as much as I like old barns I doubt he will go for it unless really sentimental. I hope he is.


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## ericjeeper (Feb 25, 2006)

To your quote. If he goes for it then you done good.Nothing wrong with making a living in todays times,


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## Rocky Fields (Jan 24, 2007)

Hey.

Try pricing a 30x50 wood barn and 15K looks cheap.

When you make your pitch, show him a quote for a 30x50 metal outbuilding assembled and he will see what a deal you are offering him.

RF


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## clovis (May 13, 2002)

Here is what I would consider doing:

Up your price. I originally thought you should add $5000. I haven't seen the work that needs to be completed, but you sound too cheap.

If you need the work, break it into sections that he can afford. Without knowing your numbers and the work, I am just using a "for instance":
Phase 1: Foundation work, replace rotten posts and repair....$3800
Phase 2: Repair floor joists in northeast corner and replace flooring....$2800
Phase 3: Replace and reside north side of barn...$1800
Etcetera

If you need the work, this approach keeps you in the running, and may allow him to afford you as he gets the money. It avoids the "winner take all" or "loser gets nothing" type bidding.

Again, these are just made up examples of how you could bid the work, if you need it. With the economy possibly headed for rocky waters, some work might be better than none. 

I do think your prices sound low, but you know the job better than the rest of us. 

Just 2 cents.
Clove


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## farminghandyman (Mar 4, 2005)

my guess is it will cost you more,


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## sugarbush (Jul 15, 2007)

Mostly all I want out of it is the milling job..... I would like to save the old barn, hate to see them fall in.


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## glenn amolenaar (Mar 3, 2007)

Sounds to low even for us in S/W Mo. I would do like Clovis suggested and you will have a better chance at bid and maybe even make a few dollars.

Glenn


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## rambler (Jan 20, 2004)

Wanna come to my place???? I've got $15k. And a barn......

--->Paul


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## sugarbush (Jul 15, 2007)

The total after I reworked a few things was $16,804. He did not go for it....said he can have the Amish build a new one for that, actually I could build a new one for that , but it will be alot smaller.

I have some other work to do for him so I am going to continue to work on getting him to save the barn. I might try and talk him into just jacking it and pouring the footers for now just to hold it up and work on the rest as he has the money.


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