Sell it, Burn it or what? Old barn with log structure inside.

[Doug_D]

Hey all-

I just purchased a property that has an old barn on it and not sure what to do with it.  I am under the gun to get the property up and running and have very limited time to mess with this myself.  It's an older (40'x40' with hay loft) barn with large fairly wide weathered hardwood boards and a tin roof - very rustic.  However, inside the barn is some type of log structure made out of hand hewn logs (red oak maybe - hardwood definitely).

I would love to take some of the beams and saw them up or build something rustic, but I really just dont have time to mess with it.  I thought about putting an ad on craigs list and see if someone would want to buy it for the lumber\tin.  Anyone have luck doing this?  Maybe call the scrap guys for the tin?

Goals -
1. Get it out of my way within 90 days.
2. Get the most $$ with the least effort from me.

Thanks for the help.
Doug

[red oaks lumber]

heres the downer side of selling your standing barn, there is alot of labor involved for the amount of material that can actually be saved.
unless you have some very spectacular timbers or rare i will throw this out, i would be real surprised if you saw $2,000 for everything. if you do go that route there is alot of scammmers out there, most wont clean the area the y take whats good and leave you with rest.
if your interested pm me i'll give you a name of a reputible barn removal guy in southern wisc.

[Ron Wenrich]

Some of those old beams saw out some really nice flooring.  I know of several companies that take them down, then send them to a band mill for sawing.  They're dried and made into flooring and sell for top dollar.  They can easily pay for all the extra blades for any metal that's hit.  It's ancient wood, and they don't grow much of that anymore.  I've also seen the weathered siding go as paneling. 

If you go the Craigslist route, better make sure they have insurance.  Any accident might come back on your liability insurance. 

[Chuck White]

Maybe restore the barn and turn it into a mill shed!

Doesn't really need to be 2 story though!

[coxy]

only if you were closer  ;D

[SwampDonkey]

Be careful Doug, most people around here just scrounge the steel and wire and off they go never to be seen again. My dad has taken down a couple barns, his father's and grandfather's. Did it himself and saved a lot of good lumber. He rented or borrowed a dozer and buried one of them when I was 6 or so, I remember riding on the dozer.

What's the hurry to dispose of the barn? Are you building on the same spot? Shame that you have no time for some salvaging.

[Magicman]

I have dismantled several old houses and it is dangerous and no fun.  Yes, there can be some very usable lumber.  There have been other times when I salvaged all that I could and sent the rest up in smoke and ashes.

[WH_Conley]

I agree with Magic. Salvage til it gets risky then lite it up.

[Doug_D]

We will start building onsite within 2 weeks and finished in 90-120 days.  Even though we are not building on the barn site itself, I need it gone before construction finishes as it is a commercial site.

I have a feeling I will salvage what I can and convert the rest to smoke.

[SwampDonkey]

Sounds like a good plan.  ;D

[johncinquo]

A guy who works for these guys  http://www.americanbarnandwood.com/  is located here in Michigan.  They are taking down a newer (1960's) barn and an old (1890's) feed mill for me.   Yes, they are paying me for the materials.  They leave a nice clean site when done, are professional, and carry insurance.  I don't know if my guy works in IL, but you can contact John out in CA and see what they can do.  They sell some of it here, but most gets cleaned, loaded on trucks, and ships out West.  I am not getting rich on the deal, but I don't have to do the work either. 
Anybody got any guesses as to how much that old no-good wood is worth?  Retail and wholesale....

pc_smiley

[Jason_AliceMae Farms]

I vote for salvaging what you can and then burn the rest.  You could even call the local Fire Department and see if they would be willing/interested in using the burn as a controlled burn/training exercise.  I know the local volunteer department near me does that on a somewhat regular basis.