Buying and selling old frames, boards and timbers

Occasionally, Knobb Hill Joinery will unite someone in the region who is interested in acquiring an old frame with someone else who is looking to part with one.  As a general rule, we do not like to support those who profit from removing historic structures from the landscape.  We have found that many of the companies that buy up old frames, boards and timbers do so at the expense of the seller, buyer and the community that has lost a part of its landscape and history.  More often than not, those who buy up these structures know and care little about their history beyond what value the provenance can add to the sale price.  We have heard countless accounts of homeowners being talked into selling a structure for far less than it is worth.  What’s worse is that many of these structures are sold out of state for small fortunes.  We have even heard of one account where a homeowner awoke in the middle of the night to find thieves stealing the boards right off of his barn.  We implore anyone considering the removal, sale or purchase of an historic structure to give due consideration to the ethical implications.  We understand that not everyone is in a position to prioritize or afford the stewardship of historic structures.  When necessary, Knobb Hill Joinery is willing to help broker direct exchanges without commission or compensation.  New England’s historic architecture is a finite resource that we don’t want to see exhausted.

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