Removing Wooden Fireplace Mantel

We paid $1,000 to remove a mantel and we sold it to an architect who needed it for a renovation for $800\. It looked similar to this one but was made of mahogany.

cate

in Chimney and Fireplace 11 years and 5 months ago

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elisenew | 12 years ago

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http://cdn.brownstoner.com/51b095edba1da-.jpg

We have two fireplaces in our apartment, both with similar wooden mantels. We are considering removing one of them. We would appreciate help from this community with a few issues related to this. One, how can we sell the mantel for a fair price? When we looked into this a few months ago, it seemed like those wanting it would pay far less than its “worth” because they had the connections to get it to people who might want it and also claimed they’d be refurbishing it. The other question is about the removal. One piece of the mantel allows for a view in behind it and it looks like red brick and some loose white mortar on top of the firebox. But obviously I’m no expert. In my research online and in talking to some I understand there could be some hazards surrounding old fireplaces– old soot, asbestos, old materials. What is the safest way to approach this removal? This mantel is in a bedroom for a baby and two adults so we don’t want the removal to pose a health problem. Should we have it investigated prior to removal, and if so, by whom? I would rather err on the side of caution here even though I am aware that many people would not worry about this. Thanks for you help!

BobMarvin | 12 years ago

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Before you remove the mantel, please consider that you’ll be reducing the value of your apartment AND that mantels make great headboards, if you move your bed against them [which is what we did in our bedroom]. If you do remove it, any mess would be easily swept up. The space can easily be sealed with sheet rock. You would, of course, not sleep in the room until after the work is finished. As to value, you can’t really expect to get the full retail amount that an antique or salvage dealer would charge, but selling this beautiful mantel, for any amount. or even giving it away, is preferable to destroying it.

Bond | 12 years ago

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Things are only what people are willing to pay for them.  So if the best offer that you get is $10, then that’s what it’s worth.  This seems especially true for mantels.  There are so many variables that come into play. The surround has to be the right size or close to it and the same for the width and height.  Then it has to be the right style and color or tone.  Really unusual mantes can go for relatively large sums, but yours while very nice, is not all the unusual.  I’m not trying to be snarky or petty, my real point is that you’ll probably get in the neighborhood of $300 to $500 for the mantel.  When you factor in that taking it out will probably end up costing you two thousand dollars, by the time you replace the flooring that is currently tile, add the molding, dispose of debris, patch, paint, clean up the enivitable mess from soot and dirt, etc.  You’ll be spending a lot of money to go from having a really nice detail to a blank space and spending a lot of money to do it.  Unless I really hated the mantel, I’d live with it.  That being said, removal is realtively straightforward, any decent contractor should be able to remove it.  Asbestos is not likely, but always possible.  Prime areas for that would be transition points; for instance where a metal flue liner meets masonry.  Soot and dirt are a certainty.

sourcream | 12 years ago

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You definitely won’t be getting a great deal as everything is available at reduced amounts and have the experts check out the area prior to removing anything esp. with a baby in the house.

humboldt | 11 years and 11 months ago

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Don’t take it out! Sure, there may be some temporary gain in “customizing” the space, but details like this that add immeasurable character to a room and really cannot be restored once gone. I doubt you’ll get much for it once out, certainly not enough to justify the removal. People are so quick to change their spaces, not realizing how rare such details are. Don’t create another bland NYC box room!