What's Covered During a Family Entertainment Center Asset Valuation?

• Games: Whether it's the machinery that is the backbone of your bowling alley, a few video games on the way through or a whole complex of carnival-style games, you've put a lot of money into these entertainment assets. An accredited equipment appraiser can properly calculate the estimated value of this equipment, making it easier to decide when it's time to replace a less-popular game or one that's beginning to show signs of aging.
• Facility Maintenance Equipment: Keeping your facility clean and looking great is an important part of how your business is viewed in terms of public opinion, which in turn can drive more - or less - business in your direction. Knowing the value of steam cleaners, landscaping equipment or floor buffers allows you to get a fair deal when it's time to replace them for an upgraded model.
• Kitchen Machinery: Maybe your business has a snack bar, or it could be a full-scale restaurant that feeds hungry families during a busy day of making memories. No matter the level of complexity or size, an equipment valuation can include your kitchen and restaurant equipment, making it easier to decide if it's time to switch out your soda fountain machinery or if you should focus on a new refrigerator instead.
• Computers: If you're still working with an older system, you've probably considered whether it's time to change it out for a tablet-based system that provides more options. But how will you know when it's time to make the change based on your current system's value? Having an appraisal done will make it easier to decide, because you'll know what your current system will bring in when it's sold.
• Security Assets: With the situations families can face these days and the lowering cost of security features, many family entertainment centers have added cameras, trackers and sensors to help keep their patrons of all ages safe and sound. But those assets have a value that can be leveraged when it's time to make upgrades to your facility. Knowing what those assets are worth can make it easier to document your company's value.

Whether you're facing a potential court case, legal settlement, mediation or negotiation, knowing how to present the value of your equipment is of vital importance. Unfortunately, there are many situations where that value may be a matter of dispute. How do you independently and accurately explain what your machinery is worth? One of the best ways to do this is through an Expert Witness Appraisal Report. This type of valuation takes a detailed external look at the value of your assets that may be involved in a business dispute that is being litigated. Here's a summary of how this type of appraisal can help support your equipment values.

How Does an Expert Witness Appraisal Report Help Settle Your Business Dispute?

When you're facing a potential court case or other legal action, it is vitally important to independently support and ultimately prove your side of the case. In situations where damages are being measured in part based on the value of your tangible assets, an expert witness equipment appraiser can provide you with a solid way of doing this.

In a similar fashion, an experienced expert witness equipment appraiser can testify in deposition, arbitration or court as to the methodology and opinions of value derived in the report itself. An accredited equipment appraiser who has experience with these types of engagements, can provide the necessary expertise to discuss their background and specific details involved with the appraisal.

The information they rely on from you should include the equipment's age, make, model, capacity and other specifications, as well as repair and maintenance history during the asset's lifespan. With all of this information at hand, as well as the expert appraiser's independent research and analysis, the valuation report will be highly supportable and credible in the view of attorneys, judges, juries, and arbitration panels.

Regardless of the specific business dispute that is being litigated, an experienced equipment appraiser can structure the expert report to focus on the measurable levels of value that directly impact the case, while bringing available independent market data and accepted appraisal techniques to the forefront of the case. Based on the experience and expertise of an independent equipment appraiser who can provide a supportable and credible valuation report, you will be able to confidently argue your case. The methodologies and approaches utilized by the appraiser should be in conformity with both the American Society of Appraisers (ASA) and Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP), who are considered two of the top tier independent valuation organizations in the world, and are accepted in a wide range of circles for all appraisal needs.

By understanding what an expert witness appraisal report can do for you when faced with a business dispute under litigation, you can ensure that the value of your tangible equipment assets are being accurately and fairly represented. It is of critical importance that you work with an accredited equipment appraiser who has ample experience with preparing these expert reports as well a resume with a history of recent trial and deposition testimony. This gives you the best opportunity to realize a favorable outcome with your case.

You've got a lot of equipment tied up in your aggregate, grading or earthmoving operation, but what's the value of that machinery? When you have an aggregate equipment appraisal performed on your machinery, you can find out a lot about its estimated value, expected remaining lifespan and similar information that makes it much easier to make smart decisions for your aggregate business. But what exactly is involved in the overall process? Here's a quick look at how this type of appraisal is handled and what you can expect from the results.

How is an Aggregate Equipment Appraisal Handled?

 When you need to have your aggregate equipment appraised, this can cover a larger range of machinery than you might expect. Your large dump trucks, earthmoving equipment such as loaders and backhoes, crushing and screening equipment, conveyor belts and similar equipment can all be appraised by the same professional in most cases. The appraiser will need to know a range of different information, such as manufacturers, model numbers, year of manufacture, the number of hours on the equipment, the availability of any maintenance and repair records, the type of environment it's been used in and similar information.

But why is all of this information necessary for the appraisal process? Much like with used cars and trucks, some manufacturers and models have a better reputation than others with regards to quality and longevity. This reputation and the performance that has built it will impact the future overall useful life of the equipment, which in turn has a strong impact on the equipment's market value.

Similarly, from a condition viewpoint, a piece of equipment that has obvious signs of abuse or neglect is going to have a lower resale value than one that has been well-cared for over the years. If the assets have been well maintained, including taking the time for necessary component rebuilds and replacements completed over its lifespan, the effective age of the machine as a whole will be less than the chronological age, which can play a significant role in appraised value. All of these factors can impact your equipment's current fair market value.

Once that information has been gathered, the appraiser will work through the available market data and analysis to estimate your equipment's value. This information is carefully condensed into an appraisal report, which provides you with the sources and data that has gone into the overall work product. The report can then be utilized for re-financing, potential sale, insurance claims, legal settlement or any other ongoing business activity.

By having an aggregate equipment appraisal performed on your machinery, you can quickly determine the estimated value of your equipment as well as a lot of other useful information that can help you make smarter business decisions. However, this information is most accurate when you have the appraisal performed by an accredited third-party equipment appraisal specialist who doesn't have any interest in the outcome of the calculated value of your equipment the way that an equipment dealer may. Make sure to ask your prospective appraiser about their background and accreditation to ensure the best results.

When you work with metals, you've got plenty to keep on top of. Metals futures, commodity trading and market changes that impact your business' profitability can quickly take up a lot of your daily focus. But that doesn't mean that you should forget about the value of your equipment! Many business owners don't understand how a metal fabricating asset valuation works, which causes them to wait until specific circumstances to have one performed. However, by understanding how the process works, you can get a better grip on how to use this valuable tool to help manage your business' metal fabrication equipment assets.

How Does Metal Fabricating Asset Valuation Work?

There are a number of areas that are considered during a metal fabrication asset appraisal:

• What condition is the equipment in? Generally speaking, the equipment's condition in terms of hours, whether it's being used heavily or lightly, if it appears to be in good condition and similar details will help the appraiser determine how high demand will be for a piece of equipment.
• Is the equipment in demand in the market? As an example, welding robots that can be set up for machine learning are a hot commodity with the popularity of IoT and AI, which can dramatically increase the estimated value of the equipment. Machinery that does not have this capability may see lower values.
• Does the equipment have any special features, options or kits that have been added that impact its value? When your equipment does more, it often increases the estimated value, provided that it is able to truly deliver value. A feature that was tossed on at the last minute may not perform well, actually lowering value.
• How well has the equipment been maintained? If you can provide logs of maintenance and repairs, this documentation serves as proof that the equipment has been well cared for over the years and will continue to function long after poorly-maintained equipment will begin to fail. The appraiser also looks for signs of abuse, such as dents, unrepaired issues and similar problems that shorten lifespan.
• Are there changes in the market that are increasing or decreasing demand for that type of equipment? As with the AI-capable welding robots mentioned above, changes in the market can rapidly change the demand for your equipment. Stay on top of changes that are coming down the road by buying new machinery at the right time.
• What is the equipment's expected remaining useful lifespan? Knowing how long the equipment will last provides a data point for the appraiser to estimate its value. Equipment that is on the verge of failing has a lower estimated value than equipment that is expected to last a long time.

Metal fabricating asset valuation can be a powerful tool, making it easier to negotiate a fair market price when it's time to buy or sell used equipment, deal with insurance adjusters who don't have a solid grasp of your equipment's value, fight an incorrect property tax assessment or leverage the estimated value of that equipment to help secure financing to grow your business and take it to the next level. However, you can only realize these benefits if your equipment appraisal has been performed by an accredited equipment appraiser, who has been educated in the right way to estimate your equipment's value. An accredited appraiser will never have any problem providing you with verification of their training and background.

Your life is on the land, working the soil, managing your livestock and keeping the family farm going. You know that getting a new tractor or upgrading your farm's operation to include a drone can be expensive, but do you know what your equipment is really worth? A farm equipment appraisal can cover a lot more than just figuring out the value of your tractor. Here's a quick look at the types of machinery covered during an appraisal.

What Kind of Machinery is Covered in a Farm Equipment Appraisal?

• Tractors. Of course, as one of the primary ways to get work done on a farm, a tractor is one of the most commonly-appraised assets. The amount of horsepower, drivetrain, PTO capability and similar features go a long way to helping you get through your to-do list, and they all have value.
• Implements. Backhoes, bale spikes, front-end loaders, mowers, balers, drills, plows, harrows, rakes: whatever kind of implements you're using on your equipment, it helps you get the job done and can represent a large portion of your investment. Knowing what that investment is worth helps when you're contemplating an upgrade or trade-in.
• Drones. Combined with a solid precision agriculture strategy, aerial drones do a great job of spot-treating problem areas in your fields. This allows you to get a birds-eye-view of your herds, apply fertilizer, release beneficial insects and handle any number of other tasks without flattening your plants or even leaving the house.
• Refrigerators and coolers. Whether it's getting milk from your dairy herd cold, cooling your produce or just keeping some of those wonderful, farm-fresh products cold and fresh for your customers at the farmer's market, these vital pieces of equipment help extend the life of your harvest.
• Trailers and tow vehicles. With the cost of heavy-duty trucks, stock trailers and grain wagons, it's important to have an idea of what this type of equipment is worth. By knowing the estimated value of your farm truck, you can better decide when it makes the most sense to start looking at replacements, before you've lost too much of your trade-in value.
• Livestock handling equipment. Squeeze chutes, separating gates, corrals, round pens: when you have a livestock operation, you've got a lot of equipment in the field at any given moment, especially when it's time to change things up for the season or send your stock off to the market. Valuing this equipment makes it easier to know what you've got on the ground.
• Greenhouse equipment. Season extenders such as greenhouses, hoop houses and similar setups include their own range of equipment, including fans, automated vent systems, mist systems, roller tables, propagation systems, irrigation, shade cloth mechanization and numerous other items. By knowing what they're worth, you have a better idea of your overall investment.

Having a farm equipment appraisal performed on your operation's machinery can make it easier to deal with incorrect tax assessments, file insurance claims, prove value during a sale or financing situation and when facing legal issues. However, that estimated value will best hold up to scrutiny if you have the valuation performed by an accredited equipment appraiser, who has had extensive education and experience in determining value throughout their accreditation process.