In a fire damage litigation case of vehicles and material handling equipment — including a number of specialized reach lift stackers — at a major port, I came on board to review an appraisal report entered into evidence by the insurance company of the firm deemed responsible for the fire. In this case, as in…Read More
Valuing Recycling Equipment: Case Study
Considering obsolescence for recycling equipment Following the most recent transfer of ownership, an expansive multi-generational waste management and recycling corporation in central California needed a business valuation for gift tax return. While a business valuation can be performed without an equipment valuation, in the case of machinery-heavy industries, the prudent option is to involve…Read More
Case Study: Purchase Price Allocation for a Legacy Food Processing Facility
In an equipment appraisal for financial reporting purposes, the initial rough numbers were almost twice the purchase price. Because the enterprise had been on the market for a number of years and the purchase was an arm’s length transaction, that big difference between the preliminary calculation and the purchase price didn’t make sense … until…Read More
Case Study: Functional Obsolescence in Glass Coating Equipment
Functional obsolescence took center stage in a recent property tax appeal situation. In particular, we analyzed how the development of new technology influences the value of older, less advanced equipment–in this case, glass coating machines–and how the resulting loss of value due to functional obsolescence is calculated according to best practices, or valuation standard of…Read More
Case Study: Lowering Property Tax Costs on Wine Tanks
A California client, one of the oldest continuously operated family-owned wineries in the country, wanted to review their equipment values with an eye toward possible property tax appeal. Including in the holdings were tanks, bottling equipment, support machinery and equipment including forklifts and wastewater systems, agricultural equipment, restaurant equipment and, of course, office and administrative…Read More
Case Study: Asset Lists, Inspection & the General Ledger
We’re currently working with a speciality harvesting equipment appraisal in the Salinas area and have been working with the client to compile an asset list for the upcoming equipment inspection. Several conversations and email exchanges regarding how to compile an effective equipment list – in conjunction with some recent interesting inspection experiences – have freshly…Read More
Case Study: Inventory Fire Loss
Appraising inventory is generally one of my least favorite assignments; in the case of fire loss, however, even a static inventory can become more interesting, if only because of its absence. Combined with an absence of appropriate record keeping, the process of valuing the lost stock takes us into a level of detective work that…Read More
Valuing California Farm Equipment in 2026: From General-Purpose Iron to AI-Enhanced Specialty Cultivators
My California agricultural equipment appraisals almost always involve sorting the fleet into three distinct categories: general-purpose machinery, crop-specific specialty equipment, and newer AI-enabled systems. I start the sorting process when we receive the asset list and refine it during the inspection process. The first asset group is general-purpose agricultural equipment — the backbone of most…Read More
Fleet Equipment Mass Appraisal: Statistical Sampling for Asset-Based Lenders
When a bank or asset-based lender calls about an equipment appraisal on a large commercial fleet, the conversation almost never starts with “what’s it worth.” It starts with logistics. How do you inspect 2,000 specialty trailers spread across five operating yards in three states? What about the 140-tractor long haul fleet where, on any given…Read More
Donating Equipment: Tax Benefits, Appraisal Requirements, and Why You Need an Accredited ASA Appraiser
Equipment donation can benefit businesses that are upgrading, replacing, or simply discarding machinery and equipment. Do you really need a boneyard of outdated or unused assets taking up space and tying up resources? I can’t tell you how many depreciation schedules or asset lists I’ve seen with “non-operational” or “out of service” in the description…Read More
Creamery Appraisal Review: A Deep Dive into the Numbers
When determining the value of major assets, especially for large companies like a multi-product creamery, accuracy is everything. This case study uses alternative names for the entities involved; the appraisal and appraisal review details remain accurate. The case starts with an appraisal report received by Big Foot County tax assessor’s office, submitted in support of…Read More
Appraisal Review Rebuttal Report for Business Litigation: Shareholder Dispute
In business litigation, accurate machinery and equipment valuations supported by evidence and logic are crucial, particularly in cases involving complex shareholder disputes over machinery, equipment, or other business assets. Whether for partnership disputes or buyouts, equipment valuations are expected to provide information needed to determine fair financial outcomes. In many cases, however, machinery and equipment…Read More