Know what your equipment is really worth.
Whether you are selling, buying, financing or insuring, decisions worth real money should not rest on a guess. We give you an independent, USPAP-compliant appraisal of your machinery and equipment, so you negotiate, file and plan from a number you can prove.
Built for owners and buyers
A straight answer to a simple question.
What is the equipment worth? You would be surprised how often a sale, a loan or an insurance renewal turns on a number nobody has actually checked. We give you an independent appraisal you can put in front of a buyer, a banker, an insurer or the other side of a deal, and trust that it will hold.
Send us the asset list and some photos, or we come on-site. We confirm what kind of value you need, never quote a number before we look at the assets, and hand you one clean report in plain language with the detail underneath it.
- Independent and credible: a third-party number a buyer or lender will accept
- The right kind of value: market, liquidation or replacement cost, matched to your decision
- Itemized: every asset valued on its own, so you see where the number comes from
- Plain to read: a clear conclusion with the supporting detail behind it
- No value before inspection: we look first, then tell you what it is worth
How it works for you
Three steps to a number you can use.
Send the assets
Email an asset list and photos, or tell us where the equipment is. We tell you whether a desktop appraisal fits or an on-site visit is worth it.
We confirm the value you need
Selling, financing, insuring or planning each calls for a different premise. We set it with you and agree the scope before any work begins.
You get one report
A clear, USPAP-compliant appraisal, itemized and photographed, that you can hand to a buyer, a lender or an insurer.
You negotiate from proof
You walk into the conversation with an independent number behind you, not a guess you have to defend.
The most expensive number in any deal is the one nobody checked. An appraisal is cheaper than guessing wrong.
Lukes & Lukes · The family standardWhen you need an equipment appraisal
Every decision that rides on what you own.
Business owners, buyers, sellers and the brokers who represent them order an independent equipment appraisal whenever real money turns on the value of the machinery. These are the situations we see most.
Selling a business
Fair Market Value of the equipment so you price the deal right and back the asset side of the sale with proof.
Selling & M&A →Buying a business or equipment
Buy-side diligence on the machinery you are paying for, so you know the iron is worth what the deal assumes.
Buy-side diligence →Financing & SBA loans
The appraisal your lender or an SBA 7(a) or 504 package needs to advance against your equipment.
Financing appraisals →Insurance & replacement cost
Replacement Cost New and agreed-value schedules so you are insured to value and a claim settles on documented numbers.
Insurance appraisals →Partner buyouts & succession
Independent equipment value to fund a buy-sell agreement, buy out a partner, or plan a succession or retirement.
Buyout & succession →Knowing what you hold
A current, itemized value of your equipment for strategic planning, a balance-sheet view, or simply knowing your worth.
Asset documentation →The value you actually need
Different decision, different number.
Selling does not call for the same value as insuring, and a loan does not call for the same value as a quick sale. We match the premise to the decision in front of you: Fair Market Value for a sale or a plan, Replacement Cost New for insurance, Orderly or Forced Liquidation Value when speed matters. Tell us the decision and we set the value that fits, in plain terms.
- Fair Market Value (FMV): selling, buying, planning and tax
- Replacement Cost New (RCN): insurance schedules and agreed value
- Orderly Liquidation Value (OLV): a reasonable, advertised sale
- Forced Liquidation Value (FLV): a fast, compelled sale
- One report, multiple premises: more than one value when your decision needs it
Where we work
Minneapolis based. Working nationwide.
We are based in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area and appraise equipment for owners and buyers across the country, on-site or as a desktop appraisal from your asset list and photographs. We regularly work in Minneapolis, Chicago, New York City, Charlotte, Dallas and Houston, and in metros like Los Angeles, Atlanta, Denver, Phoenix, Seattle, Miami, Nashville, Detroit and Kansas City.
Common questions from owners
Answers, up front.
Who can do a fast equipment appraisal in Minneapolis?
Lukes & Lukes is based in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area and appraises machinery and equipment for local owners and buyers, often the fastest option in the Twin Cities because we can be on-site quickly. A desktop appraisal can move quickly once we have your asset list and photographs. Call (612) 504-1691 and we will tell you the same day what fits your timeline.
Can I get an equipment appraisal in Chicago, New York, Dallas or Houston?
Yes. We work nationwide and regularly appraise equipment for owners and buyers in Chicago, New York City, Dallas, Houston, Charlotte and other major metros, on-site or as a desktop appraisal from your asset list and photographs. The report is the same USPAP-compliant file wherever your equipment is.
How much is my used equipment worth?
That depends on the make, age, hours, condition and the kind of value you need, which is exactly what an appraisal determines. We inspect or review your assets, apply the cost, market and income approaches, and give you a supported Fair Market Value rather than a rough guess. We never quote a value before we look at the assets.
Do I need an appraisal to sell my business or equipment?
It is not always required, but it is often the difference between leaving money on the table and getting paid for what you own. An independent Fair Market Value appraisal gives a buyer confidence and gives you a number you can hold the line on in a negotiation.
Should I get an appraisal before buying a business or equipment?
Yes, when the machinery is a meaningful part of what you are paying for. Buy-side diligence confirms the equipment is worth what the deal assumes, surfaces anything overvalued, and gives you leverage if the iron does not match the asking price.
How fast can I get an appraisal?
It depends on the number of assets, the locations and whether the work is desktop or on-site, but a desktop appraisal can move quickly once we have a clean asset list and photographs. Tell us your deadline when you call and we will tell you honestly whether we can meet it.
How much does an equipment appraisal cost?
It depends on the number of assets, the number of locations and the kind of value you need. We quote the scope and the fee up front, before any work begins, so there are no surprises. Send us the asset list and the reason for the appraisal and we will put a number in front of you.
Can you appraise equipment without coming on-site?
Often, yes. A desktop appraisal uses your asset list, photographs and supporting documents and works well for many situations. When the equipment is large, specialized or higher value, an on-site inspection is the better call, and we will tell you which one your situation needs.
What kinds of equipment and industries do you appraise?
We appraise machinery and equipment across healthcare and medical, automotive, and general industry including manufacturing, fabrication, construction, food processing and more. If your business runs on it, we can value it.
I am a business broker. Will you work with me on a deal?
Yes. We work with business brokers regularly. We provide an independent, defensible equipment value that helps close the deal, we are clear and ethical about our role, and we will support the number if a buyer or lender questions it.
Ready when you are
Find out what it is really worth.
Send the asset list and the reason for the appraisal. We confirm the value you need and the scope before any work begins, and we never quote a value before inspection.