Vendesi rustico con terreno a Castrovillari (CS)
Vendesi rustico con terreno a Castrovillari (CS). Needs renovation.
What it really costs
Can you move in?
Not before the basics are done
In the listingNeeds renovationSee what needs doing and what each job costs
Asking €80,000 for 400 m² but estimated renovation at €700/m² (~€280,000) yields an effective cost of ~€360,000 or ~€900/m², far above the local median of €244/m². Description is minimal and there are only 3 photos, so the listing gives little evidence to justify the high total investment.
More on the house and the area
Large unfinished farmhouse set in an olive grove — good rural setting and land but the building is a raw shell. Real potential for a renovated country home, but expect a full, costly renovation before it’s livable.
Certified wiring, water and drainage, a heat source, a roof that keeps the water out, one working bathroom. Facade, insulation, a second bathroom and the floors wait.
All the services redone, bathrooms, kitchen, windows. The structure is left alone.
Our read of the photos, €700/m², falls in this band.
Turnkey, facade and insulation included.
Materials only, work you may do yourself€79,000 – €140,000
Wiring, water and sanitary work of any kind, heating, air conditioning and gas go to a registered firm by law, and so do flues and the air openings for gas appliances. That labour stays in the bill. Yours is the stripping out, plaster, paint, floors, tiling and carpentry.
Labour is 61% of a renovation price on average and 67% at the median, across 191 items of the Emilia-Romagna 2025 public price list. Materials are the rest. An averaged price list, not a quote.
Materials you buy yourself carry 22% VAT; supplied by the firm doing the work they go at the 10% renovation rate. On a €30,000 materials bill that is €3,600 of extra tax.
Household wiring installed before 13 March 1990 counts as compliant if it has a main breaker with overcurrent protection, protection against direct contact and a 30 mA RCD. Having a firm bring the existing wiring up to that and certify it is the cheapest lawful route.
Bringing a house that has stood empty back into service: new water, sewer and electricity, plus the practices. The same sum on an 80 m² house and on a 300 m² one, which is why a €40,000 house is not a €40,000 project.
Show more
Water 1,800 · sewer 2,500 · electricity 700–1,600 · CILA 1,000 · cadastral filing 500 · structural design 700 · Legge 10 report 900 · safety coordination 1,800
No mains drain: add €2,000–4,500 for a septic tank. Listings never say, so ask.
- Unfinished shell with bare brick walls and open window/door openings — not move-in ready
- No interior finishes, likely no functioning plumbing, heating or electrical systems
- Major renovation required (floors, windows/doors, insulation, bathrooms, kitchen)
- Photos show limited views; check access and utilities on site
Estimate from the listing and its photos, not a survey. Treat it as the starting point for your own quotes. An Italian builder's quote is normally written without VAT and without design fees, so add about a quarter to any figure a firm gives you.
The area around
Location score 72/100The Pollino massif rises immediately to the north and east, with the lower slopes and gorges of the Pollino National Park within the local area. The Coscile river runs by Castrovillari and joins the Esaro nearby, in the broad valley between the mountains and the plain of Sibari. The nearest ski area is Monte Sirino in Basilicata, roughly 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes by road, so it is not part of the immediate landscape. Castrovillari is the main town of this part of northern Calabria, with a substantial historic centre, services, hospital and courts. The area is known for its position at the foot of Pollino and as the gateway between the massif and the Ionian plain.