Via Mongiovì, 20, Catania
Via Mongiovì, 20, Catania. Habitable, autonomo heating.
What it really costs
Can you move in?
Livable, but something basic is worn out
In the listingHabitableSee what needs doing and what each job costs
Price €16,875 (325 €/m2) with an estimated €200/m2 renovation gives an effective cost of about €525/m2, which is above the regional median of €438/m2. Very close to the sea (1 km) but the listing omits rooms/bed/bath details.
More on the house and the area
Bright, recently-refurbished-feel apartment with a modern kitchen and bathroom that looks move-in ready. Excellent bargain for Catania and just ~1 km from the sea, but it sits in a mid-century block with an ordinary street view and limited private outdoor space.
Decoration, tired fittings, a bathroom or a kitchen. The house is liveable as it stands.
Our read of the photos is €200/m². There is no published price band below €350/m², so the range is that figure widened by the spread of the lightest band.
Materials only, work you may do yourself€3,000 – €6,000
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.
- Street-facing / ordinary urban view, not a scenic sea or hill panorama
- Small apartment (52 m²) with limited outdoor/private space shown
- Likely in a multi-unit building — expect condominium fees and shared entrance
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 55/100Mount Etna rises immediately north-west of the city, with the Etna Park on its upper slopes. The Ionian coast is at the edge of the built-up area. Catania is a major city with a large historic centre of Baroque churches and palaces, a port, university, airport and full services. The city is part of a broad urban and industrial strip along the coast and at the foot of Etna.