Terratetto unifamiliare in Zafferana Etnea
Terratetto unifamiliare in Zafferana Etnea. Needs renovation, esposizione doppia.
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 €89,000 plus an estimated €700/m² renovation (~122 m² → €85,400) gives an effective cost of ~€174,400 or ~€1,430/m². That is about 3.3× the regional median of €438/m² for similar stock, so this is expensive for a property that needs renovation in this area.
More on the house and the area
A very photogenic town corner house with an ornate historic facade, high rooms and original doors plus a private overgrown garden. The building is basically intact (some rooms show a sound wooden roof) but the interiors need substantial renovation before it’s truly move‑in ready.
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€24,000 – €43,000
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.
- Needs full interior renovation (walls/floors/finishes).
- Ceilings/wall edges show damage and debris in places.
- Overgrown garden will need clearing and upkeep.
- Street‑front corner location offers less privacy.
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 91/100On the eastern slopes of Mount Etna, with the volcano and its lava fields inside the local landscape. The Parco dell’Etna surrounds this side of the mountain. The Ionian coast is nearby, with the sea at Santa Tecla and Acireale below the slopes. The nearest ski area is Etna Sud at Rifugio Sapienza, about 30–40 minutes by road, with the Etna cable car and seasonal ski lifts. Acireale is the nearest town of size, with a historic centre and services, and Catania is the main city for daily infrastructure and the airport. This area is known for Etna, volcanic terrain, chestnut woods higher up the slope, and for honey and other products from the mountain villages.