Lavora in A.P.I. Srl -Curriculum studio@apisrl.org
Lavora in A.P.I. Srl -Curriculum studio@apisrl.org. Habitable, autonomo heating, cucina.
What it really costs
Can you move in?
Move in as it is
In the listingHabitableSee what needs doing and what each job costs
Price €36,165 plus an estimated €200/m² renovation (192 m² → €38,400) gives an effective cost of €74,565 or ≈€388/m², which is above the Piemonte median of €345/m², so the total outlay is relatively high. The ad claims the property is habitable with autonomous heating and provides 26 photos, but the listing shows 0 bathrooms which is a contradictory detail.
More on the house and the area
A solid, habitable village townhouse that feels like a practical, low-cost home rather than a picture-postcard dream. Good value for someone wanting a liveable place to upgrade, but it lacks views, garden space and notable historic or aesthetic features.
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€13,000 – €21,000
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.
- Plain, utilitarian exterior with little architectural charm
- Narrow street and limited parking/access immediately outside
- Only a small paved courtyard — no garden or private outdoor space
- Some interior areas look unfinished or in need of renovation (blockwork/clutter)
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 67/100The area sits in the Valsesia, with the Pennine Alps and the Monte Rosa massif up the valley to the north. The Sesia river runs through Borgosesia. The Alta Valsesia Natural Park begins farther up the valley around Alagna and Rima and is outside the immediate surroundings. The nearest ski lifts are those of Mera above Scopello, roughly half an hour by road, with the larger Monterosa Ski lifts at Alagna farther up the valley. Within the local area the main centre is Borgosesia itself, which has the usual services and an industrial valley-town character, while Varallo nearby has a substantial historic centre and the Sacro Monte di Varallo, a UNESCO site. The area is known for the Valsesia valley landscape and for textile manufacturing in the lower valley.