Rustico/casale
VILLANOVA - proponiamo Casale Rustico di grande dimensione con possibilita' di ricavare piu' unita' abitative. La Casa principale si compone di Ingresso, Soggiorno, Cucina abitabile e Ripostiglio. Al Primo piano 2 ampie Camere Matrimoniali, Bagno, Disimpegno e Ripostiglio. Nel Sottotetto possibilita' di ricavare…
What it really costs
Can you move in?
Not before the basics are done
Condition not stated in the listingSee what needs doing and what each job costs
At €218/m², the €85,000 asking price looks low, but the large rustic farmhouse includes an ex-stable, hayloft, attic and outbuildings that require substantial conversion work. Using an estimated €700/m² renovation allowance, the effective cost is about €918/m², well above the local €297/m² reference; the listing does not state the current condition or legal feasibility of all residential conversions.
More on the house and the area
A handsome, substantial Emilia-Romagna farmhouse with weathered exposed brick, traditional proportions, intact-looking roofs, and a generous 3,000 sqm garden surrounded by fields. It is a real roofed property rather than a collapsed ruin, but the overgrown grounds and agricultural outbuildings suggest a serious renovation project, with livability not verifiable from the exterior photos.
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€77,000 – €137,000
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.
- The property appears substantially neglected and likely needs major renovation.
- Interior condition, utilities, kitchens, and bathrooms are not shown.
- The former stable, hayloft, and accessory buildings may require costly legal conversion and structural work.
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 55/100Modena sits on the Po plain between the Secchia (to the west) and the Panaro (to the east); terrain within about 15 km is flat agricultural land and urban/industrial development. The Apennino Tosco‑Emiliano ridge lies to the south; the first significant hills are beyond roughly 15–20 km. The historic centre of Modena (the Cathedral, Torre Ghirlandina and Piazza Grande) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city is a regional transport hub on the A1 motorway and the Milan–Bologna rail corridor, with regional rail and road connections across Emilia. The municipality contains parks such as the Parco Ducale and other municipal green spaces. The area and province are known for traditional Aceto Balsamico di Modena, Parmigiano‑Reggiano production and Lambrusco wine; the local motor industry is also important, with Ferrari in nearby Maranello and Maserati and other automotive facilities in the province. Cultural and educational institutions in the city include the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia and the Teatro Comunale.