Casa indipendente
Bellissima casa singola in vendita nel comune di Borghetto di Borbera località Guascona, immersa nella tranquillità del verde e facilmente raggiungibile dalla strada principale. Il Codice V{{ NUM-0 }} offre un'ottima opportunità di acquisto a soli 29000 EUR, ideale come seconda casa per trascorrere momenti di relax e…
What it really costs
Can you move in?
Not before the basics are done
Condition not stated in the listingMust be done first
- Damp
- Heating
See what needs doing and what each job costs
The asking price is €322/m², only slightly below the local €336/m² benchmark. The listing does not state the condition; allowing for a substantial renovation brings the estimated total to about €92,000, weakening the deal despite the garden, parking, and 31 photos.
More on the house and the area
A handsome hillside country house with colorful shutters, a large garden, parking, a traditional outdoor wood-fired oven and glimpses of a panoramic valley view. The house appears solid and roofed, with usable rooms and floors, but the interiors are old-fashioned and visibly in need of renovation rather than being move-in ready. At €29,000 for 90 sqm and outdoor space, it has real bargain appeal if the systems and bathroom are functional.
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€18,000 – €32,000
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.
- Interiors are very dated, with visible damp/staining, worn finishes and a basic old kitchen.
- The garden and outdoor areas are heavily overgrown and need substantial clearing and maintenance.
- The bathroom, utilities and heating system are not clearly shown, so actual move-in readiness is uncertain.
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 66/100The cluster is in the hills of the Val Grue, on the Ligurian Apennine side of south-east Piedmont. The Grue stream runs through the valley and the Curone and Borbera valleys are nearby. The nearest larger town is Tortona, which has rail services, shops and the main everyday services for the area. Garbagna is listed among I Borghi più belli d'Italia. This part of the province is known for mixed wooded hills, small valleys, hazelnuts, vineyards and quiet stone villages rather than for a single dominant landmark.