Aci Catena palazzetto
Aci Catena palazzetto. Needs renovation, garage, esposizione doppia.
What it really costs
Can you move in?
Not before the basics are done
In the listingNeeds renovationMust be done first
- Damp
See what needs doing and what each job costs
At €95,000 (€363/m²), the €700/m² renovation allowance brings the estimated all-in cost to about €1,063/m², far above the €384/m² local benchmark. The sea is only 3 km away and a garage is included, but the sparse listing does not say whether the building is currently habitable or detail the renovation scope.
More on the house and the area
This is a substantial 262 sqm palazzetto with multiple terraces and a genuinely appealing panoramic outlook toward the coast and surrounding town. The house is roofed and broadly usable, with kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms and traditional shutters and floors, but it is very dated, dim in places and needs meaningful renovation rather than simple decoration.
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€52,000 – €92,000
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.
- Substantial renovation is needed, including dated interiors, finishes and at least one incomplete room.
- Visible damp or staining appears on several interior walls and ceilings; roof and terrace waterproofing should be inspected.
- The large rooftop terraces have aging railings and utility structures that may require repair or compliance work.
- No clear evidence is provided about heating, electrical systems or current utility condition.
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 74/100Mount Etna dominates the area to the west and north-west, with the lower volcanic slopes and lava-built settlements of the Etna foothill belt around Aci Catena. The Ionian coast is nearby at Acitrezza and Aci Castello, with the Riviera dei Ciclopi and the sea stacks of the Isole Ciclopi within about 15 km. The Timpa di Acireale nature reserve is nearby on the coast north of the town. Catania is the nearest large city, with full urban services, a major rail station and the airport. The area is known for its volcanic landscape, citrus cultivation and the Cyclops coast linked to Sicilian myth.