Rustico in Giarre
Rustico in Giarre. Needs renovation.
What it really costs
Can you move in?
Not before the basics are done
In the listingNeeds renovationMust be done first
- Damp
- Heating
- Kitchen
See what needs doing and what each job costs
At €60,000 for 253 m², the renovation allowance adds roughly €177,000, producing an estimated all-in cost of about €937/m² versus €389/m² for comparable homes. The listing is very sparse and does not state bathrooms, habitability, utilities, or the required renovation scope.
More on the house and the area
The panoramic sea view over the Sicilian coast and cultivated hills is genuinely exceptional, with substantial surrounding land and a peaceful rural setting. The farmhouse is a real, roofed and apparently usable home rather than a ruin, but its dated interiors, worn bathroom, visible cracks, and overgrown grounds mean meaningful renovation is needed before it becomes a beautiful full-time home.
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€50,000 – €89,000
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.
- The house needs substantial renovation and modernization, with dated interiors, visible wall cracking, and neglected grounds.
- The property appears furnished and roofed, but the listing provides no clear bedroom count, kitchen details, or confirmed utility condition.
- Large advertised area should be verified, as it may include agricultural land or ancillary spaces.
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 86/100Mount Etna rises directly above the area, and Sant'Alfio lies on the eastern slopes within the Etna landscape. The Ionian coast is nearby, with the shore around Riposto and Mascali below the volcano. Parco dell’Etna covers the upper slopes within the local area. The nearest ski lifts are on Etna, around Piano Provenzana and Rifugio Sapienza, roughly 30–45 minutes by road depending on starting point and conditions. Giarre is the nearest town of size, with everyday services and rail connections on the Catania–Messina line. The area is known for Etna’s lava terrain, chestnut woods and terraced cultivation on the volcano’s eastern flank.