Rustico/casale in Frazione San Martino Riva 13
*NOSTRA ESCLUSIVA Affascinante CASETTA da ristrutturare immersa nella natura a Roccaforte Ligure Nel cuore incontaminato dell’Appennino ligure, a Roccaforte Ligure, proponiamo in vendita un caratteristico immobile indipendente, ideale per chi cerca un rifugio di pace, lontano dal caos cittadino e circondato da un…
What it really costs
Can you move in?
Not before the basics are done
Condition not stated in the listingMust be done first
- Structure
- Roof
- Wiring
- Plumbing
See what needs doing and what each job costs
Although the purchase price is only €15,000 (€190/m²), the property needs a total structural and systems renovation, including walls, floors, roof, and utilities. At an estimated €1,100/m², the effective cost is about €1,290/m², far above the €265/m² local benchmark, and the remote setting further limits its value.
More on the house and the area
This is a highly photogenic hillside farmhouse with sweeping valley views, a generous garden, traditional shutters, a wood-fired oven and an impressive old fireplace. However, despite the attractive photos and existing kitchen/interior, the listing specifies a total structural renovation, so it is a beautiful restoration project rather than a ready-to-live-in home.
All the services redone, bathrooms, kitchen, windows. The structure is left alone.
Turnkey, facade and insulation included.
Our read of the photos, €1,100/m², falls in this band.
Materials only, work you may do yourself€31,000 – €46,000
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.
- Total renovation is required, including structural walls, floors, roof and all systems.
- The photos show a usable-looking interior, but the described condition means it should not be treated as move-in ready.
- Only one bathroom is shown for a three-bedroom home; utilities are connected, but systems need replacement or compliance work.
- Parking is on a separate 150 sqm plot approximately 50 metres away.
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 62/100The cluster sits in the Borbera valley in the Ligurian Apennines, with wooded ridges and narrow side valleys around it. The Borbera river runs through the area. The Alta Val Borbera and the Capanne di Marcarolo natural area lies in the wider surrounding Apennines, and the landscape here is the transition between Piedmont and the inland side of Liguria. The nearest substantial town is Novi Ligure, which provides the main rail and services for the area; Tortona is another service centre on the plain side. The area is known for valley villages, chestnut woods and summer river bathing spots.