Casa colonica in Montaldo Roero
Nel comune di Montaldo Roero in una tranquilla frazione, disponibile una casa che si sviluppa su due livelli, collegati da una scala esterna, offrendo una disposizione funzionale e caratteristica. Al piano terra, recentemente ristrutturato, si trovano due ambienti accoglienti e ben rifiniti, pronti per essere abitati.…
What it really costs
Can you move in?
Livable, but something basic is worn out
In the listingHabitableSee what needs doing and what each job costs
Habitable farmhouse in Piemonte (Montaldo Roero), 80sqm at 1000 EUR/m2. Ground floor recently renovated, first floor plus bath, two terraces with panoramic hill views, garage and parking. The price is ~3.8x the town median of 264 EUR/m2, which is a large premium. However, the baseline likely mixes rural land/ruins with habitable homes, so the median understates true habitable-home prices. Even so, 1000 EUR/m2 for a partly-renovated 1900 house in a small Roero frazione is on the high side; comparable habitable stock in the area often trades at 600-900 EUR/m2. Fresh listing (1 day) and 28 photos are positives. Renovation to fully modernize the upper floor is modest (~400/m2). Net: fairly to slightly overpriced given the baseline gap, hence a below-average score.
More on the house and the area
The standout feature is the interior: beautiful exposed brick barrel-vaulted ceilings paired with terracotta tile floors give the Roero farmhouse genuine historic Piemontese character. The hilltop location delivers sweeping panoramic views over vineyards and rolling hills from the terraces. At €1,000/m2 it is inexpensive, though the property is modest, tired outside, and shows ceiling cracks. Charming rather than a scroll-stopper.
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.
Our read of the photos, €400/m², falls in this band.
All the services redone, bathrooms, kitchen, windows. The structure is left alone.
Materials only, work you may do yourself€9,000 – €16,000
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.
- Exterior and courtyard areas look tired and utilitarian
- Terraces have bare concrete floors and industrial railings
- Some visible cracking in the vaulted ceilings
- Interiors are empty and dated despite renovation
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 74/100This is in the Roero hill country, with cultivated ridges and small wooded sections between the Tanaro plain and the first Langhe hills. The Tanaro river runs nearby below Alba. The nearest town of size is Alba, which has a substantial historic centre, rail links, services, and is one of the main market towns of southern Piedmont. The wider area is known for wine, hazelnuts, and white truffles, with vineyards across the surrounding hills. The Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato UNESCO site includes parts of the Roero and Langhe near here.