Fontana pradosa - casa indipendente con cortile
CASTEL SAN GIOVANNI FONTANA PRADOSA - Casa indipendente con cortile di proprietà, suddivisa su 2 livelli, si compone di cucina, soggiorno, bagno, 2 camere da letto e bagno al piano superiore oltre a garage di proprietà.
What it really costs
See what needs doing and what each job costs
At €80,000 for 150 sqm, the asking price is €533/sqm versus a low-stock baseline of €476/sqm, so it is not discounted. The description suggests a normal habitable house (2 baths, garage, courtyard) with no clear renovation upside; using about €200/sqm renovation, the effective cost is ~€733/sqm, which makes it only a fair deal.
More on the house and the area
This looks like a real, usable house rather than a ruin, with decent-sized rooms and a small green courtyard. But the architecture is very plain and the outdoor space feels more practical than dreamy. Livability is there; wow factor is limited.
Decoration, tired fittings, a bathroom or a kitchen. The house is liveable as it stands.
Our read of the photos is €200/m². There is no published price band below €350/m², so the range is that figure widened by the spread of the lightest band.
Materials only, work you may do yourself€10,000 – €17,000
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.
- Very plain exterior with little architectural character
- Interiors look dated and somewhat cluttered, likely needing cosmetic updating
- Courtyard/outbuildings appear tired and a bit cramped
- No proven views or standout setting from the photos
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 56/100The area lies in the lower Val Tidone, with cultivated hills to the south and the Po plain opening to the north. The Tidone valley is the main local landscape feature, with vineyards and mixed farmland on the first Appennine slopes. The nearest larger town is Piacenza, which has a full range of services, rail connections, and a substantial historic centre. This part of western Emilia is known for wine production, especially Gutturnio and Ortrugo, and for cured meats linked to the Piacenza area.