Rustico Balangero centro
Lo studio F.B.R. Immobiliare propone in vendita nel centro di Balangero un'immobile completamente da ristrutturare, sviluppato su due livelli oltre a sottotetto recuperabile, per un totale di circa 180 mq. La struttura portante si presenta sana e si presta ad una ristrutturazione completa, con la possibilità di…
What it really costs
Can you move in?
Not before the basics are done
In the listingNeeds renovationSee what needs doing and what each job costs
At €12,000 for 180 sqm, the asking price is only €67/sqm, but the description says it is completely to be renovated; I estimate about €900/sqm renovation because the structure is said to be sound, giving an effective cost near €967/sqm. That is well above the local low-end baseline of €263/sqm, but the large size, central location near services/station, and recoverable attic make it a potentially good renovation project rather than a bargain.
More on the house and the area
The underground vaulted cellars are the one real wow element, with authentic brick arches and rustic character. But as a home this is still a major project: the upper level is stripped out and the exterior access and fabric look rough, so it is far from move-in ready. At €12k for 180 sqm it has bargain appeal, but the dream here is renovation potential rather than immediate livable beauty.
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, €900/m², falls in this band.
Turnkey, facade and insulation included.
Materials only, work you may do yourself€36,000 – €63,000
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.
- Completely to be renovated; upper floor is an empty shell.
- Access stairs/balconies look unsafe and will need rebuilding.
- No habitable kitchen/bathroom shown despite one listed bath.
- Village setting is practical rather than scenic.
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 68/100The cluster is in the Valli di Lanzo on the first Alpine slopes north-west of Turin, with wooded ridges and side valleys rising toward the Graian Alps. The Stura di Lanzo valley system is the main physical feature of the area. Lanzo Torinese is the nearest town of size, with everyday services and rail links toward Turin. Turin is the main city for higher-level services and work, but it lies outside the local 15 km landscape. The area is known for its pre-Alpine valley setting and for access farther up the Lanzo valleys toward higher mountain country.