Strona Casa in schiera in collina con vista
Strona Casa in schiera in collina con vista. Habitable, autonomo heating, caminetto, fibra ottica, esposizione esterna, armadio a muro, balcone, impianto tv con parabola satellitare, cantina.
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
Listed at €28,000 for 116 sqm (€241/sqm); assuming a habitable-home refresh of about €200/sqm, effective cost is about €441/sqm versus a low-stock baseline of €350/sqm. Good features (34 photos, heating, fireplace, balcony, cellar, hill view) support habitability, but after light renovation it is not massively below baseline, so this looks strong rather than exceptional.
More on the house and the area
The real plus here is the elevated village-and-mountain view from the balconies, which gives it genuine everyday appeal. This is a proper, roofed, serviced house rather than a shell, with floors, bathrooms and heating visible, but the interiors are very dated and some rooms show moisture damage and tired finishes. At €28k for 116 sqm it has strong value, though it needs real refreshing before it feels dreamy.
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€8,000 – €13,000
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.
- interiors are dated and need substantial cosmetic renovation
- some rooms show damp/peeling finishes
- bathrooms and service areas are functional but unattractive
- balconies/exterior metalwork look worn and may need maintenance
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 58/100The area sits in the Biellese foothills, with the lower Alps rising north toward the Biella prealps and the Monte Rosa chain visible from parts of the province. The Cervo and Sessera valleys are within this radius, and the landscape around Cossato is a mix of settled plain and lower hills with woods and fields rather than high mountain terrain. The nearest substantial town is Biella, which has full services, a historic centre and the Sacro Monte di Oropa above it; Oropa is a UNESCO-listed Sacri Monti site but it lies beyond the immediate 15 km landscape. This part of the Biellese is known for wool and textile manufacturing.