Terratetto unifamiliare in Castelnuovo di Garfagnana
CASA ORIZZONTE Casa indipendente da ristrutturare a due passi dal centro storico di Castelnuovo con giardino e due camere. Casa Orizzonte è una casa indipendente di 180 mq. commerciali, immersa nella tranquillità, un'opportunità perfetta per chi sogna una dimora in una zona pittoresca ma vicina alla vivacità del centro…
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 €80,000 for 97 sqm the ask is about €825/sqm; with a realistic renovation budget of ~€700/sqm for new heating/electrics, windows, floors and some plaster, the effective cost is ~€1,525/sqm. That is far above the local baseline of €650/sqm, so despite the garden, panoramic setting and walkable historic center, this looks expensive for a renovation project.
More on the house and the area
This has real dreamer appeal thanks to the mountain-and-rooftop views, walkable Tuscan small-town setting, private garden, and some character from the beam ceilings and fireplace. It is a genuine house rather than a shell, with roof, floors and usable room layout, but the interiors are worn and need significant updating before it feels comfortably livable. Beautiful bones and outlook, but not move-in ready.
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, €700/m², falls in this band.
Turnkey, facade and insulation included.
Materials only, work you may do yourself€19,000 – €34,000
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.
- Needs full refresh and renovation of heating/electrical systems
- Visible damp/stained plaster and tired finishes inside
- Kitchen and bathroom are not shown as ready-to-use
- Exterior and garden 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 81/100The Apuan Alps are within this area, and the northern Tuscan-Emilian Apennines rise around the Garfagnana valley. The Serchio river runs through Castelnuovo di Garfagnana. Much of the surrounding mountain area falls within the Parco Regionale delle Alpi Apuane, and the Appennino Tosco-Emiliano National Park is close on the northern side of the valley. The nearest ski area is Careggine, with local lifts in the mountains above the valley, and larger Abetone is farther away and does not affect the score. Castelnuovo di Garfagnana is the main town of the valley, with rail links, shops and services, and Barga is nearby with a well-preserved historic centre; Barga is listed among I Borghi più belli d’Italia. The area is known for mountain valleys, chestnut country, hiking and the limestone landscapes of the Apuan Alps.