Casa singola a piano terra nel cuore di Modica, a due passi da Corso Umberto
Nel suggestivo centro storico di Modica, rinomata per le sue bellezze barocche e la vivacità culturale della Val di Noto, proponiamo in vendita una spaziosa casa singola al piano terra di circa 119 mq. L’abitazione si trova in posizione privilegiata: a pochi metri dal centralissimo Corso Umberto, fulcro della vita…
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
Price is €55,000 for 119 sqm (€462/sqm), but with partial renovation at about €650/sqm the effective cost rises to roughly €1,112/sqm, far above the local low-stock baseline of €445/sqm. Historic-center Modica adds appeal and rental potential, but the numbers make this only a fair deal unless renovation needs prove much lighter than stated.
More on the house and the area
The soaring vaulted ceilings give this place genuine Sicilian character, and at 119 sqm it already reads as a real, usable home rather than a shell. It has floors, doors and a fitted kitchen, but several rooms show damp, wear and unfinished details, so it needs meaningful refreshing before it feels dreamy. At €55k the size and historic volume create strong value, even without standout views or outdoor space.
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, €650/m², falls in this band.
Turnkey, facade and insulation included.
Materials only, work you may do yourself€23,000 – €42,000
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 real refreshing and some renovation work
- Visible damp/patchy walls in a few rooms
- No proven exterior charm, terrace, or private outdoor space in photos
- Town-center ground-floor layout may have limited light/privacy in some areas
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 72/100The cluster is in the limestone hill country of the Iblei, with a system of deep valleys and dry stone-walled farmland around Modica. The rivers in this part of the province run as seasonal streams in cave and quarry valleys rather than as large permanent waterways. The coast near Marina di Modica and Sampieri is the nearest sea, with low sandy shores and some rocky stretches. Modica is the nearest town of size and has a large Baroque historic centre rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake. Modica forms part of the Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto UNESCO listing. This area is known for Hyblaean limestone landscapes, Baroque town centres, olive and carob countryside, and Modica chocolate.