Rustico/casale in Via Napoli
Fara San Martino, Abruzzo. Casale ottocentesco ricco di carattere originale, con soffitti a volta, 220 mq, 11 locali, 2 terrazze, 3 balconi, casa a schiera abitabile e vivace. Questa proprietà è un imponente casa a schiera, con un ingresso e un atrio maestosi. Struttura in pietra, la maggior parte dei locali presenta…
What it really costs
See what needs doing and what each job costs
At €60,000 for 220 sqm, the ask is €273/sqm; with a habitable-level renovation estimate of €200/sqm, the effective cost is about €473/sqm versus a low-stock baseline of €333/sqm in Abruzzo farmhouses. The score stays strong because this is a large habitable historic stone townhouse/casale with terraces, balconies and original vaulted ceilings, but it is not a deep discount once likely updating costs are included.
More on the house and the area
This has real old-house romance: a grand stone portal, vaulted rooms, fireplace and a dramatic mountain village setting. It looks like a genuine live-in house rather than a shell, with kitchen, bathrooms and finished rooms, but condition is tired and uneven and some areas show cracking and neglect. At €60k for 220 sqm, the scale and character create strong dream value if you can handle a proper refresh.
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€15,000 – €25,000
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 habitable but very dated and need significant refreshing.
- Visible cracking/plaster damage and a rough bathroom suggest maintenance work is needed.
- Terraces exist, but one outdoor area looks worn and not yet inviting.
- Facade/exterior presentation is plain despite the handsome historic entry.
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 78/100The Maiella massif rises directly above Fara San Martino, with the steep limestone walls at the mouth of the Vallone di Santo Spirito and the upper slopes of the Maiella National Park immediately behind the settlement. The Verde River springs here at the base of the rock face. The nearest ski area is Passolanciano-Maielletta on the Maiella, about 40 km away by road. The nearest larger town is Lanciano, which has a substantial historic centre, services and rail links. The area is known for the gorges cutting into the eastern side of the Maiella and for pasta production linked to the local spring water.