Rustico/casale in Via Selvaregina
CANTU' zona “Brugnola”: rustico indipendente da demolire / ristrutturare di c. a. 180 mq totali disposto su tre livelli con annessa autorimessa.
What it really costs
See what needs doing and what each job costs
This is a 180 sqm farmhouse in Cantù offered at €55,000 (€306/sqm), below the local baseline of €382/sqm, but the text says "da demolire / ristrutturare" so I estimate a full restore/rebuild-level cost of about €1,100/sqm. That puts the effective cost around €1,406/sqm, far above baseline, so despite the low asking price this looks weak value unless bought mainly for the plot/structure.
More on the house and the area
This is a sizable detached old farmhouse with some rustic massing and a bit of greenery, and the price per square metre is strikingly low. But the listing itself says demolition/full renovation, and the photos show a worn, structurally worrying exterior rather than a usable home. It reads as a redevelopment project, not a beautiful cheap Italian house you could realistically move into.
All the services redone, bathrooms, kitchen, windows. The structure is left alone.
Turnkey, facade and insulation included.
Our read of the photos, €1,100/m², falls in this band.
Materials only, work you may do yourself€71,000 – €105,000
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.
- Italian listing explicitly says to demolish or fully renovate
- Exterior shows heavy deterioration with cracked/render-failed walls
- No interior photos proving livable rooms, kitchen or bathroom condition
- Outdoor space is modest and overgrown rather than a scenic setting
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 88/100Lake Como is at the town, with the southwest arm and its steep pre-Alpine slopes defining the immediate setting. The Spina Verde Regional Park lies just west of Como on the border ridge above the city. The nearest substantial town is Como itself, which has a walled historic centre, the cathedral, lakefront ferries and rail links to Milan and Switzerland. Brunate sits above the town and is linked by the funicular. The area is known for the lake landscape and for villas and historic settlements along the shore.