Fornai 28-30
Nel suggestivo contesto storico di Modica Bassa, proponiamo in vendita una casa singola situata in Via Fornai n.28 e 30, per un totale di circa 107 mq suddivisi tra due unità (62 mq + 45 mq). L’immobile si trova a pochi passi dal centro storico della città barocca patrimonio UNESCO, famosa per le sue chiese…
What it really costs
See what needs doing and what each job costs
The description explicitly says the 107 sqm house needs complete renovation, so I estimate about EUR 1,100/m2 renovation; that makes the effective cost about EUR 1,661/m2 (60,000 + ~117,700), far above the low-stock baseline of EUR 445/m2. Historic Modica Bassa and UNESCO-center proximity help a bit, but at this asking price it looks weak for a full-restoration project.
More on the house and the area
The setting in Modica’s historic fabric has real Sicilian atmosphere, and the old doors, beams and simple period layout give it some authentic character. But this is not a usable home today: several rooms show major ceiling failure, debris, damp and very tired service areas, so it sits firmly in project territory. At the price, it has potential for someone wanting a central Modica restoration rather than a move-in dream house.
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€42,000 – €63,000
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.
- Full renovation needed; parts of the ceilings/roof structure are visibly failed or open.
- Currently not realistically livable despite having bathroom and kitchen remnants.
- Likely damp/water ingress and extensive interior clearing required.
- Historic-center property may bring renovation constraints and access/logistics issues.
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.