Casa bifamiliare in Via Borca 41
Nel pittoresco centro storico di Borca, a soli 5 minuti d'auto da Omegna, proponiamo in vendita una soluzione semi-indipendente da ristrutturare, con giardino privato. L'immobile si sviluppa su due livelli, collegati attualmente da una scala esterna. Al piano terra troviamo l'ingresso su una cucina abitabile, dotata di…
What it really costs
See what needs doing and what each job costs
This 140 sqm townhouse is listed at €536/m², but it is explicitly described as da ristrutturare, so I estimate about €700/m² renovation, bringing effective cost to roughly €1,236/m². That is far above the low Piemonte townhouse baseline of €353/m², but the private garden and historic-center setting near Omegna support a still acceptable score for a renovation project rather than a standout bargain.
More on the house and the area
This is a real, usable house rather than a shell, with a bit of old-village character in the stone surroundings and a private outdoor area. But the interiors are dark, cluttered and dated, and the overall feel is more practical renovation project than dream Italian home. At €75k for 140 sqm it has value, yet the wow factor is modest.
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€28,000 – €49,000
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.
- Needs renovation/modernisation throughout
- Exterior and terrace look tired and poorly maintained
- Only one bathroom and some awkward layout with external stair connection
- No real view despite historic village 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 84/100Lake Orta is at the village, with the wooded slopes of the Cusio basin rising immediately above it and the lower Alps visible around the lake. The Special Nature Reserve of Sacro Monte di Orta is on the eastern side of the lake, and the island of San Giulio is opposite Orta San Giulio. Mottarone is the nearest mountain for skiing and walking, with lifts and access around 20 km away above Stresa; the larger Ossola ski areas are much farther and do not define the immediate area. The nearest town of size is Borgomanero, which provides the main rail, retail and services for the south side of the lake; Verbania and Novara are farther regional centres. Orta San Giulio is listed among I Borghi più belli d'Italia, and the Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy, including Sacro Monte di Orta, are a UNESCO World Heritage site. The area is known for the lake landscape, historic lakeside settlements, and for quieter tourism compared with Lake Maggiore and Lake Como.