Rustico in Maccagno con Pino e Veddasca
Immerso nella natura rigogliosa a pochi chilometri dal Lago Maggiore, questo affascinante rustico in pietra da ristrutturare è l'opportunità perfetta per chi cerca una fuga dalla frenesia cittadina o desidera dar vita a un progetto a stretto contatto con il verde. La proprietà è abbracciata da un generoso terreno di…
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
At €55,000 for 40 m², the estimated renovation-adjusted cost is about €2,475/m², far above the local benchmark of €380/m². The 3,000 m² setting near Lago Maggiore adds appeal, but the property needs major work, has no existing water connection, and the listing does not confirm residential permits or final habitable floor area.
More on the house and the area
A charming 19th-century stone farmhouse with a photogenic rustic exterior, timber roof, wooded hillside setting and 3,000 sqm of terraced land. The house is roofed and has floors, a basic kitchen area and toilet, but the interiors are very rough and the property needs meaningful renovation and a water connection before it becomes a comfortable home.
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€16,000 – €23,000
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.
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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 substantial renovation rather than being move-in ready.
- Water connection still needs to be installed; utilities and bathroom functionality should be verified.
- Steep, wooded terrain and remote access may limit everyday practicality.
- The interior is basic, damp-looking and unfinished, with no convincing modern kitchen or living setup.
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 Maggiore is at the cluster, on the eastern shore near the Swiss border. The lower slopes of the Lepontine Alps rise immediately behind the lakeside settlements, with narrow valleys climbing toward Forcora and the Veddasca. The nearest ski area is Forcora, above the lake, reached by road in about 20–30 minutes. Luino is the nearest larger town and has rail links, ferry services on Lake Maggiore and the main concentration of shops and services for this part of the upper lake. The area is known for the lake shore, steep wooded mountain backdrop and cross-border access toward the Swiss lakes and valleys.