Rustico in Filattiera
Borgo antico nella bellissima Lunigiana tra Pontremoli ed Aulla a pochi km dal mare . Nel castello di Filattiera (MASSA). Piccola casetta con taverna al piano terra, si salgono poche scale e c'è subito il bagno separato dall'abitazione. Ma con tanto di camino molto tipico delle case nella Lunigiana. Tutto da…
What it really costs
Can you move in?
Not before the basics are done
In the listingNeeds renovation- On the market for a long time
Must be done first
- Damp
- Wiring
- Plumbing
- Bathroom
- Kitchen
See what needs doing and what each job costs
Effective price ≈ €1,049/m2 (€15,000 + €700/m2 × 43 m2), well above the Toscana baseline of €500/m2; the house needs full renovation including roof work so overall costs are high. It has been listed 403 days (stale listing) and the seller's 'verrebbe con pochi soldi' claim contradicts the likely extent of works required.
More on the house and the area
A tiny, characterful borgo house in the Castello area of Filattiera with stone walls and a traditional fireplace — very atmospheric and a true Lunigiana spot. The structure appears intact but the interior needs a complete renovation, so this is a bargain renovation-project suitable as a holiday/second home once restored.
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€9,000 – €15,000
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.
Show more
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.
- Full renovation required: bathroom, kitchen, finishes and likely utilities upgrade.
- Very small (43 m²) with limited natural light and low ceilings in places.
- Shared entrance/steps with a neighbour and no private outdoor space.
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 71/100The cluster is in the upper Lunigiana, with the northern Tuscan Apennines close by and the Apuan Alps within roughly this radius to the southwest. The Magra valley runs through the area. Part of the territory of Filattiera falls in the Parco Nazionale dell’Appennino Tosco-Emiliano. The nearest skiing is on the Zum Zeri slopes, roughly a 35–45 minute drive depending on the exact hamlet. Pontremoli is the nearest substantial town, with a rail station, services, and a preserved historic centre; Aulla is the larger service hub farther down the valley. The wider Lunigiana area is known for stone villages, castles and the Via Francigena corridor through the Magra valley.