Baita in Macra
MACRA - Nel comune di Macra, in Valle Maira, nella caratteristica Borgata Villar, proponiamo in vendita una tipica casa di montagna composta da due alloggi indipendenti, con spazio esterno privato, tavernetta e un fabbricato rustico adiacente. La posizione è particolarmente interessante per chi desidera vivere la…
What it really costs
Can you move in?
Livable, but something basic is worn out
Condition not stated in the listingMust be done first
- Heating
See what needs doing and what each job costs
I estimate heavy works (~€700/m² → ~€56,000), so effective price ≈ €105,500 or ≈€1,319/m² vs the local median of €396/m²; once renovations are included the property is substantially more expensive than typical local stock. The listing omits condition/energy-class details and the lower apartment is said to “need interventions,” which supports the higher renovation allowance.
More on the house and the area
Authentic small mountain house in Valle Maira with a liveable upper apartment, dated but intact interiors, and a pleasant wooded-valley view. The second unit and adjacent rustico need renovation, but the property is usable now and represents a strong bargain for someone wanting genuine alpine village living.
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€16,000 – €28,000
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.
- Lower-level apartment requires renovation and updating.
- Adjoining rustico/walls appear in poor condition and may need work or removal.
- Remote mountain location — limited local services and access.
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 74/100The cluster is in the Maira Valley in the Cottian Alps. The Maira river runs down the valley. Much of the upper valley falls within the Parco Naturale della Valle Maira. The nearest ski terrain is the small area at Canosio, with the larger lifts around Sampeyre in the Varaita valley and Limone Piemonte at longer driving distance. The nearest town of size is Dronero, which has everyday services and an old centre with the Ponte del Diavolo over the Maira. The area is known for alpine hamlets, stone-and-slate mountain architecture, pasture and larch-wood landscapes, and for the Occitan culture of the western Cuneo valleys.