Holiday/second house in Italy

Last activity 30 July 2022 by glimpser

1012 Views

4 replies

Post new topic

KoskarrMember06 September 2019 16:33:04

Hi guys.

So..I’ll get right in to it. My dream is to buy and renovate a house in a small Italian village and use it as a holiday/second home. Preferably a small townhouse in a village. I’ve seen many “bargain” housing offers online, starting from 5.000€-6.000€. I’d like to spend around 10.000€ - 20.000€ on buying the place and then renovate it (partially myself) in a long term.

Which are the best places/ villages where my dream can come true. Preferably mountainous little villages.

Do you have any idea of the cost of the basic renovation work such as a new roof, new windows/doors and new bathroom.

Do you think it’s doable? Do you think I can find a townhouse in village for that kind of money? Any of you looking to or already bought a second/ holiday house in Italy?

All advice is welcome!

Thanks in advance.

Bagni di LuccaNew member16 September 2019 20:25:26

Hi there,
I think you won't find much for that price. If you do it will probably require lots of expensive work. A new roof can cost a fortune. Scaffolding is expensive. Kitchens and bathrooms need not be expensive, but it is impossible to give estimates without knowing what is involved.
We have 2 properties in Italy. One is an apartment in Bagni di Lucca in northern Tuscany which we bought 16 years ago for €90,000. We didn't have to do any renovation. We have been very happy with our purchase.
We also bought a ruin in Vergemoli. The house was too far gone to fix so we pulled it down and rebuilt it.
I have written about it in my blog called Bagni di Lucca and Beyond. At the top of the page you will see "Rent our Tuscan House". Click that to see photos and there are links to the process of building the house and garden.

Mark&LoraMember29 July 2022 14:18:35

Cool! I'm just interested in the topic of repair in Italy. I just can’t understand why it costs so much money and at the same time this repair is often very simple.

Veronique Da SilvaTeam29 July 2022 15:49:35

9005

Hi Mark&Lora,

You are commenting on a thread that has been inactive since September 2019 It is therefore unlikely that there will be any replies.

If you want to discuss a specific topic, please do not hesitate to create a new discussion on the Italy forum.

Vero

Expat.com team

glimpserActive member30 July 2022 12:41:22

To Mark&Lora

In Italy house repairs are expensive mainly because houses are built with bricks and concrete.

I would guess that less than 2 pecent of italian buildings are made of wood.

That means more time to buld it (e.g. each concrete slab needs at least 28 days "matures" enough to permit you to pull off the underlying supports).

In top of that, electric wirings plus gas and water plumbing has to be made (by italian law) by certified electrician and/or plumber.

With no officialy certified plumbing and electricity you won't be legally allowed to sign a contract with any italian utility firm (either gas, water and/or electricity).

To that, add working permits, that, when needed, must be signed by an italian architect, engineer or "geometra"

Articles to help you in your expat project in Italy

Buying a property in Italy
If you want to sell your home as part of your move to Italy, why not buy again once you are here? Or why not ...
Accommodation in Italy
If you decide to move to Italy, the question of accommodation will naturally arise. Most foreigners who relocate ...
Buying property in Rome
Rome has a complex real estate market, as is the case throughout Italy, and it is not always easy to find a ...
Buying property in Milan
The decision to buy a flat or a house in Milan, a city with the highest prices in Italy, is a challenging one, ...
Accommodation in Milan
Milan is one of the world's fashion capitals and, as Italy's most important industrial and financial ...
Accommodation in Turin
Located at the foot of the Alps, Turin is a city renowned for design, innovation and a remarkable combination of ...
Accommodation in Florence
Florence is world-famous for works of art by Michelangelo and Botticelli, as well as architectural spectacles such ...
Accommodation in Rome
Rome is a popular destination for expatriates. In addition to its pleasant climate, Italy's capital is full of ...