Buiding a house

Does anyone have advice on building a house in Italy? The land is already acquired (inherited), what are the procedures of getting a house built?

If you have direct experience in this and can advise on the problems experienced and the best way to get things done that will be helpful. Are there any pre designed houses (plans/blueprints) available on the internet?

Thanks

First you have to see if yu can build on the land. For this you need the Certificato di Destinazione Urbanistica (CDU) which will have been produced probably for the inheritance procedure. Then you have to figure out what volume you can build.

The next step is finding out where the plans have to go - i.e. just the Comune or the Comune and the Regione or also the Provincia too. This will indicate how long the permissions will tkae and how complex the documentation. For this you will need the help of an architect or a geometra.

There is no self-build allowed unless you are part of a co-operative of like minded people. I keep reading that Tuscany will be the first Regione to allow self build but I don't think it has happened yet. Therefore you must use a registered builder. You can get the builder to build to 'grezzo' - i.e. all the structural work and then finish it yourself. Plumbing and electrics have to be certified so you have to used registered plumbers and electricians.

Once the house is finished it has to be 'signed off' by the architect or geometra you employed and a certificato d'agibiltà' issued.

Wooden 'kit' houses are getting more and more popular in Italy but whether you can build one will depend on your comune. Also, depending upon where you are, there may be stringent earthquake requirements to meet. The house kit companies do provide all blue prints and plans but from what I have seen, only if you actually buy from them. Some will give outline plans online but nothgin you could actually use (for obvious reasons).

Hope that helps.

A CDU isnt necessary for a succession, so the easiest thing to do, if the successions has been filed and the voltura done at the catasto is to getone released by the comune.   Everything depends on what you want to build - a glassand steel box in a protected area wont be allowed.  The CDU will tell you most of what you need to know - where, how and what and if you can build.  Then get an engineer - you will need designs, permissions and health and safety, on site direction of works and signing off, and thats before you get a builder.   You will need the same stuff if you buy a kit house or a predesign build - which you can now find.  The only way to avoid it is to use the SCIA for a ì'permanent' caravan type structure, which is probably what you dont have in mind.   Assuming that all of the above is clear, make sure that ENEL will bring you electricity and water is  a possibility.

Never having built a house I leave all the complicated procedures for others to tell you about - all I do know from 2 separate people who have gone down this route is that it ends up a lot more than the estimated costings so be prepared!! Good luck!

Admin wrote:Wooden 'kit' houses are getting more and more popular in Italy but whether you can build one will depend on your comune. 

I have not considered a 'kit' house. Are there links to companies that provide this, and more importantly how do I find out if the region I am in will allow a kit house.

Here are some companies to check out:

Rubner wood houses

urban green
norgeshus
wolfHaus
palmatin
domus Green

We know of someone who has a Rubner house in Macerata, Le Marche.  A friend is currently checking out Wolfhaus, to also build in Le Marche.  We are also looking into this if we can find land at a REASONABLE cost.  Thus far, we have not been able to find a property that is realistically priced to build on.

I would imagine that the price of houses will have dropped since the earthquakes. Not so sure about building land as many people are unhappy living in stones buildings now and may want to build instead of buy. It'll be interesting over the next few months to see what happens to the prices on the agenzia delle entrate website. It'll take quite a while to show though.
It clearly hasn't put you off Lisa.

Admin wrote:I would imagine that the price of houses will have dropped since the earthquakes. Not so sure about building land as many people are unhappy living in stones buildings now and may want to build instead of buy. It'll be interesting over the next few months to see what happens to the prices on the agenzia delle entrate website. It'll take quite a while to show though.It clearly hasn't put you off Lisa.

Hi Penny,

No, it hasn't but we have decided that Montelparo is the furthest inland that we want to go now.  This is also due to weather.  We have not really seen the prices of houses drop much at all, unfortunately.  We have been casually looking at houses to demolish, since it is only possible to build where there is already an existing house, unless it is a lotto edificabile, which are also hard to find and expensive.  There have also been strict rules as to whether or not the house can be moved from the present spot and if so, by how much.  We have run into problems including the archaeological zone, where we have looked so far.  The prices also have been crazy.  We looked at a property about 4 years ago with a beautiful view and a stone house to demolish.  The asking price was ridiculously high.  The Italian agent, as well as our Italian friend who knew the owner both told us it was worth about 25% less than the asking price.  Our friend went to talk with the owner who was then convinced that 2 American couples were interested and the price went up by 50%!  It is still sitting there and he now is asking 25% more than the price 4 years ago, plus expenses.  Hopefully it will be easier to look once we are living over there in September/

If it helps Lisa, I spoke to an estate agent friend of mine in Comunanza last week and she said the prices in Le Marche in towns/villages affected by earthquakes have dropped 20-30% since the quakes. Of course owners are always reluctant to drop prices so it might take a while to trickle through.

You would need to be a bit further towards the coast than Montelparo for this not to affect you I think. I know Montelparo was damaged in the quakes.

Whether this means prices in the towns in Le Marche towards the coast and therefore further from the quake zone have gone up I didn't ask but it seems highly probable.

Admin wrote:If it helps Lisa, I spoke to an estate agent friend of mine in Comunanza last week and she said the prices in Le Marche in towns/villages affected by earthquakes have dropped 20-30% since the quakes. Of course owners are always reluctant to drop prices so it might take a while to trickle through.You would need to be a bit further towards the coast than Montelparo for this not to affect you I think. I know Montelparo was damaged in the quakes. Whether this means prices in the towns in Le Marche towards the coast and therefore further from the quake zone have gone up I didn't ask but it seems highly probable.

Thanks Penny,

This is good to know.  I think we will probably be renting in Monte Rinaldo when we come over.  We will try to focus more on the area of Ortezzano ant further towards the coast as far as purchasing/building goes.