Are you renovating your home? Here are 5 things to consider before you begin

The renovation of a house is certainly one of the most difficult moments in managing and organising for those who are not in the know.

The dynamics and costs involved in renovating a house are many, and understanding beforehand what needs to be done, what steps need to be taken and what costs need to be borne seems extraordinarily difficult! There are, however, a number of key aspects to pay attention to before starting work. This guide will help you to understand what to do and who to trust to solve your issues and meet your needs.

First of all, what are the 5 essential steps in renovating a house? Although we know that each project is unique and must be tailored to differing needs, there are certain, identifiable steps that – with varying degrees of difficulty – are common to all renovation work.

1. Complete or partial demolition of the affected areas, e.g. plaster, walls, floors – and disposal of the corresponding waste.
2. Masonry work to rebuild and restore what was destroyed, based on the new design.
3. Set-up or modification of existing systems or installations (electrical, water, heating, etc.) and adaptation to current regulations.
4. Installation of screeds and main finishes. It is at this stage that you choose the cladding in the most suitable materials for your design and any window/door frames to replace.
5. Paints and furniture. The last step is definitely the most creative, because it allows you to let your personality shine and make your home truly unique. It is often the case that even though the colours, combinations and furniture have been established at the planning stage, the budget may no longer be sufficient at this stage. The consequences are clear – people choose cheaper furniture, often of low quality, and undermine all the work done previously.
   If you are faced with this situation when renovating your home, our advice is not to give up on quality, craftsmanship or good-quality furniture. Instead, choose one room at a time to furnish, allowing yourself time to shop.

What kind of work are you going to do?

Firstly, it is important to understand the type of work that needs to be done in your new home, as this will lead to different paperwork and the need to involve one expert rather than another.

From a more technical point of view, classification of the various building works that can be carried out is contained in the italian Testo unico dell’edilizia - Consolidated act for the construction industry, which governs all building activities in Italy. The document identifies all possible types of building work, both for non-routine maintenance, which includes renovation, and for unrestricted building work.

In the specific case of a home renovation, firstly define what work you are going to do by creating a list. Do you want to change the room layout in the home, or divide them differently? Do you intend to renovate floors or replace windows and doors? Once you know exactly what type of work you are going to do, you can look for the most suitable expert for your requirements.

Putting your trust in an expert

Your home renovation design must mirror you 100% and meet your requirements. This is why it is important to place your trust in an expert in the field who will carry out research, match it to your requirements and knows how to transform the findings into something concrete. This step is also essential to accurately quantify the expenses you will incur, giving you the option of getting a number of quotes for the job. Once the work has been entrusted to one or more specialist companies, the expert who will carry out the work will also take care of the various surveys, which are key in taking measurements and accurately establishing a plan of work, and be able to manage any problems or misunderstandings that may arise.

Morica Design puts at your disposal a team of designers and technicians to help you furnish your home!

How much does it cost to renovate a home?

As we have already mentioned, renovation work varies greatly depending on the type of home and the planned work. Costs also vary considerably depending on the depth of renovation, how revolutionary it is to be, and on the finishes and materials that are chosen. Natural wood rather than PVC flooring will reflect costs very differently!

As a rule of thumb, we can say that renovation costs can range from €350 to €700 per square metre for a house that includes a good quality finish. For luxury renovations, the costs per square metre will clearly be different. Our advice would be to put your trust in experts and companies who provide a clear timetable, observe limitations on the budget and have well-defined plans of work. For a greater degree of protection, a solution may be to draw up a small contract which provides for penalties if timeframes or agreements are not observed.

As for the tax bonuses for the renovation of the house, in Italy also in 2022 it is possible to request some discounts and deductions. The Italian 2022 restructuring bonus has been fixed at 50% until 31^st December 2024: therefore the Irpef deductions at 50% are still applicable to be divided into ten years - with an expenditure limit set at 96 thousand euros for each property unit. To take advantage of the 50% tax deduction for the renovation of the house, however, it is necessary to follow certain rules, first of all the obligation to pay expenses by bank or postal transfer with the details of the beneficiary and the reason for the payment. Subsequently to take advantage of the deduction will be sufficient to indicate in your Italian tax return the cadastral data identifying the property and possibly all other data required for tax control.

Administrative costs in home renovation

It is worthwhile going over some of the main administrative requirements you will have to bear in mind if you start a home renovation process in Italy. But remember to check whether your local council requires special documentation or compliance with different types of regulations.

• A CILA (Sworn Notice of Commencement) to carry out for non-routine maintenance works which do not require structural work on the building (we would term this ‘light’ non-routine maintenance). This is submitted by the owner of the property or by a delegated expert and does not expire.
• A SCIA (Certified Notice of Construction Work Commencement) must be submitted to the local council of for works of non-routine maintenance, restoration and renovation of buildings. It therefore replaces the CILA when the intervention concerns works on structural components.
• A CIL (Work Commencement Notice) to be submitted for non-routine maintenance that alters neither the volume nor the surface area of building units.
• A Building Construction Permit must be applied for – in addition to new buildings – for all ‘heavy’ building renovations involving an increase in the number of building units and thus a change in the land register.

The renovation of a house is undoubtedly a complex area, which requires a great deal of technical expertise and skill in managing. As you have seen in this article, in order to plan your work with peace of mind, it is advisable to organise the various steps in advance, contact experts and carefully follow regulations and laws. 

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