Renovating a house in Sicily

You might be drawn to the idea of buying an old stone house in a Sicilian hill town, restoring it, and ending up with a home full of character in the Mediterranean sun.

It's an appealing prospect, but renovating a house in Sicily comes with layers of bureaucracy and, often, relatively high costs.

Renovating a property in Sicily is possible, but it's important to go in with realistic expectations. Here's everything you need to know about the process for foreign buyers.

We'll also introduce the Wise account, which allows you to send, spend, and receive your money across the globe in over 40 currencies – all at the fair mid-market rate.

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Can you renovate a house in Sicily?

Yes, you can.

Foreign buyers can renovate property in Sicily with no restrictions tied to nationality. You apply for permits the same way an Italian citizen would, either yourself or through someone authorized to act for you.

The more useful question isn't "can I," it's "what will it take." And the reality is that you should be prepared for more planning and paperwork than a comparable project in the US.

Depending on the property, you may need a sign-off from several different authorities before you can do anything, and that process can take months.

Overall, renovating a house in Sicily is manageable, but there's a lot to think about in terms of timelines, budget, and how much help you'll want on the ground.

How renovating a house in Sicily works

Buying a house in Sicily

Every renovation begins with a purchase, so the first step is finding and buying your property.

The condition and location of the house you choose will shape the process going forward, so it's important to make the right decision.

Before you commit, watch out for a few things:¹

• Restrictions (vincoli): Conservation orders and heritage protections can limit what you're allowed to change and pull extra authorities into your permit process
• Protected areas: Properties in historic centers or areas of natural beauty face tighter rules than those outside them
• Legal status: Confirm the title is clean, and that the building is properly registered before signing anything

The cheapest house isn't always the cheapest project.

A bargain Sicily real estate purchase in a zone that's hard to get permits and approvals for can end up costing you more in delays and specialized work than a slightly pricier property with fewer strings attached.

Learn more about how to buy a 1-euro house in Italy.

Figuring out the scope

Get clear on what you need and want to do with your property.

Your renovation project may only be limited to cosmetic refreshes, such as new finishes and updated bathrooms, or you may need to reconfigure the layout, add windows, or replace electrical and plumbing systems.

Some properties require major structural work, which can get complicated and expensive.

It's important to figure out what you're doing with your property because it'll determine which professionals you hire and which permits you need. It'll also allow you to estimate your total project cost.

Building your team

You need a local team to renovate your house in Sicily. Usually, this team includes:

• An architect who designs the project, files for permits, and supervises construction
• A surveyor who handles technical measurements and documentation
• A notary and a lawyer for the property purchase and legal checks
• Builders and tradespeople, such as electricians, plumbers, roofers, and carpenters

The architect is, arguably, the most important person on your team. In addition to doing the design part, they're also the administrator and team leader who gets your plans approved and keeps the work legal.

If you don't speak fluent Italian, choose someone who speaks English comfortably. Don't cut corners on this hire, since it can make or break your project. A skilled architect typically charges around 10% of the total project cost.²

Getting permits and approvals

Depending on your property and your plans, approvals may need to come from a few different bodies before the municipality grants final planning permission.

For example, structural changes go through the civil engineering authority, and properties in protected or historic areas need consent from cultural heritage bodies.

Your architect designs the project, submits it to whichever authorities apply, revises the plans if needed, and secures clearance before passing everything to the town council for the final green light.

For a complex restoration, the approval stage can stretch 12 to 18 months.²

Renovation costs

Renovation costs in Sicily can look very different depending on the building's condition and how ambitious your plans are.

You can expect labor costs to be relatively affordable compared to the rest of Europe, but materials either cost roughly what they do elsewhere or are a little more expensive.

Here's a rough guide to what you'll pay per square meter:

To put that in perspective, a 150 m² property needing a full renovation might run somewhere between 120,000 EUR and 180,000 EUR.

On top of the per-square-meter costs, you should also budget for your architect's fee (around 10% of the project).²

Buying property abroad? Send money the hassle-free way with Wise

Now that we covered some of the basics, the only question left is how to send money to pay for your property overseas.

Wise offers you a quick, secure and transparent way of sending money abroad. You get the mid-market exchange rate for your payments and see how much it’s charged for the transfer before sending the money from your bank.

With the Wise Account you can also hold 40+ currencies, spend money in 150+ countries, and receive like a local in 8+ different currencies.

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Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information

Can you manage a renovation in Sicily from abroad?

No law says you can't, but it'd be very difficult and, for most people, unrealistic.

Just the permit process alone requires in-person coordination with multiple authorities, and how fast you make progress in that area can depend on the relationships you build with local professionals.

Moreover, photos and videos from contractors can often be misleading, so it'll be hard for you to know what's really happening on the ground.

If you can't be in Sicily during the work, the practical solution is hiring a trusted representative or project manager to act on your behalf. A good architect who doubles as your team leader is essential here, too.

Life after renovation: Living in Sicily and moving to Italy

Once the work is done and you're ready to live in your renovated home, it might take you a little bit of time to adjust to daily life in Sicily.

Sicily has a slower pace of life than most Americans are used to, so don't be surprised when shops close for a long lunch break in the afternoon, and many businesses almost shut down in August.

If you plan to live in Sicily long-term rather than just vacation there, you'll also need to sort out Italian residency. Americans can stay 90 days out of every 180 visa-free, but living there permanently means applying for the appropriate visa.³

Best places to live in Sicily

If you're still not sure where to buy your fixer-upper house in Sicily, here are a few popular options:

• Palermo: The island's largest city, with the most services, culture, and international connections
• Catania: A lively university city on the east coast, near Mount Etna and a major airport
• Cefalù: A coastal town with beaches and a walkable historic center, popular with foreign buyers
• Trapani and the west coast: Old towns and good value on property near the sea
• The Madonie and Nebrodi towns: Inland villages with low prices, natural beauty, and renovation incentives in some municipalities

If you're looking for low purchase prices, consider the Madonie and Nebrodi towns.

However, remember that what looks like potentially huge savings doesn't always end up being that way and can cost you more than expected once you start renovating.

How much does it cost to live in Sicily?

Sicily is among the most affordable parts of Italy, with prices generally below cities like Milan or Rome. Most Americans can live comfortably in Sicily.

Here's what everyday costs look like:

Everyday spending in Sicily runs well below US prices. However, local salaries are low to match, with the average net salary being 1,491 EUR per month.⁴

If you want to live in Sicily, you'll likely want to figure out a way to have your income come from the US.

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You can renovate a house in Sicily as an American, but expect a slower pace, a complicated permit process, and pretty high costs. However, hiring experienced local professionals will be a big asset and can help things go more smoothly.

Throughout the project, you'll pay contractors, architects, suppliers, and various authorities in EUR. If your money is in USD, every payment means a currency conversion.

Banks tend to charge you both transfer fees and currency exchange markups, and on a renovation running tens or hundreds of thousands of EUR, that adds up to a large amount.

Wise can help you avoid currency exchange rate markups and save on fees.

With Wise, you can send secure and trackable large amount transfers to 140+ countries worldwide with transparent fees and the fair mid-market exchange rate.

Have a look at the main benefits for using Wise to send large transfers:

• Dedicated support for large transfers
• Fast and easy setup with no physical paperwork
• Upfront, transparent fees
• Fully trackable transfers
• Fast transfer times
• Two-factor authentication and real-time notifications

Learn more about Wise

Sources

1. GruppoVida - How Much Does It Cost to Renovate a House in Sicily?
2. Property in Sicily - Renovate your house in Sicily
3. US Department of State - Italy
4. Numbeo - Cost of Living in Sicilia