The geometra’s role in buying real estate in Italy

Though there are overlaps (and the system is due to change with the job titles of geometra and architetto merging) there are differences between the two. An architetto tends to know very little about the mundane aspects of Italian buildings and real estates (boundary rules, electricity and gas supply and so forth), while geometri are unlikely to have taken on large building and restructuring projects.

Once you have put in an offer on a property in Italy, you will employ the geometra. He should find any structural faults in a building, subsidence, leaks in the roof, whether your water supply is safe and so on. His extensive checklist spills over from what we would expect of a property surveyor into what we’d expect our lawyer or solicitor to handle.

A geometra to handle your property sale in Italy

Where to find a geometra?. The selling agent or vendor may recommend a local geometra. This is a funny one. As a local surveyor he is likely to know the vendor and not kick up too much fuss about minor problems on the building. On the other hand he knows the area, the property, and what to check. On balance, go for a local guy. It’s also cheaper employing a local geometra as you don’t have to pay for his travelling time.

The geometra’s checklist

The geometra’s site visit is called a soprulluogo, and the technical survey a perizia. His checklist should cover these points.

Has he logged every store room (ripostiglio), garage (box), balcony (balcone) and terrace (terrazza) and detailed their sizes? Has he detailed the number of rooms (tipoligia e numero vani), if there is a cellar (cantina) and how big the cellar is? Has he established the floor area of the property in square metres (i metri quadri) and has he produced architectural drawings (la planimetria) of the real estate? Do we know the year the property was built (anno di costruzione), whether it’s part of a condo, and if so of which type (tipo condominio)?

If you are in a condominium are there elevators (ascensore) and who has responsibility for maintaining them? Are they safe and well kept? What sort of condition is the plumbing (sanitori) , wiring and electrics (impianto elettrico) and gas supply in. Are the floors sound? Are there any leaks (infiltrazioni)? is there a janitor or caretaker (portineria), and who pays for his services and keeps an eye on his work? The geometra should check for cracks (crepe), subsidence (assestamento), and rotten beams and rafters (travi marce).

Buying a house in Italy. Have you checked…

And things can get much more complicated if you’re buying a rural property, where boundary issues and the forces of nature come into play. Rights of way (diritti di passo) and risks of landslide (rischio frana) or flooding (rischio allagamento) are just three of the issues to consider. Your gas may not arrive from the main but via methane canisters (gas metano); you may not have a mains electricity supply, and connection in Italy is pricey, with the former state supplier ENEL still enjoying a near monopoly.

If you are buying a property in Italy on a budget (aren’t we all) then you don’t want to have your figures blown by any nasty shocks. Certain areas, including the Dolomites, are at risk from Radon gas (rischio gas radon) permeating up through the rock base. Is your sewage take (fognatura) on the mains (comunale) or by your own septic tank (fossa biologica). Will you need to bore for water via an artesian well (pozzo artesiano) to fill your swimming pool? If so your man must get a svincolo idrogeologico from the local province.