Buying a House in Lucca: the Technical Checks to Make Before Your Offer

You have found the right house in Lucca: an apartment inside the city walls, a villa on the edge of town, a farmhouse in the plain. The agent asks you to sign a purchase offer. Before you do, ask one question: who has checked that this house is legal?

Almost always, the answer is nobody. I'm Salvatore La Rocca, a geometra in Lucca. This article explains which checks to make, when, and who to ask. For a wider view of the region, see Buying a House in Tuscany: 7 Technical Checks to Make Before You Sign.

Who checks what in an Italian property sale

Many buyers assume someone along the way checks the house. In reality, everyone has a different job:

Who	What they do	What they don't do
Estate agent	Brings buyer and seller together	Doesn't check building compliance
Bank surveyor	Values the property for the mortgage	Makes a quick check, to protect the bank
Notary	Checks ownership, mortgages and the deed documents	Doesn't visit the house or compare it with the drawings
Your geometra	Compares permits, catasto and the real house. Works for you, not for the seller	Has no stake in the sale

So the technical check has to be requested. And it is the only one done in your interest.

When: before the offer, at the latest before the preliminary contract

An Italian purchase usually has three steps: the purchase offer (proposta d'acquisto), the preliminary contract (compromesso, with a deposit) and the deed (rogito) before a notary.

• Once the seller accepts it, the offer is already binding.
• With the preliminary contract you pay the deposit: if you walk away without a valid reason, you lose it.

The right time for the check is before the offer. If that's not possible, write in the offer that it is subject to a satisfactory technical check. It is a simple clause, and it gives you a way out. The whole process is explained in Buying Property in Italy as a Foreigner.

What I check before you sign

1. Building permits

I request every file for the property from the town hall and check that the house matches the last approved project. I look for extensions, enclosed verandas, mezzanines, attics turned into rooms, and changes of use that were never authorised.

2. The catasto

The cadastral floor plan must match the house, or the deed cannot go ahead. I also check the cadastral search: owners, category and taxable value.

3. Differences, and how to fix them

If I find a difference, I tell you whether it falls within the legal tolerances, whether it can be legalised and at what cost, or whether it cannot. That's the difference between a problem worth a few hundred euros and one that changes the value of the house. The options are explained in Sanatoria, Condono or Salva Casa?

4. Protection rules

Inside Lucca's walls there are strict rules on facades, windows, roofs and materials. In the countryside and hills, landscape protection is common. The whole area is a seismic zone. None of this stops you buying, but it decides what you can do afterwards: I check that your renovation plans are realistic. For permits, see CILA, SCIA or Building Permit: which application do you need?

5. Condition of the building

Cracks, damp, roofs, floors: I separate what is cosmetic from what needs work, and tell you when a specialist, such as a structural engineer, is needed.

6. Hidden costs

I add up the cost of legalising, the necessary works and the expenses the listing doesn't mention. With those numbers you can negotiate the price, or walk away.

What I find most often in Lucca

• Apartments in the historic centre, carved out of old palazzi over the decades, with floor plans that no longer match.
• Attics and mezzanines turned into living space without the requirements or a permit.
• Enclosed verandas and loggias, in apartment blocks and villas alike.
• Outbuildings on country properties, used as living space or built without a permit.
• Old amnesty applications never completed, sitting in the archive.

What you get

A written report in English, clear even if you are not in the trade, with:

• the list of documents found;
• the differences, with photos and references;
• what can be legalised, how, how long it takes and roughly what it costs;
• what to ask the seller before the preliminary contract.

We go through it together in person or by video call.

How to choose a geometra

• They must be registered with the professional body and hold professional insurance, which is compulsory in Italy.
• They must work for you: be wary of one recommended by the seller.
• Ask for a written quote and a written report, not just an opinion over the phone.
• Local knowledge helps: rules and archives change from town to town.

Frequently asked questions

Doesn't the notary check that the house is legal?

The notary checks the documents needed for the deed, not the house. They don't compare the drawings with the property: that's a technician's job. See also The Technical Report for the Notary Deed in Lucca.

Isn't the bank's valuation enough?

No. It tells the bank how much to lend you, not whether the house is legal.

Can I do the check after the preliminary contract?

You can, but by then you have paid the deposit. If a problem turns up, your negotiating power is much lower.

What does it cost?

It depends on the property and on how many files are in the archive. Compared with the price of the house it is a small expense, and it often pays for itself in the negotiation. I can quote from the listing or the address.

About to make an offer?

Send me the listing or the address. In a free 15-minute video call, in English, I'll tell you what to check and how long it takes, before you sign anything. I work in Lucca and nearby towns: Capannori, Porcari, Altopascio, Montecarlo, Massarosa, Camaiore, Pescaglia, Borgo a Mozzano, and San Giuliano Terme and Vecchiano towards Pisa. Living abroad? See Buying in Lucca from abroad.

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This article is general information, not advice on your specific case.