Bands by level of supply
| Level of supply | Cost per m2 | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Weathertight shell (erected kit) | EUR 900 - 1,300 | Structure, roof, windows, envelope closed to wind and water |
| Turnkey, basic | EUR 1,500 - 1,800 | Weathertight shell plus services and standard finishes |
| Turnkey, mid-range | EUR 1,800 - 2,100 | Good-quality finishes, complete services, MVHR |
| Turnkey, high-end | EUR 2,100 - 2,400 and above | Premium finishes, home automation, high performance |
The weathertight shell level generates the most misunderstanding: it is the price that appears in the most aggressive marketing, and it describes a house that cannot be lived in. The step up to turnkey is worth EUR 500-700 per m2, that is, a third of the budget.
Timber frame or CLT: what changes on cost
The two dominant technologies have different economics. The platform frame is the cheaper solution at equal thermal performance: lightweight layered walls, insulation in the cavity, an excellent performance-to-price ratio. CLT (cross-laminated timber) is a solid structure: it typically costs 10-20 per cent more per m2, but offers greater thermal mass, better acoustic behaviour and freedom on spans and openings, as well as making additional storeys easier. The choice is made on the design, not on the price list: on a compact single-storey house the frame is almost always sufficient, while on articulated volumes or multi-unit buildings CLT repays the difference.
The items almost never included in the price
This is the chapter that decides whether the budget holds. The recurring exclusions of supply contracts. The recurring exclusions of supply contracts are always the same.
| Excluded item | Order of magnitude |
|---|---|
| Raft or foundations | EUR 100 - 200 per m2 of footprint |
| Excavation, earthworks, drainage | depending on ground, from EUR 5,000 |
| Utility connections (water, gas, electricity, drainage) | EUR 4,000 - 10,000 |
| Professional fees, permits and testing | 8 - 12% of the works |
| Municipal fees and building contribution | per municipality |
| External works, fencing, paths | variable, often EUR 10,000 + |
| VAT | per applicable rate |
A turnkey price of EUR 1,700 per m2 that excludes the raft, connections and professional fees easily becomes EUR 2,100-2,200 per m2 of real cost: the same band as traditional building at an equivalent level. Hence the operating rule: always request the written list of exclusions before comparing two offers, and bring them back to the same scope.
Like-for-like comparison with traditional building: a 130 m2 house
| Item | CLT prefab | Traditional masonry |
|---|---|---|
| Construction (mid-range) | 130 × 1,900 = EUR 247,000 | 130 × 1,800 = EUR 234,000 |
| Foundations and excavation | EUR 22,000 | included in the price |
| Connections | EUR 7,000 | EUR 7,000 |
| Professional fees (10%) | EUR 24,700 | EUR 23,400 |
| Contingencies | 5% (EUR 12,350) | 10% (EUR 23,400) |
| Total | EUR 313,050 | EUR 287,800 |
| Site duration | 4 - 6 months | 10 - 14 months |
Traditional building often remains cheaper on the total, but the prefab compensates on three measurable fronts: halved contingencies (most of the work is factory-produced from detailed design), shorter timelines (months of rent or double mortgage saved) and energy performance that comes as standard above the average of budget traditional construction. The correct comparison is therefore not euro against euro, but euros plus months plus performance.
Note: the figures shown are 2026 orders of magnitude for the Italian market, for guidance only. Every supply must be compared on its specification and on the list of contractual exclusions.