Building Your Puglia Property Team: The 5 Experts You Need

Success in Puglia property investment requires assembling a trustworthy local team. Learn the essential roles—commercialista, geometra, architect, lawyer, and contractor—plus how to vet each one, what they cost, and why you can’t afford to skip them.

Introduction

Investing in property in Puglia is not just about finding the perfect trullo or masseria—it’s about building the right local team to guide you through Italy’s complex real estate, renovation, and tax systems.

Many foreign buyers make the mistake of relying solely on an agent or assuming that property buying in Italy is as straightforward as in their home country. In reality, Italian property investment—especially when restoration, permits, or public incentives like Mini PIa are involved—requires expert guidance at every stage.

Here’s your essential guide to assembling your Puglia property dream team: who you need, what they do, typical costs, and how to choose them wisely.

1. The Commercialista (Accountant)

🧾 Role:

The commercialista handles your Italian tax obligations, advises on property-related taxation, structures your investment (personal or company), and ensures you remain compliant—especially if you're receiving grants like Mini PIa.

💼 Typical Services:

• Tax ID (Codice Fiscale) registration
• Tax structuring for personal vs. company ownership
• Filing tax returns and VAT if renting or renovating
• Managing INPS (social security) contributions if required
• Assisting with grant-related financial reporting

💰 Cost:

• Tax ID assistance: €100–€200
• Ongoing tax consulting: €500–€1,000/year
• Mini PIa support: may add €1,000–€2,500 depending on complexity

✅ How to Vet:

• Must be registered in Italy (Ordine dei Commercialisti)
• Fluent in English and familiar with foreign ownership issues
• Experience with regional grant compliance or tourism/hospitality structures

2. The Geometra (Surveyor/Planning Technician)

🏗️ Role:

The geometra is essential for property inspections, urban compliance checks, building surveys, and managing permits and technical documentation.

They are often the first person you should involve before signing a Compromesso (preliminary contract).

🔍 Typical Services:

• Pre-purchase surveys and reports
• Planning compliance (permessi, building codes, cadastral matching)
• Structural and renovation feasibility
• Supervision of minor works or small restoration projects
• Support in Mini PIa technical submissions

💰 Cost:

• Basic survey report: €500–€1,000
• Permit management: €1,000–€3,000
• Full site supervision: €5,000+ depending on scope

✅ How to Vet:

• Registered in Italy and insured
• Deep local knowledge of zoning laws and building history
• Has worked with foreign clients or Mini PIa applications
• Willing to produce reports in both Italian and English

👉 Need a trusted geometra? Start with our Property Survey Report service.

3. The Local Architect

🏛️ Role:

For larger renovations, restorations, or creative reconfigurations, an architect becomes your strategic partner in turning a ruin into a revenue-generating gem. In many Mini PIa projects, they collaborate closely with the geometra and contractors.

🖊️ Typical Services:

• Restoration plans and creative design
• Permit applications and energy efficiency upgrades
• Oversight of construction work
• Coordination with cultural heritage bodies if applicable
• Technical documentation for Mini PIa applications

💰 Cost:

• Design fees: 6%–10% of renovation costs
• Permit and energy efficiency packages: €2,000–€5,000
• Full project management: €10,000–€25,000 depending on scope

✅ How to Vet:

• Licensed architect with “Albo degli Architetti” registration
• Experience with rural or historical property restorations
• Familiar with regional planning, energy incentives, and tourism conversion
• A strong design portfolio with references

4. The Specialized Real Estate Lawyer (Avvocato Immobiliare)

⚖️ Role:

While not required by law, hiring a property lawyer protects you from making costly mistakes. They review contracts, perform due diligence, ensure legal ownership is clear, and can represent you with power of attorney during closing.

🧩 Typical Services:

• Legal due diligence (title search, cadastral history, debt checks)
• Drafting and review of Compromesso and Rogito
• Cross-border tax compliance and inheritance advice
• Power of Attorney execution for remote signings
• Legal structure for joint or company purchases

💰 Cost:

• Basic contract review: €800–€1,500
• Full transaction assistance: €2,000–€5,000
• Representation for grant-related contracts: additional fees may apply

✅ How to Vet:

• Fluent in English and Italian legal terminology
• Specialization in real estate, not general practice
• Experience with foreign clients and Italian grant schemes
• Can work in tandem with your notary (notaio) or represent you directly

5. The Renovation Contractor (Impresa Edile)

🔨 Role:

A good contractor doesn’t just build—they help deliver your vision on time and within budget, with materials suited to Puglia’s environment and heritage guidelines.

In many Mini PIa projects, the contractor plays a central role in executing grant-funded works.

🧱 Typical Services:

• Demolition, construction, and finishes
• Trullo and masseria restoration
• Plumbing, electrical, and insulation upgrades
• Installing solar, heat pumps, and green tech for energy class improvements
• Working in phases to align with funding tranches (e.g., Mini PIa)

💰 Cost:

• Renovation: €900–€2,000 per m² depending on scope
• Green upgrades: additional €5,000–€20,000 depending on systems
• Restoration of trulli or heritage structures: varies greatly

✅ How to Vet:

• Licensed and insured (with DURC documentation)
• Proven experience with restoration—not just new builds
• Written estimate with timeline and payment phases
• Willing to work with your architect, geometra, and grant consultants

Bonus Tip: Use Our Investment Process Map

Want a full breakdown of how these professionals fit into the property purchase and restoration timeline?

👉 Explore our Investment Process Page for a step-by-step visual guide from Codice Fiscale to receiving the keys and managing utilities.

Final Thoughts: Don’t DIY Puglia—Build the Right Team

Italian property investment can be incredibly rewarding—but it’s not a plug-and-play process. The rules are different. The paperwork is in Italian. And the timelines, grant processes, and permit requirements are deeply regional.

While it’s entirely possible to build your own team of experts—a commercialista, geometra, architect, lawyer, and contractor—each one needs to be carefully vetted, coordinated, and kept aligned throughout the process. That takes time, local knowledge, and on-the-ground presence.

Or… you can come to us at InvestiScope, and we take care of all of it for you.

Why Work with InvestiScope?

At InvestiScope, we act as your full-circle project partner, assembling and managing your entire team of trusted local professionals—so you don’t have to.

When you work with us, you get:

🔹 A hand-picked team of experts we already know and trust:

• Licensed commercialisti, specialized in property tax and Mini PIa
• Bilingual lawyers with experience in international real estate law
• Skilled geometri and restoration-savvy architects familiar with local permit offices
• Proven contractors with regional credentials and transparent cost structures

🔹 One point of contact — no language barrier, no coordination confusion
🔹 End-to-end project supervision, from feasibility to funding, design, permits, and build
🔹 Grant application support through Mini PIa and related programs
🔹 A trusted partner on the ground, working solely in your interest

Whether you're buying your dream home, restoring a trullo, or launching a rural hospitality business through Mini PIa, our team becomes your team.

Ready to Build Your Puglia Investment Dream?

✔️ Request a Property Survey — we’ll assess condition, compliance, and potential
✔️ Try our FREE Mini PIa Grant Calculator — and discover how much funding your project could receive
✔️ Explore Our Full Investment Process — from tax code to keys in hand

📩 Prefer to speak to someone? Book a free consultation today. We'll listen to your goals, answer your questions, and show you exactly how we can help you succeed in Puglia.