The first decision in a B&B renovation is not the tile or the price per square metre. It is the correct operating category. In Trentino, a family-run Bed and Breakfast, an affittacamere and a tourist apartment are different models. The Province describes a B&B as occasional hospitality organised by the family in the operator's residence or permitted domicile, using no more than four rooms.

Confirming the model before drawing the layout prevents the project from being based on the wrong assumptions about rooms, common areas, food service and administrative procedures.

What the figures in this guide mean

The ranges below are early planning allowances, not Olga Design prices, contractor quotations or guaranteed market averages. They are useful for comparing levels of intervention before surveys and estimates are available.

Level	Early planning allowance	Typical scope
Refresh	€500–800/m²	Decoration, lighting, textiles, selected furniture and bathroom touch-ups
Light renovation	€800–1,300/m²	Floors, selected bathrooms, breakfast area and partial system work
Full renovation	€1,300–2,000/m²	Redistribution, new systems, bathrooms, finishes and room fit-out
Complex conversion	€2,000–2,800+/m²	Major building work, protected elements, bespoke rooms and identity

These bands exclude the property purchase, finance, business start-up costs and any item not expressly included in the project scope. VAT, professional fees, authority charges, furniture and contingencies must be shown separately rather than assumed.

Before budgeting: confirm what you are opening

With the appointed licensed professional, verify:

the accommodation category and planning compatibility;
whether the operator's residence or domicile requirements are met;
the number and permitted use of rooms;
accessibility and fire-safety requirements for the actual building and works;
the permitted breakfast or food-service model;
building, health and hospitality filings;
whether the property has landscape, historic or condominium constraints.

This review can change the brief. A property that works as a private home may not support the intended guest layout without technical or administrative work.

The cost drivers that matter most

Bathrooms and drainage

Bathrooms multiply waterproofing, ventilation, hot-water demand, sanitaryware, lighting and cleaning requirements. Keeping new bathrooms close to feasible drainage routes may help, but the stacks, floors and ceilings below must be checked before a layout is approved.

Existing systems

Electrical capacity, heating, cooling, hot-water production and ventilation should be assessed by the relevant professionals. A decorative refresh and a full systems replacement do not belong in the same €/m² comparison.

Existing building and access

Moisture, uneven structures, old screeds, restricted vehicle access, upper floors without a lift and protected elements can affect labour and logistics. These conditions need a survey; photographs alone are not enough for a dependable quotation.

Room standard and repeatability

A common bathroom specification, lighting family and furniture logic can simplify procurement and maintenance. Variety can come from colour, textiles, art and room-specific details without redesigning every technical junction.

Breakfast and common areas

Clarify whether breakfast is served, how food is stored and prepared, where guests sit and what remains private to the operator. The applicable requirements must be verified for the chosen model.

How to compare quotations

Ask every bidder to price the same information. The comparison should identify:

demolition, removal and disposal;
building and finishing work;
electrical, plumbing, heating, cooling and ventilation;
bathrooms and sanitaryware;
lighting fixtures and controls;
custom joinery and loose furniture;
professional and authority fees;
provisional sums and exclusions;
VAT assumptions, payment stages and lead times;
testing, certificates, cleaning and handover.

A lower total is not necessarily a lower cost if major chapters are excluded. Mark who supplies each item and who is responsible for dimensions, orders and installation.

A practical sequence for an owner abroad

Send ownership and planning documents, an existing plan, photographs and the intended operating model.
Arrange a survey and the technical checks required for the property.
Approve the brief, room count, priorities and investment range.
Develop layout options, a visual concept and 3D views.
Approve finishes, lighting, furniture and custom details before tender or orders.
Compare itemised quotations against the same scope.
During implementation, keep aesthetic decisions documented while statutory site supervision and technical responsibilities remain with the appointed licensed professionals.

Briefings, presentations and approvals can be organised remotely in English, German, Italian or Russian. Site attendance and reporting must be defined in the appointment rather than implied by the word “turnkey”.

Who does what

Olga Design can provide commercial interior design, residential interior design, 3D visualisation, material and furniture selection, identity and aesthetic assistance during implementation.

Building filings, planning and structural advice, technical systems, statutory works supervision, site safety, testing and certification are provided by the licensed professionals appointed for the project. The contractor remains responsible for execution within its contract.

Tax relief and grants

Do not subtract a tax deduction or grant from the investment total until an accountant and the appointed professional confirm current eligibility for the owner, property and works. Rules can change, and foreign owners may have a different tax position. Until eligibility is documented, compare the project on its gross cost.

Questions to answer before the first meeting

Where is the property and what is its current legal use?
Do you live or plan to be domiciled there?
How many rooms are intended?
Which bathrooms and systems already exist?
Is breakfast or another food service planned?
What must be retained?
What is the target opening date?
What investment range is available before any assumed incentives?

Describe your B&B project and attach the existing plan if available.

Official reference

Province of Trento: opening and operating a Bed and Breakfast

The official page and the competent offices take precedence over this design guide. Confirm requirements for the specific property before purchase, layout approval or construction.