3D Houses: Wave of the future?
Current Events
By Ella Paul, 2024
By Ella Paul, 2024
Published 1/30/23
Published 1/30/23
Image courtesy of Google Images
Look closely at the image above. It appears to be a perfectly normal house, but what you may not realize is that the house is 3D printed and made fully of concrete. Though you may not have even known this was possible, it seems that soon you might be seeing 3D printed houses all over. Many countries around the globe including Germany and Mexico have adopted this practice and it is beginning to spread to the United States with 3D printed houses already making appearances in Rhode Island, Virginia, Florida, and a few more states.
These houses are cheaper to both build and purchase, with the average building cost being 20-40% less expensive than a traditional home, and the purchasing cost usually being between $250,000 and $320,000. That cost of course depends on the area, size, and style of the house. Because they are made of concrete, these homes are significantly more durable than an average house, and as proven by recent studies, are more adept in withstanding fires, which is a huge advancement in protection of homes and may make them increasingly desirable in areas prone to natural disasters like flooding and wildfires.
The machines to create these houses are massive, and vary based on the size of the house. The printers cost between $180,000 to over $1 million (not including the supplies or materials required) depending on the size and technological features, but it can cost as low as $4,000 in materials to construct the house. It takes approximately 28 hours to build an average sized, one story home. Another option being commonly used is using multiple types of materials and only having a portion of the house 3D printed which is becoming popular in modernized styled homes. These houses have a distinct, modern structure and design when combined with other materials to enhance the style.
Since the price is still daunting, as any home is, there are options to finance these homes just like normal houses. They go up on the market and they can be financed and mortgaged the same way traditional houses can.
It is expected that due to the efficiency and often modern style of these 3D printed houses, the industry will continue to rapidly expand.
These houses are cheaper to both build and purchase, with the average building cost being 20-40% less expensive than a traditional home, and the purchasing cost usually being between $250,000 and $320,000. That cost of course depends on the area, size, and style of the house. Because they are made of concrete, these homes are significantly more durable than an average house, and as proven by recent studies, are more adept in withstanding fires, which is a huge advancement in protection of homes and may make them increasingly desirable in areas prone to natural disasters like flooding and wildfires.
The machines to create these houses are massive, and vary based on the size of the house. The printers cost between $180,000 to over $1 million (not including the supplies or materials required) depending on the size and technological features, but it can cost as low as $4,000 in materials to construct the house. It takes approximately 28 hours to build an average sized, one story home. Another option being commonly used is using multiple types of materials and only having a portion of the house 3D printed which is becoming popular in modernized styled homes. These houses have a distinct, modern structure and design when combined with other materials to enhance the style.
Since the price is still daunting, as any home is, there are options to finance these homes just like normal houses. They go up on the market and they can be financed and mortgaged the same way traditional houses can.
It is expected that due to the efficiency and often modern style of these 3D printed houses, the industry will continue to rapidly expand.