We're in the future, and it is ... cheap!
SQ4D Inc. has put the world's first 3D-printed home "slated to receive a certificate of occupancy" up for sale on Zillow, and according to Nerdist, at $299,999; that's half the price "of an equivalent home in that market." The history-making house is at 34 Millbrook Lane, Riverhead, New York.
According to the Zillow listing, it "offers 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1400 sqft, with a ... 750 square foot ... 2.5 car detached garage." But what exactly is a 3D-printed house?
Well, first of all, it's made of concrete. And it's printed onsite. Think less one huge printer spitting out a house, more "multiple machines ... work[ing] together to create a home with little or no human assistance ... in hours—not days or months." And SQ4D claims this house, "architecturally designed by nationally renowned engineering firm H2M ... provides a stronger build than traditional concrete structures while utilizing a more sustainable building process," which "enables the construction site to be safer."
According to Nerdist, the company’s ARCS technology robotically builds the home’s footings, foundations, interior, and exterior walls. Proprietary hardware and software “enables the construction site to be safer while creating eco-friendly concrete homes.” The concrete also makes the house sturdier. SQ4D Inc. says their home “will deliver strength and durability that conventional wood-frame construction cannot match.”
As Millennials grapple with the housing crisis, it's heartening news to hear of homes that could switch the market around—homes straight out of the printer.
As SQ4D's website proudly proclaims, "Homes built by robots will help solve the affordable housing crisis!" And this home is more than just pretty to look at—it's also "carefully developed to exceed all energy efficiency codes and lower energy costs." Sustainable to make, sustainable to maintain, and half the price? Here, take our $299,999!
SQ4D will "be including a 50-year limited warranty on all their 3D printed structures," according to their website, so you know this is a buy that will last, at the very least, for about as long as you can live in it. And with building plans being reviewed from New York to California, you may be able to live out your affordable housing dreams from sea to shining sea. As broker Stephen King tells it, "This technology will change America, the environment, and history. Just like Ford brought vehicles to the masses, SQ4D makes new construction achievable for everyone."
Would you buy a 3D-printed home or are you an old-school brick-and-mortar type? Sound off in the comments.
