Florida’s First 3D-Printed Home Under Construction Amid Housing Affordability Crisis
(Tyler Durden) While the federal government and Federal Reserve have been on a mission to inflate the debt away by boosting asset prices through unprecedented amounts of fiscal and monetary stimuli, housing affordability has become a significant issue for many Americans. To counter soaring costs of everything, from lumber to concrete to homes themselves, builders have begun to adopt 3D-printing technology.
Not too long ago, we noted “Screw Lumber, Just 3D-Print Your Next Home,” which is precisely what one builder did in Florida.
Florida’s first 3D-printed house began construction last week in Tallahassee, according to Tallahassee Democrat.
“I have to keep pinching myself,” said Kyndra Light, the co-owner of the firm behind the project Precision Building and Renovating. “I can’t believe it’s actually happening.”
Kyndra, and her husband, James Light, have tapped into the world of 3D printing to bring affordable homebuilding to Floridians who’ve been priced out of the market.
Construction began last Thursday on a plot of land in northwest Tallahassee and should wrap up by the end of the week. The automated printer is suspended on four posts and lays about two feet of concrete per day.
Printing walls out of concrete instead of stick building with lumber and other materials is a huge cost saver and requires very little labor besides a small crew manning the printer, which follows a predetermined path for exterior and interior walls.
Construction takes about eight to 10 weeks for a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house. It will cost around $175,000 and $200,000, Light said. The cost savings is noticeable considering the median US-existing home price surged to a record $350,000 last month.
“This is the future,” said Chase Miller, the founder of the construction development firm Urban Land Co., who traveled from Ohio to watch the printing of the home. “There are so many possibilities with this technology and it can really help people.”
Miller said that it could be a great tool to rebuild homes after a hurricane strike because the printer works quickly.
“If this becomes the next big innovation construction, which I think it will, we are watching the very first one to be built in Florida,” he said. “That’s unique.”
About a month ago, a home in South Richmond, Virginia, became the first 3D-printed home under construction in the state. The builders wanted to save costs and make the home affordable, considering lumber prices for a new single-family home had risen tens of thousands of dollars over the past year.
With rampant inflation everywhere, a record 71% of consumers said higher home prices were a reason why buying conditions have soured. Perhaps, those who are looking for affordable housing may find answers in 3D printing.
Find a cheap plot of buildable land in a rural area, order up a Starlink satellite connection, and remote-working can be possible while not being house poor.
