In the past few years, a tremendous amount of technological development has taken place. This technological development has given us inventions like Artificial Intelligence, super-computers, and robotics.
However, there was yet another innovation that was waiting to be unveiled to us. Yes, you got it right. We are talking about 3D printers.
And this technology is touching heights now, with the world’s first 3D printed house right among us.
So, let’s begin by answering the question, “when will 3D printed house be available”. 3D printed houses are already available as of 2021, but there are certain ways by which you can acquire them. Before understanding the methods by which you can obtain them, you will have to understand some basic things about 3D printed houses, so keep reading this article till the end to clear all your doubts.
When anyone first hears anything related to 3D printing, the first thought that might come to their mind is usually some huge robotic machines carrying out certain tasks that require them to construct an object from the bottom to the top as if they were printing those objects.
However, if we try to understand how 3D printers function, we will learn that a 3D printer is a printer that creates and carves any designated object layer by layer as if it were printing them.
Most of you would wonder, what is it like to have a 3D printed object? 3D printers can be used to create almost anything that a human is capable of making. These objects include food items, toys, machinery, clothes, or buildings.
Some of you may also want to get a 3D printed house for yourself, but somehow you must not be knowing the right way to acquire one, don’t worry; we at IcyTechWorld have found some solutions for you.
We believe that by the end of this article, you may end up finding the best answers to your questions regarding ways to acquire 3D printed house.
The process by which a 3D printer creates a house is known as Concrete Printing. In this process, the 3D printer is used to drop concrete layer by layer to form the walls of the final product, which is the house.
Now purchasing this type of service where a trained professional is appointed to create a well-designed home with the help of their 3D printers may vary from region to region since the laws and restrictions differ everywhere.
However, you need to make sure that you are ready to pay the required cost and have the right amount of land for such a construction process.
Factors Affecting Concrete Printing (3D Printed House)
1. Climate:
The chemicals used in making the concrete may react differently in different climatic conditions. For example- some places may have too much moisture in the air, which may delay the drying process of the concrete. Hence, the concrete may require some customizations as per the climatic conditions, which may increase the cost of construction.
2. Availability of skilled labour
This includes experienced professionals such as engineers and designers who are required to carry out tasks such as 3D Concrete Printing and design the structure’s interiors and exteriors. These professionals may or may not be available in every region as 3D printing has been recently introduced as a construction technique to this world.
Only a few countries have many professionals who do concrete 3D printing and specialize in them.
3. Land
3D printing of a house can be done almost anywhere, and there is no minimum amount of required area However, some experts recommend that there should be an adequate amount of land and the site should be comparatively bigger than usual so that the 3D printing machines can fit properly.
4. Economy
The economic condition of the country may decide the cost of the whole construction process. Places like the U.S.A. and China that are technologically advanced may have lower prices for this process, but in places like Africa and India, the costs could be very high due to a lack of proper construction means.
5. Laws
The laws of every country regarding 3D printing may differ, and hence the length of the full process may also differ from each other.
After evaluating all of the above-given factors, you can look for local architects who specialize in 3D concrete printing methods or contact companies who provide 3D concrete printing services in your area.
However, if someone lives in an underdeveloped location or a nation, they can contact manufacturers and architectural companies that global 3D concrete printing services.
Some of the companies that offer 3D concrete printing services all over the world are listed as follows:-
1) WinSun:
WinSun is an East-Asian or rather a Chinese company that is known for making 3D printed houses. As we all know, China is the leading country that dominates the whole Asian 3D printing market; hence, it provides the best 3D printing solutions all over Asia.
This company was recently in the news for completing the construction of 10 3D printed houses within one day, making this company the most efficient and less time-consuming company in Asia.
2) Tvasta construction:
Tvasta construction is a small India-based startup company that provides 3D printed homes globally. Apart from constructing 3D homes, this company offers machinery to other companies for 3D concrete printing too. Since it was recently founded by a group of young engineers who met on their university campus, the company is smaller compared to other construction companies. It is growing steadily with time.
3) BESIX 3D:
BESIX 3D is situated in United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), which is also known as Dubai. This company is an innovative sub-division under the BESIX group itself. This company claims to be the only company that does 3D concrete printing and prints the concrete required for the construction process in 3D.
4) Icon:
Icon or Icon build is a popular American construction tech company that constructs a 3D home on their client’s demand and provides ready-made homes in the United States of America. They aim to create affordability, sustainability, and availability.
5) Emaar properties:
We can say that this company could be the most expensive concrete 3D printing company in Asia and possibly worldwide. This company is responsible for creating Bhurjh Khalifa, which is the world’s tallest tower.
This company had recently announced that they’re going to begin 3D printing too, and currently, they are working on a project where they are required to make a set of Dubai’s first 3D printed homes in the Arabian ranches.
However, you should only approach this company if you have corporate requirements to make multiple 3D printed houses or have plans for collaboration with them for big projects.
6) Cybe Constructions:
This is the last name on our list of the best legit construction companies that provide 3D printed houses globally. Cybe construction is a company that aims to redefine and revolutionize the whole construction industry with its 3D concrete printing machines.
On their website, they have recently added a list of their past 7 projects where they used the 3D printing techniques to create those projects.
What are the expected construction costs for 3D printed homes?
This article mentioned earlier that 3D concrete printing costs might differ from place to place due to many factors. Moreover, the price won’t remain constant forever due to the change in inflation and market depreciation.
Hence, we would suggest that you must directly contact the company or the trained professional who will construct your home and get the right price quote from them.
However, as per a few reports, the cost of 3D printed homes is very less than traditional houses constructed through conventional methods, and the average price of 3D printed homes is around $10,000.
What permissions and things are supposed to be brought before beginning the construction of 3D concrete printed home?
The need for permissions may be different in every country, and hence you may have to look up the laws of your country regarding the construction of 3D printed homes. However, there are a few things that one may need to have and perform along with some do’s and don’ts while getting their 3D printed house constructed. They are as follows:-
1. A good budget (this doesn’t mean that you need to spend a lot of money to get your 3D printed house constructed, but what this means is that you need to be ready to spend enough money to get your 3D printed home built.)
2. A trained professional or a construction company that specializes in 3D printed houses and properties
3. An alternative house where you can live until your 3D printed house is constructed.
4. You can appoint a professional engineer who will do the necessary quality checks after the house is constructed to ensure the quality.
5. A land where your house or project will be constructed.
6. One may have to make sure that the materials used during the construction are of their choice and are of good quality.
7. One may have to do a basic safety check before and after the construction
8. One may have to make that land is appropriate for such building construction.
9. One may have to check the company’s reviews that will construct your 3D printed home.
10. One may have to check if the right technology is being used for the construction.
11. One may have to remain patient during this course of time when their 3D printed home is being constructed for them.
12. The person willing to get their 3D printed home constructed must comply with all the government policies.
Why should you prefer buying a 3D printed home, and what are its benefits?
There are multiple benefits of getting a 3D printed house which may help not only an individual but also the nation where such houses are being constructed such as:-
1) 3D printed houses are so affordable that a nation can eradicate the homelessness amongst their citizens and the housing crisis in their nation. If this technique of 3D printing is practiced in every nation, there will be enough supply of affordable homes worldwide. Moreover, due to its lesser cost, many people in any developed country can afford to construct at least four-bedroom homes on their land.
2) They don’t take a lot of time to build. Hence they allow their owners to move in faster than those houses that were made by conventional construction.
3) They are made by machines which makes it more cost-efficient as no labor is required.
4) They are good for developing nations, too, as they can help create mighty buildings faster than conventional construction methods could help.
5) Their entire structure can be broken down several times. They can be built into infinite designs or any shape as they are made by advanced materials, which differs from traditional methods.
6) They have a better response to natural disasters as the owners can give more safety options and add to them due to the low construction price.
7)These houses can be built on any site and fit both city and rural areas.
8)They have better durability, and you can expect the entire house to stay in good condition for at least 50 years.
What are the disadvantages of getting a 3D-printed house?
There area few disadvantages and they are listed as follows:-
1) 3D printers are difficult to move from one place to another as they are very big and heavy.
2) The raw materials and trained professionals are not available in every region. Hence, it isn’t easy to 3D print any house or structure in every area.
3) It has a negative impact on labor as many people can lose jobs if in case machines take over their jobs of construction
4) There are both fast and slow 3D printing methods. Hence, if the processes are not selected properly, they can consume more or less time than planned, which may affect the quality of the structure.
3D printed houses are already available, and they are a reason why many people in developed countries have managed to acquire affordable housing for themselves.
However, some other regions might not have such houses and any such 3D printing construction firm yet, but we can expect them to enter the market very soon.
PS: Do not worry 3D printed houses are made of completely house natural materials operated by 3D printers.
