If you’re old enough, you may remember the 1970 book by Alvin Toffler with the title, “Future Shock.” In the book, Toffler explained that future shock was too much change in too short a period of time. In other words, our culture and scientific discoveries are changing so quickly that your brain can’t assimilate it all, and this was before most people even heard of a computer.
Additive manufacturing or additive layer manufacturing is the industrial production name for 3D printing. This is a controlled process that creates three-dimensional objects by depositing material, usually in layers, and is quickly infiltrating the home building market in the country. Now I’m not saying that you’ll find a 3D manufactured home being built on the beach in Anna Maria, but what I am saying is we’ll all start hearing more about this technology not too many years in the future.
Lennar Corp., one of the country’s major builders, is ready to start building 3D homes on a site in Austin, Texas. Another company, Mighty Buildings, in Oakland, California, plans to start construction of a 3D printed home community on 15 lots next year. Both of these companies are attempting to fill the chronic shortage of homes for sale nationwide. They may certainly be onto something since Freddie Mac estimated that the national deficit of single-family homes stood at 3.8 million units at the end of 2020. They say that 3D homes can fill the loss of skilled tradesmen for starters as well as open up the supply chain of affordable homes.
So how does this technology work? I can tell you what I researched, but don’t expect to fully understand it – I certainly didn’t. My understanding is a 15.5-foot-tall printer will be on site and require only three workers when printing a wall system, replacing as many as six to 12 framers and drywall installers needed for conventional construction. The printer and its three workers can build an exterior and interior wall system for a 2,000-square-foot, one-story house in a week. The printer squeezes out concrete in layers like toothpaste and has the ability to program creative house designs.
Some buyers may not like the look of a 3D printed home since they have horizontal ridges in the exterior and some interior walls from the layered printing technique. There is, however, less waste, more cost savings and environmental benefits. The technology is already being used in Amsterdam to create small bridges and other non-residential projects.
If 3D printed homes are just a 3D bridge too far, you can opt for a factory-built home, which is having a big revival because of the shortage of homes. Factory-built homes could be the answer for older people downsizing as well as young families. According to government data, a new single-family home not including land sold for $309,000 in 2020 as opposed to a manufactured home costing $87,000. Financing can be a challenge, usually requiring a personal loan, however, in recent years Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have approved conventional financing on certain manufactured homes.
If you’re on information overload like me, get used to it. It’s easy to wrap your brain around manufactured homes, but a home created with a 3D printer boggles the brain. Technology is changing the world faster than we can keep up; just look how remote work has changed the real estate market in less than two years, and we’re not done yet.
