3D-printed homes are not sci-fi fantasy anymore. It has evolved and opened the door to umpteen opportunities by enhancing the standard of living in big cities. Companies are offering on-demand 3d printing solutions in different frontiers of our lives.
Cities like Los Angeles are exploring and investing in innovative ways to build more housing options at the wake of the housing shortage. The city government in LA is requesting homeowners and builders to focus more on building accessory dwelling units or ADUs. Expensive to build, these backyard cottages are used as new rental space in cities with residence shortages. The average price for the construction of a new cottage ranges from $150,000 to $350,000, excluding engineering work, building plans, and other expenses which makes it unaffordable for most of the population.
Good news: Azure Printed Homes, a startup has come up with a different approach. To keep the construction cost lower, they use recycled plastic to 3d print the roof, floor, and walls. Manufacturing the rest of the home inside a factory also keeps the cost within the limit. These 3d printed studio apartments are built with a little kitchen and bathroom and the cost starts at $39,900. The cost may increase a little if we include the foundation, utility hookups, delivery, and other costs. However, it is still cheaper than the other options.
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Azure Printed Homes has laid the foundation of its project in its factory situated in Culver City, near LAX airport. The 3d printer is advanced enough to print the exterior of the house including the roof, the floor, and two walls in just one day. The printer integrates channels for wiring and plumbing in the walls. The remaining two walls of the home are pre-maneuvered with door and window panels.
As stated by Ross Maguire, the Co-founder of Azure Printed Homes, they create the module shell with the help of a robot on the first day, while the wiring and plumbing inside the shell are done by the second day.
Unlike some other companies, Azure uses plastic material so the homes can be built and delivered with ease. Industrial 3d printing and prefab construction are used to speed up construction time, reducing labor and cost. Maguire also says that a 180-square-foot ADU can be built with around 100,000 repurposed water bottles. The company is currently not facing any shortage of recycled plastic and they are working with many suppliers.
Azure is collaborating with a developer in one of its initial projects to build a small group of 3d-printed homes. Most preferably, these 3d-printed tiny homes will be used for short-term rentals by homeowners in their backyards. There is also another group contacting the company that wants to build small homes for homeless people.
While Azure can build large homes for single families, they are also working on another option of assimilating smaller modules to build housing for many families.
To conclude, there are many 3d printing companies in Los Angeles that provide top-notch online 3D printing services.
