Michigan's first 3D-printed home hits the market in Detroit

DETROIT (FOX 2) - A new Detroit home featuring 3D construction technology just hit the market. The owner will make history when they buy it, on 1444 Sheridan.

"This is Michigan’s first 3D-printed home," said Fernando Bales. "There are a lot of benefits to the type of construction using 3D concrete printing."

On Friday cameras were rolling as painters and a plumber completed their final work.  The house just hit the market with an asking price $224,500.

"We’re not designing for 2x4s or 2x6s anymore," said Bales. "Now we have the freedom of design to use the robot to print curvature, to print texture. We can decide how much cavity we want in the wall."

That precision in detail eliminates waste.

"This definitely saved a ton of material," he said.

Citizen Robotics is behind this single-story, 988-square-foot home which has two bedrooms and one bathroom and an attic space that can be used for storage.

The organization seeks to reduce the cost of housing construction through the adoption of robotic construction techniques.

"Anybody who is interested in a home that is going to be resilient and that is going to be efficient," Bales said. "This is an all-electric house. We have a zero threshold entrance off to side, so someone in a wheelchair could enter with no problem."

Advocates of 3D-printed homes say this construction process is also better for the environment.

"The material scientists are developing numerous kinds of concrete that use less carbon to produce," he said.

Some may argue that a price tag may be expensive, but advocates of this construction say it can save you money over time.

"This house is super air-tight, its energy efficiency is going to lessen the cost of ownership over time for that homeowner," he said. "There’s huge savings to be had."

And if you purchase this home… you’re riding the wave of the future.

"We’re still building with sticks - why is that?" Bales said. "We think that there is a better, more efficient, more cost-effective way for the future of home building - and we just want to be a part of that."

For more information see this link for the listing.