Habitat for Humanity of Long Island's first 3D-printed home is complete
The builder of the Brentwood house calls it “the world’s first predominantly 3D printed home." Credit: Barry Sloan
Habitat for Humanity of Long Island has handed over the keys for its first partially 3D-printed house, the nonprofit said, setting a new model for construction that Habitat hopes to follow for future projects.
The new house in Brentwood was built with the help of Patchogue-based builder SQ4D, which specializes in 3D-printed homes, said Habitat Long Island CEO Diane Manders. She said the nonprofit is interested in using the technology again for other homes. The Brentwood house was formally passed to its new owners, Carmen and Starky Cabrera, in a dedication ceremony earlier this month. Construction had started in June.
“It looks different. It is different,” Manders said. “This house is really unique. Built of concrete. It’s fairly indestructible.”
SQ4D, on its website, calls the project “the world’s first predominantly 3D printed home." More than 50% of the house, including its foundation, walls and insulation, was built with a 3D printer, according to the company and Habitat officials.
The company says the strength of a 3D-printed structure is more than double the industry standard and a home can be built in less than 48 hours.
The construction method is also cheaper, according to Manders.
A 3D-printed home costs about half the price of a traditional single-family house and is built by a method of concrete construction that can withstand hurricane winds, Newsday has reported.
Habitat officials toured a sample home built by SQ4D in Calverton a few years ago and were “intrigued” by the concept, Manders said.
“It’s been very challenging because nothing has been done like this on Long Island,” she said of the Brentwood project.
Because the building technique is so new, the nonprofit was unable to take advantage of its usual grants, Manders said. The Town of Islip helped make up the difference with a $250,000 subsidy to help cover construction costs.
The new homeowners, who emigrated from the Dominican Republic, lived in a cramped basement apartment for years where their two children slept in a boiler room, nonprofit officials said. The Cabreras helped build the home and will contribute to other Habitat houses as part of their 300 hours of “sweat equity.”
“The family is just unbelievable,” said Jeff Brett, CEO of King Quality Roofing and Siding, which donated the roof for the four-bedroom, two-bathroom house.
“They were just so grateful and so happy,” he said, recalling one of the children telling him that his dream is to hold a game night in his family home.
The family has not yet moved in because they are still waiting to close on the home with the bank, said John Arango, a spokesman for King Quality.
They were not immediately available to comment.
The approximately 0.43-acre site was donated by Suffolk County and the Town of Islip, which over the years has conveyed 28 parcels to Habitat Long Island.
The town Community Development Agency works to “identify underutilized properties that can be revitalized into affordable homes," said Julia MacGibbon, executive director of the CDA.
The goal is to help “low- to moderate-income families to purchase homes and stay in the Town of Islip,” she said.
Habitat for Humanity of Long Island has handed over the keys for its first partially 3D-printed house, the nonprofit said, setting a new model for construction that Habitat hopes to follow for future projects.
The new house in Brentwood was built with the help of Patchogue-based builder SQ4D, which specializes in 3D-printed homes, said Habitat Long Island CEO Diane Manders. She said the nonprofit is interested in using the technology again for other homes. The Brentwood house was formally passed to its new owners, Carmen and Starky Cabrera, in a dedication ceremony earlier this month. Construction had started in June.
“It looks different. It is different,” Manders said. “This house is really unique. Built of concrete. It’s fairly indestructible.”
SQ4D, on its website, calls the project “the world’s first predominantly 3D printed home." More than 50% of the house, including its foundation, walls and insulation, was built with a 3D printer, according to the company and Habitat officials.
The company says the strength of a 3D-printed structure is more than double the industry standard and a home can be built in less than 48 hours.
The construction method is also cheaper, according to Manders.
A 3D-printed home costs about half the price of a traditional single-family house and is built by a method of concrete construction that can withstand hurricane winds, Newsday has reported.
Habitat officials toured a sample home built by SQ4D in Calverton a few years ago and were “intrigued” by the concept, Manders said.
“It’s been very challenging because nothing has been done like this on Long Island,” she said of the Brentwood project.
Because the building technique is so new, the nonprofit was unable to take advantage of its usual grants, Manders said. The Town of Islip helped make up the difference with a $250,000 subsidy to help cover construction costs.
The new homeowners, who emigrated from the Dominican Republic, lived in a cramped basement apartment for years where their two children slept in a boiler room, nonprofit officials said. The Cabreras helped build the home and will contribute to other Habitat houses as part of their 300 hours of “sweat equity.”
“The family is just unbelievable,” said Jeff Brett, CEO of King Quality Roofing and Siding, which donated the roof for the four-bedroom, two-bathroom house.
“They were just so grateful and so happy,” he said, recalling one of the children telling him that his dream is to hold a game night in his family home.
The family has not yet moved in because they are still waiting to close on the home with the bank, said John Arango, a spokesman for King Quality.
They were not immediately available to comment.
The approximately 0.43-acre site was donated by Suffolk County and the Town of Islip, which over the years has conveyed 28 parcels to Habitat Long Island.
The town Community Development Agency works to “identify underutilized properties that can be revitalized into affordable homes," said Julia MacGibbon, executive director of the CDA.
The goal is to help “low- to moderate-income families to purchase homes and stay in the Town of Islip,” she said.
Brianne Ledda covers the Town of Islip for Newsday. She previously covered Southold and Greenport for The Suffolk Times and is a graduate of Stony Brook University.
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