Habitat for Humanity of Long Island raises roof on its first 3D-printed home
Habitat for Humanity of Long Island has raised the roof on its first 3D-printed home, the nonprofit said.
More than half of the single-story, four-bedroom house in Brentwood, including the foundation and walls, was built using a concrete 3D printer, said Habitat Long Island CEO Jimmy Jack.
“It’s innovative for Habitat, and I think pretty much for all affordable homes,” Jack said, adding that the company SQ4D offered 3D-printing services to Habitat at a significantly discounted rate.
According to SQ4D, the strength of the structure is more than double the industry standard and a home can be built in less than 48 hours. The company put the country's first 3D-printed home on the open market in 2021 — a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house on a quarter-acre lot in Riverhead for $299,999, Newsday has reported. 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 is steady, durable and can withstand hurricane winds.
“People find they’re actually sturdier ... I think the industry is about to explode in that regards," former Town of Riverhead Supervisor Yvette Aguiar said Wednesday. Aguiar is a licensed real estate agent for Coach Realtors in Smithtown.
Using a 3D printer cuts back on energy and labor costs and allows the project to move much faster, Jack said.
King Quality Roofing and Siding CEO Jeff Brett, who donated a roof for the Brentwood home and is on the general board for Habitat Long Island, said, "This could make homes more affordable if it becomes mainstream."
“I'm not an engineer, but I think this could be something big in the future, because it's so much faster,” he said.
But while 3D-printed homes could cut labor costs, Eric Alexander, director of Northport-based nonprofit Vision Long Island, said the cost of land and materials are unlikely to change, and the structures will still need to go through the same municipal approval process.
"There is no one solution to solve affordability on Long Island,” Alexander said.
“This certainly could be helpful,” he added, but “we need more subsidies from the state and federal government to make housing more affordable.”
The approximately 0.43-acre site was donated by the Town of Islip, which, over the years, has conveyed 28 parcels to Habitat Long Island.
The town's Community Development Agency, which oversaw the site transfers, is "exploring various avenues to address the critical need for affordable housing," said Kevin Crean, director of affordable housing and project development with the Islip CDA.
"While in its early stages, 3D-printed housing may be a viable option," he said, citing the shorter construction time and a "significant reduction in material waste" that can pass savings on to homeowners.
Future homeowners Carmen and Starky Cabrera are expected to move into the home on Wicks Road with their two children by the new year, Jack said.
“They have a 5-year-old boy. ... I walked him through the house, and he showed all of us where his bedroom is. And then they have a 16-year-old daughter,” Jack said.
The family, who emigrated from the Dominican Republic, has been living in a basement apartment where their children sleep in the boiler room, Brett said, adding the family is eager to move into a larger home that can accommodate game nights and ballgames in the yard.
Starky Cabrera said Wednesday, "This is a dream come true that we did not believe we could acquire."
"I look forward to seeing my children grow up in a home, a home that they deserve, a home that they'll be able to prosper, and it is something that was not possible currently," he said in Spanish.
Like other Habitat for Humanity home recipients, the family must volunteer to spend 300 hours on the nonprofit's projects to qualify for a home. Jack said 210 of those hours are for construction, and the remaining 90 are split among several things, including community service and homeownership preparation classes.
They will sign a 30-year mortgage through the state mortgage agency, with the Town of Islip holding a second mortgage. The monthly payment will be about a third of their income, Jack said.
With Tara Smith
Habitat for Humanity of Long Island has raised the roof on its first 3D-printed home, the nonprofit said.
More than half of the single-story, four-bedroom house in Brentwood, including the foundation and walls, was built using a concrete 3D printer, said Habitat Long Island CEO Jimmy Jack.
“It’s innovative for Habitat, and I think pretty much for all affordable homes,” Jack said, adding that the company SQ4D offered 3D-printing services to Habitat at a significantly discounted rate.
According to SQ4D, the strength of the structure is more than double the industry standard and a home can be built in less than 48 hours. The company put the country's first 3D-printed home on the open market in 2021 — a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house on a quarter-acre lot in Riverhead for $299,999, Newsday has reported. 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 is steady, durable and can withstand hurricane winds.
“People find they’re actually sturdier ... I think the industry is about to explode in that regards," former Town of Riverhead Supervisor Yvette Aguiar said Wednesday. Aguiar is a licensed real estate agent for Coach Realtors in Smithtown.
Using a 3D printer cuts back on energy and labor costs and allows the project to move much faster, Jack said.
King Quality Roofing and Siding CEO Jeff Brett, who donated a roof for the Brentwood home and is on the general board for Habitat Long Island, said, "This could make homes more affordable if it becomes mainstream."
“I'm not an engineer, but I think this could be something big in the future, because it's so much faster,” he said.
But while 3D-printed homes could cut labor costs, Eric Alexander, director of Northport-based nonprofit Vision Long Island, said the cost of land and materials are unlikely to change, and the structures will still need to go through the same municipal approval process.
"There is no one solution to solve affordability on Long Island,” Alexander said.
“This certainly could be helpful,” he added, but “we need more subsidies from the state and federal government to make housing more affordable.”
The approximately 0.43-acre site was donated by the Town of Islip, which, over the years, has conveyed 28 parcels to Habitat Long Island.
The town's Community Development Agency, which oversaw the site transfers, is "exploring various avenues to address the critical need for affordable housing," said Kevin Crean, director of affordable housing and project development with the Islip CDA.
"While in its early stages, 3D-printed housing may be a viable option," he said, citing the shorter construction time and a "significant reduction in material waste" that can pass savings on to homeowners.
Future homeowners Carmen and Starky Cabrera are expected to move into the home on Wicks Road with their two children by the new year, Jack said.
“They have a 5-year-old boy. ... I walked him through the house, and he showed all of us where his bedroom is. And then they have a 16-year-old daughter,” Jack said.
The family, who emigrated from the Dominican Republic, has been living in a basement apartment where their children sleep in the boiler room, Brett said, adding the family is eager to move into a larger home that can accommodate game nights and ballgames in the yard.
Starky Cabrera said Wednesday, "This is a dream come true that we did not believe we could acquire."
"I look forward to seeing my children grow up in a home, a home that they deserve, a home that they'll be able to prosper, and it is something that was not possible currently," he said in Spanish.
Like other Habitat for Humanity home recipients, the family must volunteer to spend 300 hours on the nonprofit's projects to qualify for a home. Jack said 210 of those hours are for construction, and the remaining 90 are split among several things, including community service and homeownership preparation classes.
They will sign a 30-year mortgage through the state mortgage agency, with the Town of Islip holding a second mortgage. The monthly payment will be about a third of their income, Jack said.
With Tara Smith
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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