3D Printed House Plans

gI_90840_3D Model of House Plan 187-1001 Cropped

When it comes to designing a home from the ground up, home builders often have a difficult time showing customers the completed results from drawings alone. Customers want to see how their house will look – before it is actually built, so they can make needed changes beforehand.

Thanks to 3D printing technology though, that is now possible. The Plan Collection is an online house plan provider that has recently announced that they are incorporating 3D printing into their business, to allow customers to receive a 3D printed model of their prospective homes – in a smaller scale. It gives the homeowners a 3D printed model of their home, which is like a physical blueprint that they can actually see.

The 3D printed model will also help improve communication between homeowners and contractors, where breakdowns in communication are common. With the 3D printed model, homeowners will have something to show contractors. It is built to scale, and also gives customers the opportunity to visualize the house, as well as to test the orientation of their home to optimize the amount of natural sunlight in the home.

For customers, the process is simple. Once they select a floor plan, they have the opportunity to order the 3D file, which can then be taken to a local printer and printed up within days. James McNair, president and chief operating officer at The Plan Collection (TPC), says that the 3D printing models are just the start.

“Imagine a future where you can build your entire home using a robotic 3D printer,” McNair said. “Our first house plans with a 3D printing option are just the beginning.”