Australia Debuts First Multi-Story 3D-Printed Home, Structural Walls Built in 18 Hours

Contec Australia has completed the nation’s first multi-story 3D concrete-printed home, a two-story residence in Tapping near Perth whose structural walls were produced in just 18 hours of active printing and whose full build was finished in five months.

The project marks a notable advance for automated construction in Australia: Contec reported that the printed structural walls cost 22% less than comparable masonry work in Western Australia and that the concrete mix used yields compressive strength of about 50 megapascals, roughly three times the strength of standard brick at 15 MPa. The company said the walls are fire- and water-resistant, termite-proof and cyclone rated.

Contec printed the structural shell using a robotic extruder that deposits a specialized concrete mix layer by layer from a digital 3D model. According to the company, the mix sets in under three minutes, allowing successive layers to be stacked without traditional scaffolding or formwork; the printing of the walls took 18 hours of active machine time, after which conventional trades completed the roof, wiring, windows, flooring and interior finishes.

The company reported environmental and design advantages as well: the method produced about 30% lower CO₂ emissions than conventional concrete placement and generated minimal material waste, while enabling complex shapes and openings without added formwork costs. Contec said those attributes could prove important in markets facing labor shortages, rising materials costs and increased demand for resilient housing.

Contec declined to disclose the final sale price of the Tapping home. The firm did say the printed structural walls were delivered 22% cheaper than a standard masonry build in the region. In the United States, companies that market 3D-printed homes have cited wide price ranges depending on size, finishes and local conditions; some U.S. builders have offered single-story, basic-print homes starting in the low six figures.

The Tapping project differs from many U.S. multi-story experiments. Startups such as Icon in Texas have achieved pockets of 3D-printed housing, often using a hybrid approach that combines printed ground-floor walls with timber or steel framing for upper levels. Contec’s claim that both stories’ structural walls were printed in the same operation highlights a step toward scaling automated printing for multi-level residential projects.

Large-scale 3D-printed construction is already underway elsewhere: international efforts include multi-building school projects that use layered concrete printing to accelerate delivery and reduce labor requirements. Proponents say the technology can shorten build timelines substantially; Contec’s report that the shell was printed in hours and the entire dwelling finished in months underscores those potential schedule gains.

Experts note the technology still requires integration with conventional trades and regulatory approval processes. After shells are printed, licensed electricians, plumbers, roofing crews and finish carpenters complete installations that remain essential to livability and code compliance. Local building codes, permitting processes and insurance underwriting will influence how quickly and widely such printed multi-story construction is adopted.

Industry observers say the Tapping build provides a concrete example of how layered extrusion may be applied beyond single-story prototypes toward fully habitable, multi-level homes. As developers, regulators and builders evaluate costs, durability data and supply-chain impacts, the Australia project will likely be studied alongside other international demonstrations of large-format 3D printing in construction.

Contec’s account emphasizes speed, material efficiency and resilience features that nations and regions vulnerable to extreme weather consider desirable. The company’s next steps and any broader commercial rollouts will determine whether the technology moves from demonstration projects to a more widespread role in mainstream residential construction.