Ireland's first 3D-printed homes go to three Dundalk families, at about the same cost as block-built houses

DUNDALK, Ireland, Feb. 6, 2025 — Louth County Council handed over three 3D-printed houses at Grange Close to families from its social housing list, the first residents of printed homes in Ireland or the UK. Here's what happened, what it cost, and what went wrong.

Cost and outcome (as of Feb. 6, 2025)

Outcome: Three A2-rated homes completed in November 2024, certified compliant in December, handed over Feb. 6, 2025. (Louth County Council)
Cost: About €253,000 per home excluding VAT, which builder HTL says equals current traditional construction costs. (RTÉ, Feb. 6, 2025)
Time: 132 working days in total vs. 203 for traditional construction, a 35% saving, per HTL. (RTÉ, Feb. 6, 2025)

What was built

The infill development at Grange Close in Dundalk is three two-storey, three-bedroom terraced houses, each with a gross internal area of 110 square metres and an A2 energy rating, the council says. It's a pilot built with Irish construction technology firm HTL.tech (Harcourt Technologies), the Louth & Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB), Roadstone and Harcourt Architects, using a COBOD printer. (Louth County Council)

RTÉ reported that the printer ran on a gantry and piped out concrete according to a digital plan, and that the cavity walls were built from scratch without concrete blocks. (RTÉ, Feb. 6, 2025)

The schedule and the cost

Construction started in May 2024 and finished that November. The printed superstructures took 12 print days, with 18 working days of machine time on site, and the council says the method cut overall timelines by more than 35%. The homes received certificates of compliance from the council's building control in December 2024. (Louth County Council)

HTL gave RTÉ the detail: printing was 60% faster than the traditional 44-day block method, and the whole project took 132 working days, against 203 for traditional construction. In money terms, HTL said each home cost about €253,000 excluding VAT, which it said "equates to existing traditional construction costs." (RTÉ, Feb. 6, 2025)

Why the council tried it

The council framed the pilot around Ireland's housing shortage: it says demand for quality, affordable housing "far exceeds supply," which it says shows the need for modern methods of construction. It says the COBOD printing method brings shorter build times, lower costs, stronger structures and more efficient use of materials, though its own builder's figures show no cost saving on these three homes. (Louth County Council; RTÉ, Feb. 6, 2025)

What the partners said

"The quality of the units and the impressive build duration are a testament to the successful collaboration," said David Conway, the council's chief executive. Cllr Kevin Callan, the Cathaoirleach, called it "a landmark day for County Louth." HTL managing director Justin Kinsella said the partnership with Roadstone positions the company "to scale up this solution across Ireland." (Louth County Council)

Martin O'Brien, chief executive of LMETB, said its Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre of Excellence has given introductory 3D construction printing training to more than 100 learners, with accredited training in development. The project won the NSAI's Standards Innovation Award and was shortlisted for the Irish Climate Change Leadership Awards. (Louth County Council)

What went wrong

No cost saving. By HTL's own figure, each house cost about the same as a conventional one, roughly €253,000 before VAT. The gain was time, not money. (RTÉ, Feb. 6, 2025)
Builder's numbers. The 60% and 35% speed figures and the cost come from HTL, not an independent review. (RTÉ, Feb. 6, 2025)
Small pilot. Three houses on an infill site; the council calls it a pilot. (Louth County Council)
What we don't know yet: whether HTL and Roadstone's planned scale-up will bring the per-home cost below conventional construction.

Our follow-up question for HTL.tech

At what volume does a printed home in Ireland come in below the €253,000 conventional cost, and is a second council scheme under contract?

Sources

Louth County Council, “Louth County Council delivers Ireland's first 3D-printed houses,” Feb. 2025. louthcoco.ie
RTÉ News, “First for Ireland: Families to move into 3D printed homes,” Feb. 6, 2025. rte.ie

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