A major milestone in construction has arrived. This time from Western Australia. Contec Australia has completed the nation’s first multi-story 3D concrete printed home. Located in Tapping near Perth, the two-story residence was finished in just five months. Most impressive? The structural walls were 3D printed in only 18 hours of active printing time.

This matters because it points to where housing might be heading here, too. With rising costs, labor shortages and a push for more sustainable building methods, this kind of breakthrough could shape the future of American neighborhoods.

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SUSTAINABLE 3D-PRINTED HOME BUILT PRIMARILY FROM SOIL

Why this build is a game-changer

Contec’s project isn’t just a prototype. It demonstrates how 3D concrete printing can bring major benefits to everyday housing. Compared to traditional masonry construction, the Tapping home achieved:

• 22% cost savings on structural walls
• 3x the strength of brick (50MPa vs 15MPa)
• Faster delivery, with the entire project completed in just five months

And it doesn’t cut corners on durability. The walls are fire-resistant, water-resistant, termite-proof and cyclone rated, features U.S. regions facing hurricanes, floods and wildfires could find especially appealing.

AMERICA’S LESSONS FROM WORLD’S LARGEST 3D-PRINTED SCHOOLS

Exterior of a multi-story 3D concrete printed home located in Tapping, Australia. (Contec Australia)

How 3D concrete printing works

Instead of stacking bricks, Contec’s robotic printer extrudes a specialized concrete mix based on a digital 3D model. The mix sets in under three minutes, allowing new layers to be stacked without scaffolding or formwork.

The walls are printed in precise layers over the course of 18 hours of active machine time. Once the structural shell is complete, traditional crews step in to add the roof, wiring, windows, flooring and finishing touches.

WORLD’S BIGGEST 3D-PRINTED SCHOOLS ARE UNDERWAY IN QATAR

Bathroom of a multi-story 3D concrete printed home located in Tapping, Australia. (Contec Australia)

Benefits that could apply in the U.S.

Speed: Structural walls finished in 18 hours; full build completed in five months.
Cost efficiency: 22% cheaper than comparable masonry builds in WA.
Design freedom: Complex shapes, curves and openings without added expense.
Sustainability: 30% lower CO₂ emissions than conventional concrete and minimal waste.
Durability: More than three times stronger than brick, fire- and water-resistant and able to withstand harsh weather.

Dining room of a multi-story 3D concrete printed home located in Tapping, Australia. (Contec Australia)

How this compares to 3D printed homes in the U.S.

You may have already heard of Icon, the Texas-based startup that has been pioneering 3D printed homes. Icon’s builds include entire neighborhoods of single-story houses in Austin, as well as experimental multi-level projects. However, most of Icon’s multi-story designs rely on a hybrid approach, with 3D printing for the ground floor and timber or steel frames for the upper levels.

That’s what makes the Tapping project stand out. Contec printed the structural walls for both stories in just 18 hours of active printing time, something not yet widely seen in the U.S. This could signal the next step for American 3D printing: scaling beyond single-story housing into more complex multi-story designs.

BRICKS MADE FROM RECYCLED COFFEE GROUNDS REDUCE EMISSIONS AND COSTS

Bedroom of a multi-story 3D concrete printed home located in Tapping, Australia.  (Contec Australia)

How much does a 3D printed home cost?

One of the biggest questions people have is price. Contec hasn’t shared the exact cost of the Tapping home, but the company says it delivered the structural walls 22% cheaper than a standard masonry build. That saving adds up when you consider how much of a home’s budget goes toward labor and materials.

In the U.S., companies like Icon have priced 3D printed homes starting around $100,000 to $150,000, depending on size and finishes. While final costs vary by region, land and design, the potential savings from reduced labor and faster timelines make 3D printing an attractive option as housing costs continue to rise.

VERTICAL TINY HOMES REDEFINE COMPACT LIVING

Kitchen and dining room of a multi-story 3D concrete printed home located in Tapping, Australia. (Contec Australia)

What this means for you

For American homeowners, builders and communities, the Tapping project shows how 3D concrete printing could offer faster, cheaper and more resilient housing. Imagine moving into a new home months earlier, with walls that are stronger, more sustainable and better able to handle extreme conditions.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

3D printed housing is moving from concept to reality. This home shows that walls can go up in just 18 hours, and a full build can be finished in only a few months. That kind of speed changes the way we think about construction. With rising costs and ongoing labor shortages, builders need new solutions. 3D concrete printing offers a path to faster, more affordable and more sustainable homes without cutting corners on strength or safety.

The big question is, if a 3D-printed home became available in your area, would you move in? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Vimeo is getting bought up by Bending Spoons, a European software company that has amassed a growing portfolio of businesses, including Evernote, WeTransfer, and Meetup. Bending Spoons will pay $1.38 billion to acquire the video hosting platform, and it expects to close the deal later this year.

Vimeo launched in 2004 as a spinoff of CollegeHumor and has long struggled to keep up with its biggest rival: YouTube. In recent years, Vimeo has hiked video hosting fees and shifted toward catering to enterprise businesses as well as creators who want to monetize their content. Philip Moyer joined Vimeo as CEO last year as the company began dipping into AI tools. Just last week, Moyer announced that the platform is laying off around 10 percent of the company’s workforce.

“At Bending Spoons, we acquire companies with the expectation of owning and operating them indefinitely, and we look forward to realizing Vimeo’s full potential as we reach new heights together,” Luca Ferrari, the CEO and co-founder of Bending Spoons, said in the press release.

You’ve worked hard, saved smart, and now it’s time to enjoy your retirement years. But here’s the catch: your credit score still matters, even when you’re no longer applying for mortgages, car loans or new credit cards. Why? Scammers know many seniors don’t monitor their credit very often, and that makes retirees prime targets for identity theft. Due largely to increased scam attempts, financial losses for seniors reached $4.9 billion in 2024. And anyone can become a target. The good news is there are simple, powerful steps you can take right now to lock down your credit score and make sure your hard-earned nest egg is safe.

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HOW SCAMMERS TARGET YOU EVEN WITHOUT SOCIAL MEDIA

Why your credit score matters in retirement

A lot of people assume that once they stop working, their credit score doesn’t matter anymore. After all, you’re not buying a new house or car, right? Not so fast. Your credit score can still affect:

• Insurance premiums. Some insurers factor your credit into your rates.
• Retirement community applications. Senior housing and assisted living facilities often run credit checks.
• Loan approvals. You may still need financing for medical bills, home repairs or emergencies.
• Identity theft risk. A clean, unused credit file is like a blank check to a scammer.

Keeping your credit score safe is about protecting both your financial reputation and your retirement savings.

REMOVE YOUR DATA TO PROTECT YOUR RETIREMENT FROM SCAMMERS

Step 1: Monitor your credit regularly

Even if you’re not applying for credit, you should know what’s in your file. Seniors are often the last to find out when a scammer has taken out a loan or opened a card in their name. The three big credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, are required to give you a free report once a year. Here’s the trick: thanks to recent changes, you can now get a free weekly credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com. Set a calendar reminder to check your reports once a month. Look for accounts you don’t recognize, suspicious credit inquiries or sudden drops in your score.

HOW SCAMMERS EXPLOIT YOUR DATA FOR ‘PRE-APPROVED’ RETIREMENT SCAMS

A man looking into his retirement matters. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Step 2: Place a fraud alert

If you suspect you’ve been targeted, a fraud alert makes it harder for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name. It tells creditors they need to take extra steps to verify your identity before approving anything.

• A fraud alert is free.
• It lasts for one year (you can renew it).
• You only need to contact one bureau. They’ll notify the others.

This is a great first line of defense if you’ve received scam calls, phishing emails or notice odd activity in your accounts. 

A woman looking up her credit score on a laptop. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Step 3: Freeze your credit (the gold standard)

A credit freeze is the single most powerful tool retirees have to protect their credit score. Also, it’s completely free. Here’s why you should do it today:

• It blocks anyone from opening new credit in your name.
• It doesn’t affect your current accounts, score or benefits.
• You can unfreeze it anytime if you need new credit.

Since most retirees don’t apply for new loans often, a credit freeze is a “set it and forget it” safeguard. Think of it as putting your credit file in a vault.

How to do it:

• Contact Equifax, Experian and TransUnion individually (you’ll need to freeze your credit with each one).
• Provide proof of identity (usually SSN, date of birth and address).
• Keep the PIN or password they give you; you’ll need it if you ever want to lift the freeze.

HOW TO HAND OFF DATA PRIVACY RESPONSIBILITIES FOR OLDER ADULTS TO A TRUSTED LOVED ONE

A woman looking into her retirement matters on her laptop. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Step 4: Lock down your personal data online

Here’s something many seniors don’t realize: even if your credit is frozen, scammers can still target you through other leaks of personal information.

Data brokers publish your name, address history, phone numbers, relatives and even property records online. Scammers use this information to:

• Impersonate family members in “grandparent scams.”
• Craft convincing phishing messages.
• Trick banks or creditors with stolen details.

That’s why removing your personal information from these sites is just as important as freezing your credit. Doing it manually means tracking down dozens (sometimes hundreds) of data broker websites and sending formal removal requests and repeating the process every few months as your info pops back up.

Data removal services can handle this automatically, requesting removals from dozens of data brokers at a time and monitoring for re-uploads. It’s one of the simplest ways to cut off scammers at the source and keep your retirement profile off the web.

While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

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5 STEPS TO PROTECT YOUR FINANCES FROM FAMILY SCAMS

Step 5: Watch for warning signs of identity theft

Even with strong protections in place, it pays to stay alert. Here are a few red flags to watch for:

• Bills or medical statements for services you never used
• Collection calls about debts that aren’t yours
• New credit cards or loans arriving in your mail
• Denials for credit or insurance you didn’t apply for
• A sudden, unexplained drop in your credit score.

If you see any of these, act fast: file a report at IdentityTheft.gov, contact your bank or creditors and double-check that your credit freeze is active.

Kurt’s key takeaways

Retirement should be about peace of mind; you’ve earned your retirement. Protecting your credit score may not be the most exciting task on your to-do list, but it’s one of the smartest. By monitoring your credit, freezing your file, removing your data from broker sites and staying alert for red flags, you can keep scammers out of your finances and focus on enjoying the retirement you deserve. Want to take one major worry off your list? Start by having your personal information automatically pulled from the internet. It’s an easy way to reduce your digital footprint and keep your credit and your retirement fund safe.

Should more be done to protect retirees from identity theft and financial scams? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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