The Pre-Delivery Inspection
When your new house or condominium is substantially complete, your builder will provide you with an opportunity to become familiar with it and to check for any defective, damaged or missing items. Make sure you conduct this inspection prior to moving in.
Not only is this not the time to show off your new home to family or friends, but your builder may have a policy against bringing others along. This is a time to pay close attention to detail. You’ll be looking around inside and outside. It’s still a construction site, so dress appropriately. Prior to the inspection you should refresh your memory on any special features, colour selections or changes that you have made, so you can ensure that extras and upgrades have been appropriately installed.
There’s a handy checklist on the Tarion Web site that we recommend you print out and bring with you for reference.
In general, you will go through every room in the home and around the exterior. You’ll want to closely inspect the surfaces of counters, floors, fixtures and walls. If any defects are found later, it will be difficult to determine whether they existed prior to your moving in. This is also a good time to learn about the operation and maintenance of your home’s mechanical systems. Understanding how to operate all of the new home’s sophisticated systems will not only allow you to fully enjoy them, but will protect your warranties.
Certificate of Completion and Possession
Your builder must submit a document to the warranty program that records certain information, including any outstanding items or deficiencies. There’s a sticker on this certificate that your builder should remove and place on the electrical panel of your home. At the end of your inspection, you will be asked to sign the certificate, which does not in any way limit your warranty rights. The receipt of this document by the warranty program will prompt them to send you What Every New Homeowner Should Know. This booklet contains valuable information about your warranty protection.
