When you buy a new home in Ontario, you have the benefit of a warranty that lasts for seven years – provided by your builder and backstopped by Tarion. Learning about your coverage is important, and so is understanding some of the terminology that describes what is covered and the steps involved in resolving a claim.
To help you get started, here are six key terms you should get to know:
Addendum
The Addendum is a document that must be included with your purchase agreement. Its main purpose is to set out key dates related to when you can expect to take possession of your new home, how and when these dates may be changed, and under what circumstances you may be entitled to delay-related compensation.
It also contains information about development approvals, additional costs, and conditions under which your builder can terminate your agreement.
The Addendum is an important part of a purchase agreement which every new home buyer should become familiar with. You can learn more by reading our blog article or taking our learning module.
Warranty Information Sheet
Another document your builder must include in your purchase agreement is the Warranty Information Sheet. The Warranty Information Sheet provides upfront and valuable information about the builder-provided warranty coverage that comes with your new home.
But that’s not all it does. As of July 14, 2025, the Warranty Information Sheet includes a unique Home ID and registration code that enables you to further protect your deposit by registering your purchase with Tarion.
When you create a record of your purchase, you allow Tarion to provide you with key information on the builder’s warranty and coverage while you wait for the keys to your newly built home. Registering also allows Tarion to take swift action in case a builder is selling illegally.
Click here to learn more or to register your purchase agreement.
Builder Repair Period
If you submit a warranty form to your builder, the builder repair period begins. During this time, your builder is expected to investigate the items included on your form and resolve any that are covered by the warranty. The builder repair period lasts up to 120 days, but there are certain situations where it may be shorter or longer, such as in the case of an emergency or a seasonal item.
Your responsibility as a homeowner during this time is to work with your builder to have your issues addressed. This includes allowing your builder reasonable access to your home so that they can investigate issues and conduct repairs.
Seasonal & Special Seasonal Items
Seasonal warranty items include exterior paint, cement, concrete, mortar, stucco, caulking, and in-ground support for decks. As a homeowner, you should note that these items may be treated differently from other warranty items (i.e., they have a longer builder repair period) because they require warmer (and ideally drier) weather conditions to complete them properly.
Seasonal warranty items should be dealt with according to the regular repair timelines. If your builder cannot resolve a seasonal warranty item within the required timelines due to unsuitable weather conditions, they must complete the repairs as soon as possible after suitable weather conditions return and in any event between the following May 1 and September 1.
Like Seasonal items, Special Seasonal warranty items involve outdoor work that requires appropriate weather conditions; however, the builder repair period is longer for special seasonal items. What distinguishes Special Seasonal from Seasonal items is that they are also dependent upon municipal approvals or installations (such as sidewalks or curbs). Final grading, sod, driveways and walkways can be examples of Special Seasonal warranty items.
Your builder has 270 days of “seasonal weather” (i.e., between May 1 and November 15) from your warranty start date to complete Special Seasonal items. Note: Since there are only 199 seasonal weather days in a given calendar year, your builder’s repair period for these items will continue into your second year.
Conciliation
If after your builder’s repair period has expired you need help from Tarion with resolving your warranty claim, a conciliation inspection is one of the ways we can provide assistance. Conciliation is a process where Tarion assesses the items that are either in dispute or incomplete and determines if they are covered under the warranty. In most cases, a representative from Tarion will come to your home to assess the items in person.
After the inspection, you’ll get a report called the “Conciliation Assessment Report” that outlines Tarion findings. If an item we assessed is determined to be “warrantable,” your builder will have a final opportunity to resolve it; and if it remains unresolved 30 days later, Tarion will resolve it directly with you. You can learn more about the conciliation process on our website.
Is there a term you’re confused about that’s not listed here? You can consult the glossary on our website or contact us.
Interested in learning more useful terms related to condominiums? If so, check out our blog article.