Toronto, ON – Have you recently bought – or are about to take possession of - a newly built home or condo unit soon? If so, congratulations on your home! For new homeowners, the Pre-Delivery Inspection or PDI is an opportunity for your builder to provide you with an orientation for their new home and is a critical step before taking possession. To help homeowners understand what to expect and how to make the most of the PDI, Tarion is sharing helpful tips and resources that homeowners can use to ensure they are prepared.
“The PDI is a walk-through that a homeowner does with their builder and is an opportunity to learn about the features and systems in your new home,” said Peter Balasubramanian, Tarion’s President and CEO. “Taking part in the PDI gives you the opportunity to note any things that might be missing or not working and ensure your new home experience gets started on the right foot.”
Today’s new homes can come with a lot of devices and systems so it’s important to understand how they work. During the PDI, your builder should provide you with information on how to use the systems in your home - like a humidity controlling Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) or an energy efficient water heater - to make sure that the systems are working as intended and you are getting the most out of your modern home.
For new home buyers who are about to take possession of their new home or condominium, here are some key tips:
- Review your purchase agreement in advance: Review your purchase agreement to ensure you know what selections you made (e.g. type of floor coverings or colour of tile).
- If needed, designate a representative to attend the PDI on your behalf: If you are unable to attend your PDI, you can appoint a designate using Tarion’s official form
- Understand and use the PDI Form: Your builder will provide you with a PDI form and, if possible, it is a good idea to review it in advance. You can also download Tarion’s handy PDI checklist which offers a comprehensive guide to inspecting your home, inside and out. Be sure to review it and bring it with you to the PDI.
- Ask Questions: The PDI is also an orientation, and new homes today can contain smart home and energy efficient appliances and systems. Buyers should ask about these heating, cooling and plumbing systems - and how to properly maintain them - to ensure they get the best performance and avoid any issues in their new home (i.e. excessive humidity).
- Get contact information and next steps: Last, but certainly not least, if there is further work to be done in your home, you should come out of the PDI with an action plan with your builder. Even if there is nothing more your builder needs to do at this time, you should make sure you have a contact should there be any issues and know how to get in touch with them if you need future assistance.
Tarion has resources for new home buyers to help them be informed and aware of their roles and responsibilities when it comes to purchasing and moving into a new home - check out Tarion’s Homeowner Learning Hub to prepare for your new home buying journey.
Tarion is here to help. If in doubt, you can always contact Tarion for help or with questions about your new home or warranty by reaching out to us at 1-877-982-7466 or email customerservice@tarion.com for help.
About Tarion
Tarion is an independent, not-for-profit, consumer protection organization designated by the provincial government to administer the Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act (ONHWPA). Tarion provides education, warranty support and dispute resolution services to Ontario’s new home buyers and vendor/builders and has been providing consumer protection to Ontarians since 1976.
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Andrew Donnachie
media.inquiries@tarion.com