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Congratulations! You’ve made your decision; you’ve chosen your
new home and your builder. So what needs to happen next? Once
you have a firm contract and you have selected the features that
will go into your new home, it is time for the builder to turn
your dream into reality.

You will undoubtedly want to visit the building site from time
to time during construction to check the progress of your home.
Professional builders welcome your participation and enthusiasm;
however, for safety reasons you should not enter the actual
construction site unless by special appointment-an unauthorized
site visit may also contravene the local labour code with
respect to construction safety and the builder’s liability.

Questions or concerns arising from a site visit or a drive-by
should be addressed directly to the builder. The tradespeople on
the site each have their own area of expertise and will not be
able to discuss your home’s progress with you. Nor are they able
to make changes without the approval of the builder.

Before you take possession of your new home, the builder will
invite you to “walk through” the house to conduct a
pre-occupancy inspection. Three to five days before closing is
best-when construction is substantially complete but there is
still time for the builder to remedy any minor imperfections.
Anything that is not to your satisfaction should be noted for a
pre-delivery inspection report. Minor items such as scratches
and incomplete paint work will be rectified before your move-in
day. Other items will be corrected after you are settled.

The following checklist will help you to inspect your new home.

Exterior

• Grading-should be sloping gently away from the
  house.
• Sod-was it rolled when laid?
• Wood,
  vinyl or aluminum siding-should be even and nailed securely to
  the walls.
• Brick-should be evenly laid and clean, with
  weep holes intact.
• Caulking-check around windows,
  doors, garage door, electrical outlets and fixtures.
• Paint and stains-inspect for even coverage and proper
  colour.
• Trim, shutters, fascia and soffit-must be
  proper colour, of good quality and securely fastened.
• Shingles-are they clean, of proper colour and with no
  lifting corners?
• Garage-should feature non-combustible
  materials on the wall adjoining the house (for instance, gypsum
  board with sealed joints); the garage door should open and close
  properly.

Interior

• Basement-should be clean; no cracks in the walls; a
  floor drain in the lowest part; “healthy” looking wooden joists
  (a minimum of splitting); instructions and warranty cards for
  equipment (furnace, heater, HRV, etc.)
• Doors-must be
  well-fitted and well-hung; secure locks for outside doors and
  door stops.
• Windows-must open smoothly; lockable.
• Walls-should be smooth and even; no cracks, visible seams or
  nail-pops; right colour; even paint coverage; no gaps at
  electrical switches and plugs.
• Floors-minimum of
  squeaks and “spring”; smooth seams on carpet and other floor
  covering; even grouting between ceramic tiles.
• Plumbing
  fixtures-no chips or scratches; faucets operating properly;
  caulking around counter tops and fixtures.
• Upgrades and
  options-correct materials and quality; proper installation;
  right colours.
• General state of cleanliness-no
  construction debris; clean heating ducts; etc.

You might want to hire a private building inspector or engineer
to conduct the inspection for you. Look in the phone book under
Building Inspection Services.