New Condo Pre-Delivery Inspection: What to Check in Ontario

The pre-delivery inspection, or PDI, is your walk-through of the unit before you take the keys. It is one of the most useful moments in the whole purchase, and it is easy to rush.

This article explains what the PDI is, what to record, and how it connects to later warranty claims on a new Ontario condo.

What the PDI is

Every builder must do a thorough walk-through with the buyer before handing over the keys, and must complete the PDI Form. The buyer or a designate must attend.

If you send someone in your place, that designate needs written authority to sign the PDI Form. Arrange this in advance rather than on the day.

Think of the PDI as your chance to see the unit with the builder's representative and put your observations in writing. After move-in it becomes harder to show what condition the unit was in on the first day, which is why the completed form can matter later. Take your time, and do not feel pressured to hurry through it.

What to look for and record

The PDI Form is where you note the condition of the unit on the day. Tarion's guidance points to these categories:

• Items that are damaged, incomplete or missing.
• Items that do not work or cannot be checked.
• Unauthorized substitutions, meaning materials or finishes that differ from what the agreement promised.

Taking photos is encouraged. In practice, people often check floors, walls, windows, doors, cabinets, counters, plumbing fixtures, lights, outlets and any items listed in the agreement. Compare finishes against your agreement and upgrade list.

A simple method helps. Go room by room in the same order each time, switch things on and off, run taps, open and close every door and window, and write down the exact location of each problem. Photos with a note of the room and the item make the list easier to follow later.

How the PDI affects later claims

The PDI Form is not a request for warranty service. Items still not fixed at move-in must go on the Initial Form, Mid-Year Form or Year-End Form.

Leaving an item off the PDI does not necessarily affect coverage, but the completed form is useful evidence. For timing, you can start adding items to the Initial Form 1 day after possession, and Tarion submits it automatically on day 41.

Items missed on the Initial Form can go on the Mid-Year Form. Only one Year-End Form is accepted. There is a 10-day grace period after the Year-End deadline, but a form filed in that window must be submitted manually, with written proof that you reported the items to the builder during the first year. Claim forms changed for newer warranties, so an older warranty may follow different rules. Confirm the dates that apply to your own enrolment with Tarion or a lawyer.

How the Tarion warranty fits in

For a condo, the one-year Tarion warranty starts on the occupancy date. It covers defects in work and materials, Ontario Building Code violations and unauthorized substitutions. Longer coverage and some limits also apply:

• The two-year warranty covers water penetration, defects in exterior cladding, and the electrical, plumbing and heating systems.
• The seven-year warranty covers major structural defects.
• Damage caused by the acts or omissions of an owner, tenant, licensee or invitee is not covered, and neither are heating or cooling appliances and elevating devices under the seven-year warranty. Builder-supplied household appliances are largely excluded too.
• If warranty repairs make the home unlivable, the builder is expected to pay up to $150 a day, to a maximum of $15,000.

A Second-Year Form can be submitted at any time, and as many times as needed, during the second year of possession. A Major Structural Defect Form can be submitted any time after the second year, but no later than seven years after possession.

Common elements are separate

Common elements are not part of the unit PDI. Report common-element defects to the condo board, which may do its own PDI or pursue the common elements warranty.

What to do next

• Confirm the PDI date and who will attend; give any designate written authority.
• Bring your agreement, upgrade list and a camera or phone.
• Allow enough time to test fixtures, switches and appliances you can check.
• List every problem on the PDI Form and keep a copy.
• After possession, enter unresolved items on the Initial Form.
• Ask a lawyer before signing if you are unsure how a defect or a closing issue is handled.

Frequently asked questions