Hurray! Your condo is finally ready for occupancy. However, before you or anyone else gets to occupy the units, there’s one vital step that you shouldn’t overlook, pre-delivery inspection (PDI).
Typically, PDI is the stage where you get to inspect your newly finished home for the first time before occupancy.
In this blog, we’ll discuss the basics of a pre-delivery inspection. So, keep it here.
To begin with, let’s first understand what PDI is, where it takes place, who attends, etc.
Pre-delivery inspection is one of the most important and exciting stages in your homeownership journey. It’s when you get a chance to comprehensively inspect your newly completed home for the first time before officially occupying it.
The key purpose of PDI is to take note of anything in your new home that’s missing, incomplete, damaged, or not functioning properly, etc.
Typically, PDI takes place a week or two (or more) before the builder hands over the property to you. It involves a formal walk of your finished home accompanied by your builder appointed third party inspector while comprehensively inspecting and analyzing all the indoor and outdoor aspects. During this inspection, any missing or non-functioning items are noted down on a PDI form. The PDI form serves as a record of the state of the home when the builder handed it over to you.
Closer to your upcoming occupancy date, the builder’s Client Services department will contact you for your PDI appointment. Upon arrival at the appointment at the PDI office, you will be provided with construction boots to wear during the appointment – remember the building is still under construction as not all condo units are complete just yet.
The PDI office can be outside the building in a construction trailer or inside the condo building in the area designated for the builder’s construction team. Along with the boots, you will also be required to wear a hard hat. You will check in at the PDI office and a PDI officer will take you to your condo unit.
Nowadays, all documentation and note taking is done electronically usually on the inspectors iPad. At the start of the inspection, the inspector will share the builder’s care package with you that will have tips on taking care of your new condo and appliances. You will walk through the entire condo looking for damages or scratches on the floor, painting errors on the walls, check the electrical outlets and appliances and more. The inspector will stick coloured post-it notes on areas that need to be looked at, take pictures on the iPad and makes notes on file as well. This should take you around an hour from start to finish. This completed PDI on the Tarion form will be emailed to you for your records.
Keep this form to follow up with the builder on work that needs to be finished. Typically, most smaller items are looked after prior to the condo’s occupancy. Some major items may take longer and will be looked into after you or your tenant moves into the condo.
The PDI is attended by you (homeowner) and the builder’s representative. You may also decide to involve your own home inspector and sometimes a friend or family member for a second opinion on the state of things. If you hire a home inspector, you’ll pay for their fees.
If you are considering inviting a friend or family member for the PDI, remember you shouldn’t take this as a chance to showcase your new home to them because this is an inspection that requires a lot of attention, so it’s best to avoid distractions. They should serve as additional eyes to point out any issues.
Here’s how the PDI benefits you:
The main purpose of conducting a PDI is to take note of anything in your new condo that may be damaged, missing, or malfunctioning. The PDI provides an opportunity to record your condo’s condition before moving in.
Any information recorded on the PDI form serves as a record of the condition of your home as of the date of the PDI. For example, if you make a warranty claim of a missing item on your property, the PDI will be checked to ascertain if the item was still missing before you moved in.
Here are a few tips for conducting a successful pre-delivery inspection:
Take your time: This will be your new home, so you should take as much time as needed to analyze it comprehensively. Don’t let the builders rush you. Get to the PDI appointment early and be well prepared with your checklist.
Although it is necessary to examine every room, the bathroom and the kitchen need most of your attention. The kitchen and the bathroom are some of the high traffic rooms, and for which, much attention to detail is needed.
Be careful with the details. Remember to open and close every door, flush every toilet, and turn on every faucet. Anything could have been installed incorrectly. Don`t be afraid to point out the defects.
Bring someone with you. More eyes are better. The other person can spot a missing part which you couldn`t have spotted.
If you missed something during PDI and only notice the ‘deficiency’ after taking possession, you can fill out the 30-day Tarion form to raise the issue.
Here are some of the key things you should check out during the PDI:
You can also use the Tarion PDI checklist for a more detailed guide on a PDI checklist.
