(Photo credit: Bill Wilson/Flickr)
You’ve made a decision to purchase a preconstruction home, you’ve scrapped together your savings and you purchased the home. Once that’s all said and then done, then comes the hard part for many people: waiting.
One of the downfalls of buying a preconstruction home is you could wait years until your home is complete. You’re given a tentative deadline, but let’s face it, there’s always the chance of delays and it’s not in your control.
By the time the Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) comes around, you might be tempted to breeze through any paperwork so you have the chance to finally live in your home or rent it out (so you can slowly recoup some of your investment). Resist that temptation or you might regret it later down the road.
In your home, the majority of the time will be spent indoors, which is why you’ll want to make sure it’s in tip-top shape. (But don’t forget to inspect your home’s systems and its exterior.)
What to look for
Your washroom will likely be one of your most used spaces. Since it’s a brand new home, you should be able to expect your toilet, sink, bathtub and backsplash aren’t chipped. You shouldn’t have to worry about your cabinet falling down, so check it’s well secured, and you shouldn’t have any faucet issues when you wash or hands. To keep your shower or bath water from flooding your bathroom, check the caulking and enclosure.
You should have checked your doors and windows on the outside, but you’ll also need to take a look at them inside. Make sure you’re able to open or close them without any issues and that it fits well into the space. If you have an outside door, it should have weatherstripping and your windows should have no cracks.
If you’re the type to enjoy cooking up a storm, the kitchen is where you’ll be spending most of your time. Check that all your appliances, range hood fan and light and electrical outlets all work and there’s enough room for everything to fit properly. Ensure your counters, sink, cupboard doors and appliances have no damage to them and that your cupboard doors close well with no odd gaps.
You’ll be walking all over your house and since it’s new, there should be no cracks, tears or stains in your wood, tiles, carpet or vinyl. While wood surfaces may not be entirely even, there should be no damage done to it.
It’s all about the details in your inspection, so don’t forget to check your walls are painted smoothly, your handrails are smooth and secure and you should have no issues with your closet doors.
Once you’ve conducted a thorough inspection and everything looks good, you can breathe a sigh of relief since that means your move in date is on the horizon.
Homeowners of newly built homes could recoup some of their cost with an HST rebate claim to the CRA. Rebate4U prioritizes providing our clients with the most professional and quality service in obtaining rebates for their new and renovated homes. We are proud to offer our clients the most personal and attentive service, and we make sure that all of our clients are 100% satisfied.