The Ontario New-Home PDI: How One Hour Before Possession Protects Your Tarion Warranty for 7 Years
A room-by-room Pre-Delivery Inspection checklist, and the Tarion warranty timeline that follows
What is a Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI), and how is it different from closing and from a resale home inspection?
A Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) is a thorough, builder-led walkthrough of your new home or condo before you take possession. You record every item that is incomplete, damaged, missing, inaccessible, or not operating properly onto Tarion’s PDI Form — the official record that these conditions existed before you moved in. It is not an optional third-party inspection, and it is not the same day as closing.
Source: Tarion (2025)
When you buy pre-construction in the GTA, keys can be two or three years away from the day you sign. What actually decides how smoothly your warranty claims go later is the PDI just before possession — and too many buyers treat it as a formality, then can’t prove a scratch or a window that won’t seal was the builder’s fault. Here’s every step, a room-by-room checklist, and the Tarion warranty timeline that follows.
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First, separate three things: PDI ≠ closing ≠ resale inspection
This is the first misconception I clear up at every new-build closing. The PDI is a builder-arranged walkthrough before possession, meant to document the home’s current condition. Closing (possession) is the day you pay the balance, get the keys, and title transfers. A resale home inspection is a separate check you pay a licensed inspector for, usually written into an offer as a condition. A new-build PDI isn’t an optional condition — it’s a required step in the Tarion system. According to Tarion (2025), the builder must complete this walkthrough before handing over the keys.
💡 Hold onto this: every item you write on the PDI Form is your evidence that a problem existed before possession. Anything you don’t record is far harder to prove later was the builder’s responsibility rather than damage you caused after moving in.
Step 1: Confirm the date, bring the right people
Step 2: Go room by room — the interior checklist
• Walls / ceilings / paint: cracks, bulges, chipped paint, patches, uneven colour
• Floors: gaps, lifting boards, scratches, cracked or hollow-sounding tiles
• Windows & doors: open and close every one — smooth operation, secure lock, screens installed
• Cabinets & countertops: aligned doors, drawer glides, scratches or chipped edges
• Plumbing fixtures: run every faucet and toilet — check water pressure, drainage, and any leaks
• HVAC / furnace: heating, vents, and thermostat operating
• Electrical: spot-check outlets, switches, and smoke detectors
• Appliances: power up every included appliance and test it
Step 3: Don’t forget the exterior and garage (freehold)
⚠️Don’t sign off “everything is satisfactory, no issues” and leave items off the form. The builder’s rep may push you to move quickly, but anything not written on the PDI Form is harder to prove later. Go slowly and record each item.
Step 4: Photograph everything, write it all down
After the PDI: the Tarion warranty timeline (1 / 2 / 7 years)
Your statutory Tarion warranty starts the day you take possession. According to Tarion (2025):
• 1-year warranty: covers defects in work and materials, unauthorized substitutions, and Ontario Building Code (OBC) violations, for one year from the possession date.
• 2-year warranty: covers water penetration and defects in work or materials in the electrical, plumbing, and heating delivery and distribution systems, for two years from possession.
• 7-year major structural defect (MSD) warranty: covers major structural defects, from the possession date to the seventh anniversary of that date.
There are also coverage caps: according to Tarion (2025), for an Agreement of Purchase and Sale signed on or after July 1, 2023, the maximum is $400,000 for freehold homes and $300,000 for condo units, with a separate $50,000 cap for environmental damage.
🚨Missing the Initial (days 1–41) or Year-End (last 30 days of year one) submission window is one of the most common — and most expensive — new-buyer mistakes; some items may become hard to move into a formal claim. Put these dates in your calendar with reminders.
How to actually use the warranty: Initial, Mid-Year, and Year-End forms
• Initial Form (formerly the 30-Day Form): you can start adding items the day after your warranty start date, and submit any time between day 1 and day 41.
• Mid-Year Form: auto-submitted by the MyHome system at day 183.
• Year-End Form: submit during the last 30 days of the first year of possession.
Note too: if an item is missing at move-in, you must report its absence to Tarion on a warranty form within the first year of possession or occupancy. All forms are completed online in Tarion’s MyHome portal.
💡 Keep the rhythm straight: the PDI records today’s condition → possession starts the 1/2/7-year warranty → you submit issues to Tarion in three windows: Initial (days 1–41), Mid-Year (day 183), and Year-End (the last 30 days of year one). Miss a window and the warranty still exists, but the claim path gets harder. That timeline is how you actually put the warranty to work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I skip the PDI and let the builder fill out the form?
Strongly not recommended. According to Tarion (2025), you can authorize a designate in writing to attend and sign for you, but if you skip it entirely and let the builder complete the form alone, you lose the chance to record the home’s true condition yourself. That form is your evidence in future claims — attend in person or send someone you trust to verify each item.
If I miss something at the PDI, is it still covered?
Yes. According to Tarion (2025), not recording an item on the PDI Form doesn’t automatically void coverage — you can still file claims afterward using the Initial, Mid-Year, or Year-End forms. But a PDI record proves the issue existed before possession, which helps your case, so document as much as you can on the day.
Does the PDI conflict with a home inspector I hire myself?
No — they complement each other. The PDI is builder-led, records the condition, and ties into Tarion warranty coverage; a licensed inspector you bring at your own cost helps you spot problems more expertly. Doing both is a double layer of protection.
What exactly do Tarion’s 1-, 2-, and 7-year warranties cover?
According to Tarion (2025): the 1-year warranty covers defects in work and materials plus Ontario Building Code violations; the 2-year warranty covers water penetration and defects in the electrical, plumbing, and heating delivery/distribution systems; the 7-year warranty covers major structural defects (MSD). All three start from the possession date.
Is the PDI for a pre-construction condo the same as for a freehold home?
Same process, different emphasis. A condo unit PDI focuses on the interior (walls, floors, windows, fixtures, appliances) and the unit door where it meets common areas; a freehold detached or townhome adds the exterior brickwork, driveway, landscaping, and garage. Both use the same Tarion PDI Form and the same warranty timeline.
Arthur Zhao
Real Estate Broker · FRI · ABR · SRS · PSA · MCNE · E-PRO · GUILD Elite
VP & Branch Manager, Bay Street Group Inc.
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