What Is a Pre-Delivery Inspection?
Before you take possession of your new home, your builder is required to conduct a pre-delivery inspection, or PDI. Watch this video to learn everything you need to know about the PDI – a very important step in the new home buying process.
What is a Pre-Delivery Inspection?
A PDI is one of your first opportunities to view your completed home. Your builder will guide you through a comprehensive inspection and may demonstrate how to operate the home’s systems such as the ventilation, plumbing and heating.
Any item that is damaged, incomplete, missing or not operating properly should be noted on the builder’s PDI Form to verify that these conditions existed prior to occupancy. If something has not been installed or completed, this should be noted as well. When the inspection is over, you or your designate will be asked to sign the PDI Form.
Note: If you intend to send a designate to conduct the PDI in your place, you should provide your builder with written authority to sign the PDI Form. This can be done by filling out the Appointment of Designate for the Pre-Delivery Inspection Form.
What if I forget to highlight a problem during the PDI?
The PDI provides an opportunity to record your home’s condition before you move in. Any issues should be noted on a PDI Form and ideally your builder will correct them right away. The PDI Form does not represent a request for warranty service, so if you fail to note an item this does not necessarily impact your warranty coverage. However, the PDI Form is a useful piece of evidence if you have a conciliation inspection: if the problem concerns a damaged or missing item, it may be difficult to establish that this condition existed before you moved in if it is not noted on the PDI Form.
Any items that are not corrected by the time you move in need to be listed on a 30-Day or Year-End Form. These forms represent a request for warranty service and listed items that are covered under warranty must be addressed by your builder within a specific time frame.
Is a PDI different for condominium unit owners?
Condominium unit home buyers complete a PDI in the same way as other new home buyers for all matters relating to the condominium unit.
How should I prepare for the PDI?
You may wish to print a copy of the Tarion PDI Checklist or the brochure Getting Ready for the Pre-Delivery Inspection to help guide you through the process.
Review the Homeowner Information Package – A Guide to Your New Home Warranty
It is your builder’s responsibility to deliver the Homeowner Information Package, a publication which provides a general overview of warranty coverage, to you on or before the Pre-Delivery Inspection. You can be better prepared for your Pre-Delivery Inspection and your new home by reviewing this important document and its contents on your own time.