Berczy Condos, The (Concert Properties) - Real Estate -

400WellingtonGuy said:
You may be the first from this forum. We expect your iphone camera to be working overtime (like it always seems to be!)
Very interested in common elements and hallways, stuff like that too.
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I will make sure it will be working :D I think PDI's start on the 23rd for the 2nd floor, I am on the 3rd floor. I am not sure if we have someone in this forum on the 2nd floor
 
carturo15 said:
I will make sure it will be working :D I think PDI's start on the 23rd for the 2nd floor, I am on the 3rd floor. I am not sure if we have someone in this forum on the 2nd floor
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For newbies, I wrote this PDI for dummies a couple of years ago. Hope it helps neighbours!

Background:

The Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) is essentially an owner’s walkthrough with the builder on their purchased suite. It is first step of the Tarion process. If you miss something here at the PDI stage, you have an opportunity to put it on a 30-day form (once you get occupancy) and a 1-year form but here is the caveat and very important. If you don’t pick up “wear and tear†items on your PDI now, the builder will usually not fix it. Examples are scratches and dents on floors, countertops, sinks, walls etc. Anything that points to you the owner or your movers having the potential to do the first minute you occupy the suite, most builders will blame you and so will Tarion.

What to Bring:

From your Agreement of Purchase and Sale: typically Schedule B (unit floor plan), typically Schedule C (features and finishes)
Any amendments to the agreement that affect the above.
Any extra sheets to show any changes you may have amended from the base (eg. hardwood in bedrooms).
Notepad and pen to write stuff down.
Digital Camera with a flash. Video capability is handy as well.
Flashlight to see in dark spaces.
Green painter’s tape (builders will sometimes supply this, but always bring a roll anyways).
Portable Electrical socket tester.
Small 9†or 12†carpenter’s level.
Tape Measure.
A cleaning cloth like a blue J-cloth.
A second person to bounce off issues and help out with the PDI.

A good PDI will take a couple of hours since you need to literally need to touch everything, look at items closely and potentially digest whether you want something fixed or not. Don’t accept anyone from the builder trying to push you through the PDI, or tell you not to put something down on the list because they will fix it today, tomorrow or before you move in etc. It is YOUR list and not the builders!

The PDI must also either start or not. It cannot be done in pieces so once you begin the process, it must continue no matter how painful. A typical PDI can last up to 2 hours. Start with big items like kitchens and bathrooms.

Yes, there will be things that are not done, or done poorly, or incorrectly chosen from your agreement. Assume this before you see your suite for the first time. As well, many folks have a bit of a letdown for new condos in the fact that the space seems so much smaller than on the floor plan. Be prepared. Be also surprised by how some items may be really beyond your expectations e.g. the view.

It is also a good idea to be professional and don’t blame the PDI rep from the builder. This is usually the person that will assist getting the trades to fix their problems, so you want them on your side. The most important thing that will help you through the Tarion process is to never consider anything verbal as of any value with the builder or with Tarion. It means nothing! Everything must be documented in writing with a date attached to it and pictures/videos are very useful. So, if you have any disputes, start with either an email or letter trail that can be easily followed by Tarion.

What to Inspect:

Make sure that all of the Features and Finishes from your Schedule C have been installed.

Check for scratches, dents, discolouration, any damage of any kind on all surfaces, trim work, floors, ceilings, walls, sinks, vanities, doors, countertops etc.

Check all surfaces for paint, even in behind doors and hard to reach areas. Hinges should be free of paint. Note: Tarion assumes certain conditions for some items such as drywall or paint to require repair. It generally has to be visible while viewed under normal lighting conditions from a distance of 6 feet. Use the green painter’s tape to identify areas that you believe are defective. If the builder gives you an argument and does not want to put it on the list, mark it anyways, take photos from 6 feet at different angles and tell the builder you will insist a review with Tarion and they must put it on the list. If something is dirty like a kitchen or bathroom counter/sink/tub, clean it to see if there are any scratches or dents. Do not be afraid of pointing out anything!

For all cabinets and doors, try everyone one of them to see if they open or close properly without binding and the cabinets seem secure. Do the doors lock? Do the closet sliders move properly? Are there door stops where required?

Check to see if all windows and outside doors openly properly, including screen doors. Many times these are “common elements†of the condo, so they may not want to put it down on the list because it is not tied to your suite directly. Check the outside light on your patio.

For floors and tiles, check to see that the floor is fairly level, there are no cracks, the tiles are not broken, grout is in place, and even to see if dye lots of the tile are similar. Again, the 6 foot rule under normal lighting conditions will apply for uneven dye lots for tiles and floors. Sometimes it is a good idea to wet the tiles, especially shower floors to see if grout has actually been cleaned properly.

For all taps, try the hot and cold. Many times plumbers tend to forget to adjust properly the taps in showers and tubs and the hot water is not hot enough. If there is no hot water coming out of any tap during your PDI, write it down. Don’t let the builder tell you that they haven’t started the boilers yet, not your problem.

Have the builder show you where the shut-offs are located for all water and natural gas valves for the suite and make sure they are operable.
For all toilets, flush them a few times to see if they refill properly and shut off properly.

Check for bathroom accessories (towel bar, toilet paper holder, soap holder in bath tub or shower).

For all sinks and tubs, make sure there are stoppers for the drains and they actually work. Fill up the sinks and tubs and see if they hold water. Do this at the beginning of the PDI so that you can go back later to see if there any leaks, especially under sinks. At the end of the PDI, release the water from the sink drain stoppers, check the drain piping underneath for leaks. Sometimes the pressure of the water in the sink during the drain will show leaks where the plumber has not sealed or aligned the piping correctly.

Electrical checks are vital. Check all lights. Use the electrical tester to check all outlets, including GFI outlets. Some wall outlets in the living spaces and bedrooms will be switched on via a wall switch. Plug in the electrical tester for those outlets and see if it works. You will not be able to check capped ceiling outlets unless you ask the builder to prove to you that it works – this may require them to get an electrician. If you want that, make that request at the beginning of your PDI.

For appliances, try using them. This is sometimes difficult because the builder will not prepare them for use i.e. there is still delivery related stuff in them like manuals and card board. They don’t like to start them up because construction trades will actually use them behind their back. Make sure you have all manuals for all appliances – they tend to wander off during installation. You can ask the builder to show you that the appliances start up and are powered and connected, ready to go. For appliances like dishwashers, fridges with water supply, check that there are shut off valves and drains are connected properly. For fridges and stoves, are all the pieces like racks and shelves in the appliances.

If you are going to replace your kitchen appliances, you may want to check the opening sizes for the stove and fridge. Sometimes, a ¼ inch will make all the difference in the future when you do the replacement.

For all heat pumps/ventilation units, make the builder open up and show you the condition of the filters and that they units operate correctly i.e. it turns on to provide heat based on a temperature setting, the fan “on†and “auto†function works etc. In general, the ducts and these heat pumps should be properly cleaned. They usually are not, so that is why you can ask them to clean them out again. Documentation in writing for how to reset and start the units is also good to ask for as it is usually not provided and should be.

Check all fans in bathrooms and kitchens to make sure they ventilate properly and the grilles are clean.

Summary:

Hopefully, the PDIs will go well for everyone. It is important to share your experiences with others so that we can as a group get the builder to do the right thing. It will not be 100% perfect, but we should be able to be pleased with our new homes.
 
carturo15 said:
I will make sure it will be working :D I think PDI's start on the 23rd for the 2nd floor, I am on the 3rd floor. I am not sure if we have someone in this forum on the 2nd floor
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If you post pictures of the cupboards/flooring - please note which colour plan you chose! We no longer have any good idea what counter/cupboards/flooring the "oak" package is. We should have taken pictures in the showroom all those years ago.
 
Finishes choices.JPG


Heres the pic I kept from the brochures for finishes.
 

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We went with the cinder maple, that was the colours used in the demo unit I believe. Any one else have dates for their PDI's? Trying to ballpark mine for the 6th floor I am thinking it should be 1st or 2nd week of October.
 
smcgaw said:
We went with the cinder maple, that was the colours used in the demo unit I believe. Any one else have dates for their PDI's? Trying to ballpark mine for the 6th floor I am thinking it should be 1st or 2nd week of October.
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I think you're bang on. I was chatting with someone from Concert and they told me my tentative PDI is October 8th for the 5th floor and they will call me soon to get it booked. My occupancy date is Oct. 23rd. I went with cinder maple too.
 
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