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Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) Ontario: What to Check Before You Take Possession

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Published 18 September 2026 · By Jatin Dua, Broker of Record, RE/MAX Quantum Realty

Clipboard and tools in a new unfinished home (illustrative)
Short answer

The pre-delivery inspection is your walkthrough with the builder before possession, and the PDI form is the official record of the home’s condition that day. Bring help, test everything, and write down anything you are unsure about, then diarise the 30-day and year-end Tarion forms.

The pre-delivery inspection is the walkthrough of your new home with the builder before you take possession. What gets written on the PDI form matters, because it records the home’s condition on the day you receive it.

What happens

You walk the home with a builder representative, usually for an hour or two. Damage, missing items and incomplete work get listed on the PDI form. You also get shown how the systems work: the shut-off valve, the panel, the HVAC, the heat recovery ventilator.

How to prepare

  • Bring help. Many buyers hire an inspector who does new-build PDIs, or bring someone who has done one.
  • Bring the paperwork: your agreement, the schedule of finishes and upgrades, and any colour selections.
  • Bring tools: a phone for photos, a small level, a phone charger to test outlets, a marble to check floor slope.
  • Allow time. Don’t schedule it an hour before movers arrive.

Know what your home is worth

Most of these decisions start with a number. Get a free AI estimate of your home’s value in about a minute.

Free tool — AI home value estimator

Instant Home Valuation

What’s your home
worth today?

Answer six quick questions and get an instant value range built from current Toronto & GTA sale data — property type, size, condition, lot and location all weighted the way a real pricing conversation weighs them. Takes about ninety seconds.

01Location
02The Property
03Condition
04Your Report

Where is the property?

Prices swing hard by area — a Kingsway detached and a Brampton townhouse are completely different markets. Pick the closest one.

Please enter the property address.

Please choose the closest area.

Tell me about the property

Square footage matters most. If you’re not sure, tick the box below and I’ll estimate from the bedroom count — it just widens the range a little.

Please choose a property type.

3
2
1,600 SQ FT
3506,000+
4,000 SQ FT
1,50020,000+

Condition & features

This is where estimates usually go wrong. Two identical floor plans on the same street can sit $250,000 apart on condition alone — be honest here and the number gets a lot more useful.

Please pick the closest condition.

Please select an approximate age.

Where should I send the full report?

Your estimate appears on the next screen either way. Leaving your details means I’ll also send the written breakdown — the actual comparable sales behind the number, and what I’d price it at to sell.

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No cost, no obligation.
Your details are never sold or shared.

Reading recent GTA sale data…

Building your estimate

Estimated market value

—

—

$0–$0

Most likely value $0 · roughly $0 per square foot

Confidence band±6%
——

What moved the number

Starting from the area baseline for your property type, here’s what each answer added or subtracted.

Market context

Recent local averages for comparison.

—
Average sale price
—
Days on market

—

A range is a starting point.
A strategy is what sells.

This model doesn’t know that your neighbour’s identical semi went $80,000 over asking last month, or which two upgrades actually pay back in your area. That conversation is free and takes twenty minutes.

Book a real valuation → Call 833-330-1925
How this works — your estimate is generated by a model built on recent Toronto & GTA sale data, weighting area, property type, size, age, condition, lot and features. It is an automated estimate for information only. It is not an appraisal, not a Comparative Market Analysis, and should not be relied on for financing, legal or tax purposes. Real pricing depends on comparable sales, interior finishes and market conditions on the day — ask me for a written CMA before you make a decision.

What to check

  • Everything documented: every upgrade you paid for, in the right room.
  • Windows and doors: open, close and lock each one.
  • Water: run every tap, flush every toilet, check under sinks.
  • Electrical: test outlets and switches, confirm the panel is labelled.
  • Heating and cooling: run both, and check the filter is in place.
  • Floors and finishes: scratches, chips, gaps, uneven tiles, paint coverage.
  • Outside: grading, damaged brick, the driveway, and what’s still unfinished.
  • Basement: cracks, moisture and a working sump pump where there is one.

Write down anything you are not sure about. Items on the form are much easier to get fixed than items you raise later.

Warranty timelines to know

Ontario’s new home warranty is administered by Tarion. There is a 30-day form for items in the first month and a year-end form near the first anniversary, plus longer coverage for major items. Miss a window and you may lose the chance to claim for that item, so calendar the dates the day you close.

The takeaway

Treat the PDI as a record, not a formality: photograph everything, list every doubt on the form, and calendar the warranty deadlines the day you close.

Talk it through with me

Get a first-time buyer plan

Tell me your savings, income range and target area. I will send a realistic price range and next steps.

This goes straight to me, not a call centre. No spam, and I never sell your details.

Got it — thank you.
I will come back to you personally, usually the same day. If it is urgent, call or text 833-330-1925.

Frequently asked questions

Can I skip the PDI?

You shouldn’t. It is your record of the home’s condition at possession, and the builder is expected to complete it with you.

Can I bring my own inspector to a PDI?

Most builders allow it. Confirm in advance and book early.

What if the builder won’t fix something on the list?

Use the Tarion forms and deadlines, and keep your photos and the signed PDI.

Does the PDI replace a home inspection?

For a new build it is the main inspection point, but some buyers still hire an independent inspector for the walkthrough.

Sources

Related reading

About the author — Jatin Dua, Toronto and GTA real estate broker

I am Jatin Dua, Broker of Record and co-founder of RE/MAX Quantum Realty Inc., Brokerage, Unit 101, 799 The Queensway, Etobicoke. I work with buyers and sellers across Toronto and the GTA, with deep local knowledge of the west end. Four-plus years of active GTA transactions and over $100 million in sales volume. Every market figure here comes from TRREB’s published tables and every rule from RECO or Ontario legislation, so you can check all of it without asking me.

Reach me at connect@jatindua.com or 833-330-1925, or book a call.

Please read this. General information current as at 18 September 2026. It is not legal, tax or financial advice and not advice on any specific transaction. I am a registered real estate broker, not a lawyer or accountant. Market figures are from TRREB Market Watch, August 2026 (released September 2026); district samples are small and change month to month. Statements about my own services describe what I offer and are not a ranking or an endorsement by any third party. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract with another brokerage. Images are illustrative. E. & O.E.

Call or text 833-330-1925
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