Independent inspection for a new-build 3-bed duplex in Montreal?

[dev.brooks]

Moving costs, basic furniture, the first mortgage payment and a cash reserve are all competing for the same pot, so I do not want to book an inspection at the wrong stage. The property is a new-build three-bedroom duplex in Montreal, and the builder says the municipal checks are sufficient.

I am less certain. Drainage, insulation and finishing problems may not become obvious until we move in. Is the most useful visit one shortly before completion, one when we take possession, or a later check during the defect period? I will also ask the builder for the inspection-access rules and defect procedure in writing.

 

[MinaGale]

A municipal check and an inspection commissioned for the buyer do not serve the same purpose. If the builder permits access, I’d inspect shortly before handover, while defects can still be recorded and access is easy. Keep enough cash untouched for the move, insurance excess and immediate repairs; don’t let the inspection fee empty the emergency fund.

 

[alex.grove]

Is this a divided co-ownership duplex, and are the service charges connected to shared elements? That matters because drainage or exterior issues may involve common portions rather than only your unit. Also ask what access the inspector would actually get before completion. Finished walls limit what anyone can say about insulation, so expectations need to be realistic.

 

[askTheEcho]

An early visit may reveal work just before it is concealed, but the building may not yet be complete enough for a meaningful test. Waiting until possession gives the inspector working fixtures and finished surfaces, although hidden insulation or drainage details may then be harder to assess.

If there is money for only one appointment, I would choose the later, fuller inspection and preserve cash for moving, the insurance excess and the first payment. Before deciding, ask whether the builder will provide dated construction photos or records for anything that will be covered.

 

[bakesAndGarden]

Before booking, get the builder to confirm in writing when an independent inspector may enter and whether defects can be added to the handover record. Then ask prospective inspectors to explain the scope: roof and exterior visibility, grading and drainage, insulation limitations, heating, windows, and shared areas. Compare scope and reporting time rather than choosing solely by price.

 

[LuckyBeam]

There is also a cash-flow argument for delaying nonessential furniture. A sofa or spare-room setup can wait; an inspection finding may create an immediate cost or at least require time to pursue. I’d plan the first mortgage payment, moving costs and insurance excess first, preserve the emergency fund, and furnish gradually once the early surprises are clearer.

 

[MinaGale]

One caution on waiting until near the end of the defect period: the home will have been through normal use, which can reveal drafts, drainage behaviour and seasonal issues, but responsibility may then be harder to separate from wear or maintenance. If possible, document condition at handover with dated photos and a written defect list, then consider a later follow-up for issues that only emerge over time.

 

[HiddenFinch]

The sensible compromise seems to be one independent inspection when construction is substantially complete but before final acceptance, plus your own careful records afterward. If the inspector cannot access common portions or concealed work, that limitation should be explicit. Also clarify who handles defects affecting shared parts of the duplex; otherwise the service-charge concern remains separate from the inspection itself.