Independent inspection for a new build in Toronto — when should I book it?

[amber_chalk]

I’m buying a 3-bed serviced apartment in Toronto, and the builder says municipal checks will be enough. I’m less convinced after hearing about drainage, insulation and finish defects appearing after handover.

Would you arrange an independent inspection before completion, during handover, or closer to the end of the defect period? Completion is starting to feel real, and I’m trying to balance the inspection cost against moving expenses, furniture, service charges, insurance excess and the first mortgage payment. I’d rather preserve the emergency fund than spend it fixing something that could have been raised earlier.

 

[YaraCrane]

I’d favour the earliest point when the builder allows a proper independent inspection, then do your own detailed walk-through at handover. Municipal checks and an inspection you commission do not necessarily answer the same questions. Waiting until the defect deadline may give problems time to show, but it also means living with them and documenting when they appeared. Ask now what access the inspector will receive and how findings must be submitted.

 

[measureTheFinch]

Before deciding, what does “serviced” cover here? If drainage, insulation or exterior elements are controlled by the building rather than your unit, you need to know who receives those findings. I’d also read the purchase paperwork for the actual defect-reporting dates instead of relying on a general guide.

 

[booksAndBeam]

I wouldn’t automatically pay for multiple full inspections. A pre-completion visit can be constrained by unfinished work or limited access, so some findings may only amount to “not complete yet.” One inspection at handover, plus a careful dated list near the end of the applicable defect period, may be the better balance.

Either way, delay nonessential furniture until you know whether walls, floors or plumbing areas need attention. Keep a separate cash buffer for moving, the first mortgage payment and immediate repairs rather than treating the inspection as the last purchase cost.