TRENDING: Inside The New Tool Helping Torontonians Rethink The Single-Family Home

Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI)

Learn what a Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) is in Canadian real estate, what to look for, and how it protects buyers of newly built homes and condos.

Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI)

May 22, 2025


What is a Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI)?

A PDI is a mandatory walkthrough of a newly built home or condo, conducted by the builder and buyer before the buyer takes possession.

Why do Pre-Delivery Inspections (PDI) Matter in Real Estate

In Canadian real estate — especially in Ontario under Tarion rules — the PDI gives buyers an opportunity to inspect their new property for defects, incomplete items, or damage prior to occupancy. This ensures the builder delivers the unit as promised in the purchase agreement.

During the PDI, the buyer and builder go room by room, testing features like:
  • Doors and windows
  • Plumbing and electrical systems
  • Appliances (if included)
  • Flooring, walls, and cabinetry
All deficiencies are noted on a PDI Form and submitted to the warranty provider (e.g., Tarion). Issues not recorded may be harder to claim after occupancy.

The PDI also allows buyers to learn about maintenance responsibilities and how to operate home systems. It’s an essential part of protecting one’s warranty rights and ensuring a smooth handover.
Buyers should bring a checklist, take photos, and ask questions during the PDI. If serious deficiencies are found, occupancy may be delayed until they are resolved.

Example of a Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) in Action

A buyer attends their PDI for a new-build condo in Mississauga. They note paint defects and a missing light fixture, which the builder agrees to fix before move-in.

Key Takeaways

  • Walkthrough of a new home before buyer takes possession.
  • Required for most new builds in Ontario and other provinces.
  • Ensures the builder has completed work as agreed.
  • Deficiencies are documented for warranty coverage.
  • Buyers should prepare thoroughly and inspect carefully.

Related Terms

  • Home Warranty Program
  • Tarion
  • New Construction
  • Deficiency List
  • Final Closing

Additional Terms

Public Realm Improvements

Public realm improvements are enhancements to public spaces such as sidewalks, parks, plazas, and streetscapes, often funded or contributed by. more

Mortgagee in Possession

A mortgagee in possession is a lender who takes control of a property after borrower default, but before foreclosure or power of sale. The lender. more

Lease Surrender Agreement

A lease surrender agreement is a negotiated contract between a landlord and tenant that ends a lease before its scheduled expiration. Terms may. more

Green Infrastructure

Green infrastructure refers to natural or engineered systems that manage stormwater, reduce heat, and improve sustainability in developments.. more

Escrow Holdback

An escrow holdback is a portion of funds withheld at closing and held in escrow until specific conditions are met, such as completion of repairs,. more

Underused Housing Tax

The Underused Housing Tax (UHT) is a federal annual 1% tax on the value of vacant or underused residential property owned by non-resident,. more

More For You

Moving Day: August 2026 Industry Hires And Promotions

Moving Day: August 2026 Industry Hires And Promotions

From left: Matthew Warzecha, Activia; Dazle Gumabao, Marcon; Josh Kirles, CMHC; Jerry Nguyen, JD, Concert Properties; David Gu, GWL Realty Advisors; Marie Gillespie, Cushman & Wakefield

We know you like to know what's up.

For your information, reference, and networking needs, here are the moves, hires, and promotions the real estate and development sector saw in August 2026:

Keep ReadingShow less

CLV Group Buys Ashcroft’s ReStays Hotel, Unsold Condos Under Receivership

CLV Group Buys Ashcroft’s ReStays Hotel, Unsold Condos Under Receivership

The reStays and reResidences at 101 Queen Street and 108-116 Sparks Street in Ottawa. (TD Cornerstone and Cushman & Wakefield)

The ReStays Ottawa boutique luxury hotel in downtown Ottawa and a block of unsold ReResidences condos have officially been sold as part of a court-ordered sale, according to filings in Ontario Superior Court.

The ReStays Ottawa and ReResidences are located at 101 Queen Street and 108-116 Sparks Street, and consists of 111 hotel suites, 91 condo units, and just over 21,000 square feet of retail space across a six- and 17-storey building, all above an underground parkade.

Keep ReadingShow less

No Motor, No Traffic, No Problem: Floating Cottage 'Ursula' For Sale In Port Dover

No Motor, No Traffic, No Problem: Floating Cottage 'Ursula' For Sale In Port Dover

Ursula/Facebook Marketplace

And if you've ever sat in gridlock on the way to a cottage and wondered why the whole system couldn't just be different, meet Ursula.

This 14.5' x 45' floating cottage is currently moored at Port Dover marina, and is listed on Facebook Marketplace for $39,000. In the listing, the seller describes Ursula as "a sturdy girl."

Keep ReadingShow less

When Low-End Rents Get Harder To Afford, Homelessness Climbs: Study

When Low-End Rents Get Harder To Afford, Homelessness Climbs: Study

Hamilton, Ontario. (Destination Ontario)

It may not be shocking to hear that cities with high rents and low vacancy rates are also seeing an increase in homelessness, but correlation is not causation. But now, a recent study is pointing to causation.

The research was conducted by the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH), who said it was the first study of its kind in Canada, and that their research “demonstrates a clear link between housing affordability, vacancy rates, and increasing homelessness.”

Keep ReadingShow less

BILD: Single-Family Homes Lead GTA New Home Sales In July

BILD: Single-Family Homes Lead GTA New Home Sales In July
Toronto at dusk with city light and urban skyline with skyscrapers

There are two wolves inside the GTA's new home market, and for now, it's single-family homes that are being fed.

According to the latest from BILD, single-family sales just posted their fourth consecutive month above the 10-year average. Condos, meanwhile, are still locked out of most of the benefit.

Keep ReadingShow less

The 18 Toronto Developments Supported By $2.7B Federal-City Partnership

The 18 Toronto Developments Supported By $2.7B Federal-City Partnership

The 37-storey tower set for 150 Queens Wharf Road in Toronto. (Toronto Community Housing Corporation)

Earlier this month, the Government of Canada and City of Toronto announced a $2.7 billion partnership that will advance 18 housing projects, which will together deliver over 5,600 new rental homes. Construction is set to begin on approximately 4,500 of those units by year’s end.

“In Toronto, thousands of new homes have already been planned, permitted, and approved, but lack the financing to begin construction,” said Prime Minister Mark Carney in a press release on August 5.

Keep ReadingShow less

Downtown Eastside Project Breaks Ground With Funding From Feds, BC Builds, UBC

Downtown Eastside Project Breaks Ground With Funding From Feds, BC Builds, UBC

The 11-storey building set for 315 Main Street (172 E Cordova Street) in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver.

A new mixed-use development is now under construction in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, thanks in large part to funding and contributions from four different governments in conjunction with those from several other parties.

The project is set for 315 Main Street (also known as 172 East Cordova Street), a corner lot located at the southwest corner of the intersection of Main Street and East Cordova Street.

Keep ReadingShow less

City Of Toronto Breaks Ground On Dundas And Ossington Mass-Timber Rentals

City Of Toronto Breaks Ground On Dundas And Ossington Mass-Timber Rentals

1113–1125 Dundas St W at Dundas and Ossington, prior to construction (Google Maps)

A surface parking lot at Dundas Street West and Ossington Avenue is officially a construction site.

The City of Toronto, CreateTO and the federal government marked the start of construction at 1113–1125 Dundas Street West on Monday; the rent-controlled rental building rising at the intersection will bring 74 new homes to Trinity-Bellwoods.

Keep ReadingShow less
Privacy PolicyAbout UsTerms of UseAdvertise with UsJobsContact UsRSS Feed
All rights reserved SiteMedia © 2026.