The minimum customer service standard allows a purchaser to attend the PDI with a designate or appoint a designate to attend the PDI in his/her place. There is no restriction as to who the designate may be, so a professional home inspector or any other person is permitted to attend the PDI either with the purchaser or in their place as a designate.

Unfortunately you are not permitted to bring anyone else for the PDI. At least that's what they told us. Below is the e-mail we just received:

"...We kindly ask that only the purchasers of the home attend this appointment, due to safety reasons, as this is still an active construction site..."

They just don't want your kids and extended family there.

On the Tarion site it says this:



http://www.tarion.com/New-Home-Builders ... fault.aspx

http://www.tarion.com/New-Home-Builders ... 9FINAL.pdf

So, they might be discouraging bringing an inspector, but I'm not sure they can forbid it. Certainly an inspector would be more aware of the "safety risks" of a construction site, if that's their true concern (which I doubt).

Should I take a Home Inspector to the PDI?

This is a great question. Even most Home Inspectors get this one wrong.

Here is my answer.

You could take a Home Inspector with you for your PDI, but NOT for a Home Inspection.

A home inspection is a specific process. It is a top to bottom complete examination of the home and the functional equipment in the home. In order to benefit from your Home Inspection, you will need to live in, and use the house for at least 25 days.

The purpose of the PDI is for your builder to show you your new home in it's completed state, and to make note of scratches, dents, chips, or any other damage to counters, floors, doors, walls, cabinets, cupboards, mirrors, toilets, tubs, windows, glass, etc. It IS NOT the time to do a complete home inspection as your builder, who owns the home during the PDI is not required to allow a Home Inspector to crawl around the roof, open the furnace or electrical panels, examine the attic etc. This can and should be done later.

The Builders Rep is responsible for, and controls the PDI process. It usually takes one hour for every 1000 square feet.

Note everything that is incomplete, damaged, and items that are in good condition. Note areas that are dirty as this dirt, IE- on a hardwood floor, will make it impossible to do a thorough inspection of that floor.

Before your PDI, review the Construction Performance Guidelines on Tarion's website for all issues that will not be covered after the PDI if not detected during the PDI.

Be very diligent and carefully examine all hardwood floors and stairways. Not just for damage like chips and scratches, but also for cupping or crowning.

If after you move in, you notice a dent on your front door and a big scratch on the hardwood floor, then you have a problem. Even if this damage was not done while moving in, it is still, at this point, not covered by the builder and they will not be required to fix it unless you can prove that the damage was there during the PDI.

I used Andy for my 30 and 1 year. He's been a great resource even after the original inspections.

He caught a number of things which alone was worth the $$$.