June 10, 2026
The First 100 Days in a New-Build Home
Settling cracks, deficiencies, and how to keep your Tarion claim window working for you.
The first three months in a new build are when the home tells you who it really is. Settling cracks, paint shrinkage, doors that stick, baseboards that gap — all normal, all coverable under Tarion if you document them on time.
Days 1–7. Walk every room with a notebook and a phone camera. Document anything you missed during the Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI): hairline drywall cracks, paint touchups, scuffed trim, doors that don't latch cleanly, drawers that catch, windows that don't seal, taps that drip, grout gaps, missing or damaged hardware. Photograph each, log the location, and start a master list. Submit your Tarion 30-day form well before day 30 — submit on day 7 if your list is complete; you can add to it through day 30 but it's safer to file early.
Days 8–30. Run every system. Set the furnace through a heat cycle and an AC cycle (yes, both, even out of season — confirm they start, the thermostat responds, and there's airflow at every register). Run every faucet on hot and cold; flush every toilet; run the dishwasher and washing machine through a full cycle; check that every electrical outlet works (a $15 outlet tester from any hardware store does this fast). Note anything that fails to your Tarion list before submission.
Days 30–90. Watch for the things that take time to surface. Drywall ceiling cracks at the centre of long spans (especially over kitchens and great rooms) usually appear in the first heating season as the framing shrinks. Squeaky floors emerge as humidity drops. Caulking around tubs, showers, and exterior windows can shrink and crack. Window weep holes can clog with construction debris and back up. Sump pump pits can collect first-season debris.
Maintain the home actively. Builders' warranties exclude damage from your own inaction. That means: changing furnace filters every 3 months (set a phone reminder), running bathroom exhaust fans during and after every shower, maintaining 30%–50% indoor humidity (too low cracks drywall; too high grows mould), and clearing debris from window wells and downspouts.
Day 90 checkpoint. Walk the home with your original PDI list and your Tarion 30-day submission. Anything new? Add it to your future Year-End Form (filed between days 30 and 365). The Year-End Form is your second-best shot at builder repairs; treat it with the same seriousness as the 30-day.
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