Heathwood's construction process

Basic Stages | Safety | Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI)

The Basic Stages Of Construction

Materials to build your new home are ordered well in advance, therefore making last minute changes can be difficult and expensive. Construction coordination involves numerous parties and even a day’s delay can result in major scheduling problems.

While there have been advances and innovations in the home building industry, the process has remained the same, with what is essentially a "hand-built" product. Overall, the process of building a new home generally takes 6 - 8 months. As a Homeowner, you should be aware of the various stages. Décor and interior finishes selections must be made in a timely manner thus ensuring no delays for our home-building crews.

Stage 1 - Excavation, Foundation and Underground Service
Stage 2 - Structural framing, windows and doors, rough electrical, mechanical & plumbing
Stage 3 - Interior partitions, drywall, finish electrical, mechanical & plumbing
Stage 4 - Flooring, cabinetry and paint
Stage 5 - Final clean and occupancy

Building any home requires extensive coordination between site superintendents, contracted trades, municipal employees, consulting engineers and legal offices. Your most crucial contribution to this collaborative effort is your Décor Appointment at the Décor Store.

As soon as you finish your appointment and sign your colour chart, all finishes and customized selections are immediately processed, materials are ordered and the different trades are notified.

Your Safety Is Our Top Priority

We know how tempting it might be to enter the building site to view the construction progress on your new home and see the colour selections you have made.

A construction site is a hazardous place for those without the proper safety attire or experience on the worksite and any such entry is strictly prohibited unless supervised by our Service Representative or construction staff.

If you do wish to book a walk-through of your home while under construction (prior to drywall), we suggest the following steps:

A. Contact your Sales Representative to request a Walk-Through Appointment.
B. Co-ordinate time and date.
C. Visit sales office just prior to appointment to pick up boots and hardhats.
D. Meet construction staff at arranged location and time.
E. Tour home under construction.

At your Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI), you’ll have plenty of time to view your entire home in detail with the help of a Heron Service Representative.

* No one under the age of 16 is allowed on site at any time, regardless of safety equipment. Only the individuals listed on the offer will be allowed to enter the property unless waived as per Tarion.

Pre-delivery Inspection(PDI) Tips–
What To Bring, What To Expect

Your home has been built with care and will be inspected by our technical staff during construction. Municipal building inspectors, hydro, plumbing and gas inspectors will further examine your home to ensure builder code requirements are met.

Your PDI appointment will be scheduled approximately one week prior to your closing date. A Heron representative will accompany you or a designate of your choice on a thorough “Pre-Delivery Inspection” of your new home.

During this PDI, you will be asked to identify any damaged, incomplete or missing items, or anything which is not functioning correctly. These items will all be listed on a form, which you will review and sign to confirm its accuracy.

At the same time, you will review and sign a Certificate of Completion & Possession and a Warranty Certificate (CCP), which lists your home’s Tarion Warranty Program enrolment numbers as well as the date of possession (which is when your warranty officially starts).

The PDI is your first chance to view your new home in its completed form. It is also your best opportunity to learn how to operate your home’s systems, so feel free to ask as many questions as you like. If you are unable to assess something because it has not yet been installed, completed or cleaned, please note this on the PDI form as well.

Look for things like chips in the countertops, damage to floors, walls and doors, as well as windows that do not open or close easily…and examine the exterior as carefully as the interior.

The PDI is an important final step in your purchase of a new home and we recommend that you do not bring along children or friends. If you intend to have a designate conduct the PDI in your place, please provide us with written authority to do so.