Tarion protects new home buyers and regulates new home builders under the Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act.
What the Tarion Warranty Covers
For instance, the Tarion New Home Warranty includes one year coverage against Ontario Building Code violations and defective materials and workmanship. The Tarion warranty also offers two year’s protection against leaks, defective plumbing, heating or electrical and exterior materials such as your home’s doors and windows. You are also covered for two years for anything kind of health and safety such as unsafe building materials or flawed construction.
To top it all off, there is a seven-year warranty that covers any major structural defects so you needn’t worry about the foundation crumbling or the roof falling in, even if you live in a condo.
One Year Warranty
• Requires a home is constructed in a workman-like manner and free from defects in material;
• Protects against unauthorized substitutions
• Requires the home to be fit for habitation;
• Protects against Ontario Building Code violations; and
• Applies for one year, beginning on the home’s date of possession even if the home is sold.
Two Year Warranty
• Protects against water penetration through the basement or foundation walls;
• Protects against defects in materials that affect windows, doors and caulking and defects in work that results in water penetration
into the building envelope;
• Covers defects in work or materials in the electrical, plumbing and heating delivery and distribution systems;
• Covers defects in work or materials that result in the detachment, displacement or deterioration of exterior cladding (such as
brickwork, aluminum or vinyl siding);
• Protects against violations of the Ontario Building Code that affect health and safety; and
• Applies for two years, beginning on the home’s date of possession.
Seven Year Warranty
Your home’s seven year warranty covers major structural defects (MSD) and begins on the date you take possession of the home and ends on the day before the seventh anniversary of that date.
For example, if your home’s date of possession is October 23, 2005, the seven year MSD warranty begins on October 23, 2005 and remains in effect until and including October 22, 2012.
A major structural defect is defined in the The Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act as:
In respect of a post June 30, 2012 home, any defect in work or materials in respect of a building, including a crack, distortion or displacement of a structural load-bearing element of the building, if it,
(i) results in failure of a structural load-bearing element of the building,
(ii) materially and adversely affects the ability of a structural load-bearing element of the building to carry, bear and resist applicable structural loads for the usual and ordinary service life of the element, or
(iii) materially and adversely affects the use of a significant portion of the building for usual and ordinary purposes of a residential dwelling and having regard to any specific use provisions set out in the purchase agreement for the home
The seven year MSD warranty includes significant damage due to soil movement*, major cracks in basement walls, collapse or serious distortion of joints or roof structure and chemical failure of materials.
In addition to the general exclusions, the seven year MSD warranty specifically excludes: dampness not arising from failure of a load-bearing portion of the building; damage to drains or services; and damage to finishes.
– the source from Tarion.com
