Tarion Home Explorer

FH 14.15: Exterior Deck Railing is Shaky

Home type

Freehold Townhome

Freehold home

Condo Townhome

Condo Building

Performance

Exterior deck guards shall be designed and installed in accordance with the Building Code.

Warranty

Two-Year - Ontario Building Code Health & Safety Violations. · Damage resulting from improper maintenance or additions, deletions or alterations made by the homeowner is excluded from the statutory warranty.

Action

Exterior deck railings and guards not meeting the acceptable performance shall be repaired.

Remarks

None.

Article number

14.15

Article type

Freehold

Warranty years

Two Year

Article title

Exterior Deck Railing is Shaky

FH 14.14: Exterior Deck Is Springy Or Shaky

Home type

Freehold home

Freehold Townhome

Condo Townhome

Performance

Exterior decks shall be designed and installed in accordance with the Building Code.

Warranty

One-Year - Work and Materials. Two-Year - Ontario Building Code Health & Safety Violations

Action

Decks not meeting the acceptable performance shall be repaired.

Remarks

None. See Also: 14.16 DECK BOARD SPACING IS NOT UNIFORM

Article number

14.14

Article type

Freehold

Warranty years

One Year

Two Year

Article title

Exterior Deck Is Springy Or Shaky

FH 14.13: Settling, Heaving or Separating of Landing or Steps

Home type

Performance

Stairs and landings supported by a foundation shall not heave, settle or separate from the main building more than 25 mm. Stairs and landings not requiring a foundation are not restricted from movement.

Warranty

One-Year - Work and Materials. Two-Year - Ontario Building Code Health & Safety Violations. · Settlement and subsidence of the land around the building or along utility lines, other than subsidence beneath the footings of the building, is excluded from the statutory warranty. · Damage resulting from normal shrinkage of materials due to drying after construction is not covered by the statutory warranty.

Action

Stairs, landings and decks not meeting the acceptable performance shall be repaired.

Remarks

Concrete stairs having not more than two risers, and small wood stairs not attached to the building do not require foundations and are often affected by the settlement of supporting backfill; this is not covered by the statutory warranty.

Article number

14.13

Article type

Freehold

Warranty years

One Year

Two Year

Article title

Settling, Heaving or Separating of Landing or Steps

FH 14.12: Water Ponding in Surface Grading of the Site

Home type

Freehold Townhome

Freehold home

Performance

The site shall be graded so that water does not generally accumulate adjacent to the building. Backfill against a foundation shall be graded to prevent drainage towards the building after settling. Where no grade is specified for a slope, a minimum gradient of 2% is considered acceptable; sodded or graveled areas may have a minimum gradient of 1%.

Warranty

One-Year - Work and Materials. One-Year - Ontario Building Code Violations. · Subsidence of the land around the building or along utility lines, alterations by the homeowner such as landscaping or improper maintenance is excluded from the statutory warranty.

Action

Site grading shall meet the acceptable condition by conforming to a municipally approved grading plan, or equivalent, where applicable. After the first year, the homeowner is responsible for maintaining the finished site grading to ensure ponding water does not adversely affect their premises.

Remarks

Ponding may occur because grading may not always be finished at occupancy. Generally, municipalities control the grading patterns of building sites and builders must comply with approved grading plans for the installation of swales and slopes. Disturbed soil will naturally consolidate and cannot practically be prevented from settling; i.e., settlement of walkways and driveways is not covered by warranty. However, sufficient soil must be placed around the building to ensure acceptable drainage is maintained during the first year after occupancy. See Also: 14.13 SETTLING, HEAVING OR SEPARATING OF LANDINGS OR STEPS

Article number

14.12

Article type

Freehold

Warranty years

One Year

Article title

Water Ponding in Surface Grading of the Site

FH 14.11 : Tree Stumps Have Been Left on the Property

Home type

Freehold Townhome

Freehold home

Performance

Where the builder is responsible for final grading under the contract and trees have been cut down as part of the construction process, stumps shall be removed.

Warranty

One-Year - Work and Materials

Action

Tree stumps not meeting the acceptable condition shall be removed.

Remarks

Identify any incomplete landscaping (that is the responsibility of the builder) at the PDI. Reference must be made to the Agreement of Purchase and Sale or construction contract in order to determine the scope of the builder’s responsibilities.

Article number

14.11

Article type

Freehold

Warranty years

One Year

Article title

Tree Stumps Have Been Left on the Property

FH 7.8: Ceiling Fan Vibrates and Is Noisy

Home type

Performance

Ceiling fans shall be installed and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s installation instructions.

Warranty

One-Year - Work and Materials. · Damage resulting from improper maintenance, normal wear and tear, or additions, deletions or alterations made by the homeowner is excluded from the statutory warranty.

Action

Ceiling fans not meeting the acceptable performance shall be repaired.

Remarks

Some vibration is normal. Ceiling fans can operate at high speeds and can become unbalanced, resulting in excessive vibration. Ceiling fans require regular maintenance.

Article number

7.8

Article type

Freehold

Warranty years

One Year

Article title

Ceiling Fan Vibrates and Is Noisy

FH 7.7: Interior Light Fixture Tarnished

Home type

Performance

Interior light fixtures supplied and installed by the builder shall not tarnish.

Warranty

One-Year - Work and Materials. · Damage resulting from improper maintenance or additions, deletions or alterations made by the homeowner is excluded from the statutory warranty.

Action

Light fixtures not meeting the acceptable condition shall be repaired.

Remarks

Discolouration may occur due to the normal operation of the fixture. Exceeding the manufacturer’s specification for bulb wattage may also cause discolouration, which is not covered by the statutory warranty.

Article number

7.7

Article type

Freehold

Warranty years

One Year

Article title

Interior Light Fixture Tarnished

FH 7.6: Exhaust Fan Duct Terminates in Attic or Crawl Space

Home type

Freehold home

Freehold Townhome

Condo Townhome

Performance

Exhaust fans shall be ducted to the exterior in accordance with the Building Code.

Warranty

Two-Year - Ontario Building Code Health and Safety Violations. • Damage resulting from improper maintenance or additions, deletions or alterations made by the homeowner is excluded from the statutory warranty.

Action

Exhaust fans not meeting the acceptable performance shall be repaired.

Remarks

Exhaust fans and clothes dryers should never be ducted into heated or unheated enclosed spaces such as basements, attics and soffits, or attached garages. Moisture buildup in these areas can cause damage.

Article number

7.6

Article type

Freehold

Warranty years

Two Year

Article title

Exhaust Fan Duct Terminates in Attic or Crawl Space

FH 7.5: Receptacle/Switch Cover Plate is Not Flush with the Wall

Home type

Performance

Electrical receptacles/switches shall be installed so that the cover plate sits generally flush with the adjacent wall surface.

Warranty

One-Year - Work and Materials. · Damage resulting from improper maintenance or additions, deletions or alterations made by the homeowner is excluded from the statutory warranty. · Damage resulting from improper maintenance or additions, deletions or alterations made by the homeowner is excluded from the statutory warranty.

Action

Receptacles/switch cover plates not meeting the acceptable condition shall be repaired.

Remarks

None

Article number

7.5

Article type

Freehold

Warranty years

One Year

Article title

Receptacle/Switch Cover Plate is Not Flush with the Wall

FH 7.4: Electrical Fixture Doesn't Work

Home type

Performance

Electrical fixtures supplied and installed by the builder shall be installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications and the Ontario Electrical Safety Code.

Warranty

One-Year - Work and Materials. · Damage resulting from improper maintenance or additions, deletions or alterations made by the homeowner is excluded from the statutory warranty. · Secondary damage caused by defects, such as property damage or personal injury, is excluded from the statutory warranty.

Action

Electrical fixtures not meeting the acceptable performance shall be repaired.

Remarks

Identify damaged electrical fixtures on the PDI Form to avoid any dispute about whether the damage was caused by the builder. Check the electrical circuit panel when a receptacle or switch fails to work. See Also: 7.2 GROUND-FAULT CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER (GFCI) TRIPS FREQUENTLY 7.3 ELECTRICAL OUTLETS OR SWITCHES DON’T WORK

Article number

7.4

Article type

Freehold

Warranty years

One Year

Article title

Electrical Fixture Doesn't Work

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