Following The Progress Of Your Home
You naturally want to be involved and informed as your home is being built. Generally speaking, builders welcome your participation and enthusiasm and you should feel free to contact your builder from time to time to inquire about the progress of your home. However, for safety reasons you should not visit the construction site unless accompanied by the builder or a representative. Instead, call and make a special appointment.

Shortly before taking possession of the house, you and the builder will conduct "a pre-delivery inspection tour" of the home. Take note of everything that is not to your satisfaction. Builders who are members of a provincial New Home Warranty Program will ask you to sign a Certificate of Completion and Possession.

Taking Care Of The Moving Details
As you get closer to the moving date, you need to take care of a number of important "little things". Getting started early means a smoother transition for your household.
* Change your address at the post office
* Notify utilities, the telephone company, employers, credit card companies, etc.
* Arrange for movers
* Buy new appliances
* Make day care arrangements in your new neighbourhood
* Take care of school registration
* and . . .

On The Closing Date
On the date set in your Agreement of Purchase and Sale, you will take possession of your new home. If you plan to move in to your new home on the closing date, you have a busy day ahead of you!

On this day, your lawyer will obtain payment to your builder (or his lawyer), register the property in your name and obtain the keys to the house and the deed for you. As soon as this has taken place, you are the rightful and proud owner of the home and you can begin to move in.

When you step into your new home, you will immediately want to check that all services have been connected. You may also wish to conduct a brief inspection of the house to ensure that no last-minute damage has occurred since your pre-delivery inspection and that agreed-upon minor repairs have in fact been done.

After-Sales Service
Your builder wants you to be happy with your new home-after all, satisfied clients are a builder's best marketing tool. Professional builders have established after-sales service policies such as 3 and 6 month follow-up telephone calls, and 12 month home visits. Take these opportunities to let the builder know if you are experiencing any problems with your home, or if you have any concerns. Also, contact your builder at any time if you run into problems that require immediate attention.

Taking Care of Your New Home
Your new home will be built for comfortable and convenient living. Proper maintenance will protect the value of your home and means less work and fewer costly repairs in the long term.

Shortly before completion, the builder will invite you on an orientation tour to familiarize you with your new home. The builder will explain how to operate and maintain the heating, cooling, electrical and water systems. You will want to know basic procedures - how to turn the systems on and off and change the settings if required, when to schedule maintenance and who to contact. You also need information for basic "troubleshooting" before calling in service people. The builder will give you manufacturers' literature for later reference, along with any warranty documents for specific equipment.

Thanks to modern finishing products and convenience designs, today's new home owners face less maintenance and upkeep than ever before. For instance, many countertops wipe clean in one swipe, and new wooden floors and other coverings need only be damp-mopped sparingly with water or a weak solution of liquid cleaner. Before establishing a regular housekeeping routine, take a few minutes to read through the product literature provided by your builder. Follow the directions by the manufacturers to preserve the beauty and quality of your home.

A little common sense goes a long way when you decorate your new home. Place furniture away from heating and cooling vents. Keep non-carpeted floors in great shape by using easy-to-apply protectors on the legs of chairs, tables and sofas. When hanging pictures or shelves, take care to make as few holes as possible in the walls.

Today's low-maintenance siding, windows and trim have reduced or eliminated many of the "traditional" outside chores such as scraping, sanding, glazing and painting. However, you should do a visual inspection of the outside of your home from time to time for the effects of any settling or extreme temperature fluctuations.

Clean the eavestroughs each fall to prevent a build-up of leaves and again in the spring to ensure proper waterflow. Rinsing the siding with water or washing gently with soap once a year will keep it looking great and in tiptop shape. Again, talk to your builder and refer to the manufacturers' literature.

Well-planned landscaping enhances your enjoyment of your new home and can add value to your investment. Your builder can explain the ground rules of landscaping - how to avoid disturbing underground utility services, and how to grade the land around the house to direct rain and melting snow away from the house to prevent moisture problems in the basement. You might also want to speak with your builder or a local nursery about the soil conditions on your property, and the kinds of plants that would grow best and their recommended care.

Many builders provide their customers with an information package or a home owner manual to help them understand how their home works and how to maintain it in top condition. A high-quality house built for easy maintenance and informed home owner care-a blueprint for satisfaction and lasting value!