You’re in your new home. It’s beautiful, airy and bright and after months of moving parts, planning and dealing with all the final touches, you just want to put your feet up and relax.

Fast forward one year and it’s warranty time. You’ve already done your due diligence with an initial inspection and mandatory walk through but what about your second inspection before the year is up?

That’s right, you’re going to absolutely want to do a second inspection prior to living in the home for 12 months. Why? Mark your calendar and read on!

Here are some dollar and sanity saving reasons to mark off “second home inspection” at month ten or 11.

Hiring a professional home inspector to do a second walkthrough before your warranty expires is a must. This will allow your home to go through all four seasons, which is enough time for major defects to start showing up, and you’ll still be able to get them fixed under the first stage of the standard provincial warranty, which covers against material and labour defects.

Here are some things to look for:

• Foundational cracks or seam issues outside the home.
• Major shifting visible through cracks in the roof or drywall.
• Labour defects such as protruding baseboards, uneven cupboards, mis-wired lighting or plumbing issues.
• Condensation issues or leaks from uneven or misplaced windows.
• Cracks in any visible basement flooring.
• Uneven closets or built-ins
• Carpet issues.
• Water stains in your ceiling from roof defects.

Catch these things and more in your first year and you will not be on the hook!