Introduction, Inspections and Service

Welcoming phone call, and 40-day work

You will receive a welcoming email from our Service Department two or three days after moving in. The service rep will be your new primary contact person with Tartan Homes. He or she will ask you if everything’s going okay. They will also tell you about the initial deficiency  form. It is common that the Service Department will have to come back into your home after the submission of the initial form to deal with small deficiencies. When it’s time to do the initial form work, we will require the homeowner, or a representative, to let us in to do the work.

Initial Inspection

The Tarion Warranty Corporation allows homeowners a 40-day period to make sure that all of the fixtures and finishes in their home are free of deficiencies.

You can email your completed report to your Service Coordinator.

Service Department

All service calls during business hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) are to be directed to Tartan’s service department at 613-822-3129. Please note that non-emergency calls will be returned within 48 hours.

24-Hour Emergency Service

Plumbing: phone the service department, and the voice message will give you the number of our plumbing contractor’s 24-hour service.
Emergency service calls to the above contractors, which are deemed not to be an emergency, will result in the homeowner being billed directly by that contractor. For example, service calls for problems such as blocked toilets are not considered emergencies.

For further assistance call:
24 Hours Emergency # (613) 229-2942

How to Use this Site

Choosing Tartan means your home has been carefully designed and built by a team of professional tradespersons who strive for the highest standards in every home that bears the Tartan name. But like a new car, fresh off the assembly line, your home contains thousands of individual components that may need adjustments in coming months. That’s why we’ve prepared this homeowners manual. Based in part on Construction Performance Guidelines for the Ontario Home Building Industry, a document prepared by the Tarion Warranty Program, it is designed to provide answers to the most frequently asked questions about the ownership and operation of a new home.

We encourage you to take the time to read all of these pages. When you’re done, you will have a basic understanding of the workings of your home. You will know how to maintain various building systems, structures and components, you’ll know which repairs are covered by your home’s warranty and when to report them, and you will be equipped to resolve common problems in a way that will ensure your home is a pleasure to live in for many years.

This information is not intended to serve as a complete home repair guide; it does not replace the operations and maintenance manuals provided by the manufacturers of specific equipment such as your furnace, nor does it take the place of the Tarion Warranty Program.

Furthermore, after-sales service and warranty issues are specifically referred to in numerous places in your agreement of purchase and sale, mostly in schedules E and G. It is important for you to read and understand these articles fully.

We also suggest you familiarize yourself with the Tarion construction performance guidelines (CPG). This following link gives very detailed descriptions on the Tarion on standards of construction and finishes.
https://www.tarion.com

Home Warranty

Your home is protected from deficiencies by quality commitments made by Tartan Homes, and by the Tarion Warranty Program; there are three categories of protection or coverage:

One-Year Warranty Protection – Tartan warrants that the home is:

• constructed in a workmanlike manner and is free from defects in material;
• fit for habitation
• constructed in accordance with the Ontario Building Code for one year from the date of first possession.

Two-Year Warranty Protection – Tartan warrants for two years from the date of possession that the home is:

• free from water penetration through the basement or foundation of the home;
• constructed in a workmanlike manner and is free from defects in materials including windows, doors and caulking such that the building envelope of the home prevents water penetration;
• free from defects in material and work with respect to the electrical, plumbing and heating delivery and distribution systems;
• free from defects in materials and work resulting in detachment, displacement or physical deterioration with respect to the exterior cladding of the home;
• free from violations of Ontario Building Code regulations under which the building permit was issued, affecting health and safety, including, but not limited to, fire safety, insulation, air and vapour barriers, ventilation, heating and structural adequacy.

Seven-Year Major Structural Defect Warranty Protection – Homes are protected for seven years from the date of first possession against major structural defects as defined by regulations. Structural defects include:

• any defect in material or work that results in the failure of a load-bearing part of the home’s structure and adversely affects its load-bearing function;
• any defect in materials or work that materially and adversely affects the use of the building as a home.

The warranty is also not applicable to:

• temporary or seasonal homes;
• homes built on pre-existing footings or foundations;
• homes that have been lived in or rented prior to sale or built in converted buildings;
• homes purchased from a receiver or trustee under certain circumstances;
• damage caused by the homeowner, tenants or guests;
• damage resulting from improper maintenance;
• variations in square footage.

To ensure coverage for specific equipment and appliances found in your home, complete and mail guarantee cards to the appropriate companies. If you have questions about specific warranty periods, Tartan’s Customer Service Department will verify the date of your closing for appliance manufacturers.

Manufacturer Warranty Information

Your new home is filled with brand new mechanical systems and products. Many of these items have manufacturer warranties.

There are several ways that you can gather the warranty information for the various items.

There are several systems that will have their warranty information and documentation directly attached, beside or inside the product.

Other systems like your furnace, heat recovery ventilator (HRV), hot water tank, fireplace and air conditioner (if applicable) will have their documentation beside or underneath the unit.

If you require more information about your home’s systems be sure to visit the appropriate manufacturer’s website or if you are looking for a manual, you will likely find it here: http://www.manualsonline.com/ This link also appears on our website under the When You Buy header and then in the Customer Care section under After Closing.

In most cases, you will need to know the brand/manufacturer and model # of your products. This information can usually be found directly on the product.

For windows and shingles it can be difficult to determine the manufacturer. For assistance with this or any other help with locating manufacturer warranty information, please contact your customer care representative. Be sure to record your window manufacturer and shingle manufacturer for future reference.

It is important to remember the difference between the Builder’s warranty and the Manufacturer’s warranty. The builder’s warranty, as set out by the Tarion Program, varies in length depending on the item in the home. Further information on this is provided to you at the Pre-Delivery Inspection. You may also visit Tarion’s website for more information. A manufacturer’s warranty is related to a specific component in the home, such as the furnace or heat recovery ventilator (HRV). Tartan Homes is typically not involved in the manufacturer’s warranty. Rather, the homeowner and the manufacturer are the participants in this process.

More Information on Inspections

The Year-End Inspection and Report

During the course of the first year of occupancy there may be some deficiencies which require attention. Emergency items will be dealt with immediately, whereas other warrantable items will be dealt with as part of the Year-End report completed on the Tarion website in the MyHome section or MyHome app.

Before the first anniversary of your occupancy you can submit a Year-End report. The Tartan service department will not book or conduct this Year-End inspection. Send a copy to our service department and to the Tarion Warranty Program people. We will review the list and repair items that qualify under the Tarion Warranty Program. As a courtesy, Tartan will visit your home once and deal with issues related to shrinkage and settling of your home. This work will include caulking, repairing nail pops, and doing plaster touch-ups, but will not include sanding or painting.

Please note that the installation of new equipment in the first year of ownership may void the warranties of other house components or systems. For example, the installation of central air conditioning may void the furnace thermostat warranty. Please read warranty information supplied by manufacturers before installing new equipment.

Inspection Procedures

You are required to pay property taxes that are used by the Municipality to provide services such as garbage collection and street cleaning and to build and operate recreational facilities such as libraries and community centres. Once you take possession, it is your responsibility to ensure your home and property has been properly assessed. Contact the City of Ottawa or the Russell Township.