Final Walkthrough Checklist for a New Home: What to Test, Open, Run and Write Down

During construction Checklist From a builder

Final Walkthrough Checklist for a New Home: What to Test, Open, Run and Write Down

The final walkthrough is not a celebration, although it feels like one. It is an inspection you do with a notepad, and what you write down is what gets fixed. Here is how to do it so the list is short, fair and complete.

Short version: Walk the house in daylight, with the builder, slowly, room by room, running every tap, opening every window, flipping every switch, and writing every item on one dated list with its location. On a Tarion home this is the pre-delivery inspection and the list goes on the PDI form. Collect the documents before you leave: engineer letters, HRV report, ESA certificate, manuals, warranties, as-builts. Then do the deficiency follow-up in writing until the list is empty.

Before you arrive

  • Book it in daylight, allow three hours, and bring: the drawings, the specification schedule, the selections list, a tape measure, a flashlight, a phone charger (to test outlets), a level, a notepad, and someone who notices things.
  • Ask the builder for the documents list in advance so they are on the counter: engineer and truss letters, HRV balancing report, ESA certificate, energy compliance form, septic use permit, manuals and warranties, as-built drawings, the paint and finish schedule.
  • On a Tarion home, read the pre-delivery inspection guidance first; the PDI form is the official record and the builder completes it with you.

Room by room: run, open, measure

  1. Outside first. Grading away from the house, downspouts discharging away, siding and trim complete and straight, caulking at windows and penetrations, exterior doors locking, garage door and opener, exterior lights and outlets, deck guards and stairs, driveway and culvert.
  2. Every window and exterior door. Opens, closes, locks, no cracked glass, screens present, weatherstripping seated, no daylight at the frame.
  3. Every tap and drain. Hot comes hot within a reasonable time, pressure is even, drains run clear, no drips under sinks, toilets flush and refill, tub and shower drain, shower glass sealed.
  4. Every switch and outlet. Switches do what the plan says, outlets live (the phone charger test), GFCI at bathrooms, kitchen and exterior, exhaust fans run and you can feel air at the outside hood.
  5. Heating and ventilation. Furnace, boiler or heat pump runs, every zone heats, thermostats respond, HRV runs and the boost works, water heater delivers.
  6. Alarms. Press test on every smoke and CO alarm; they should all sound together.
  7. Floors, walls, ceilings. Look along surfaces in raking light for drywall defects, cracked tile, flooring gaps, squeaks, cupped boards; check tile grout and caulking in wet areas.
  8. Doors and trim. Interior doors latch and do not rub, hardware tight, trim joints closed, paint complete including closets.
  9. Kitchen and baths. Cabinet doors and drawers aligned, countertops level and sealed, appliances installed and running, backsplash complete.
  10. Basement and mechanical room. Sump runs (pour water in), backup pump tested, no water staining, cleanouts and shut-offs labelled, radon rough-in capped, electrical panel labelled.
  11. Attic and garage. Attic hatch insulated and sealed, insulation depth, no exhaust ducts ending in the attic; garage fire separation complete, self-closer on the door.

Writing the list

One list, dated, with each item numbered, the room, and a plain description: “Primary ensuite: shower door leaks at bottom hinge side.” Photographs numbered to match. Separate incomplete work (not done) from deficiencies (done wrong) and from items you are accepting as-is. Have the builder sign a copy, or on a Tarion home make sure every item is on the PDI form, because items missed on the PDI are harder to claim later. Cosmetic vs serious defects helps sort what matters; deficiencies and warranty explains what the builder owes on each.

Money and the list

The final payment and the deficiency list are linked, but not the way people think. The statutory holdback is for lien protection and is released on its own timeline; it is not the deficiency fund. Most contracts allow a separate, reasonable holdback for the value of incomplete and deficient work until it is done. Agree the amount on the day, in writing, against the list. The holdback guide and substantial completion cover the mechanics.

After the walkthrough

  1. Send the list to the builder by e-mail the same day.
  2. Agree dates for the fixes and a re-walk.
  3. On a Tarion home, file the 30-day form with anything new, then the year-end form; late forms lose coverage.
  4. Keep the document folder somewhere you will find it in year six.
  5. Start the first-year maintenance routine: the house is still drying out and settling, and the year-end list is where the drywall cracks go.

Related guides on this site

stage checklists new home constructioncosmetic vs serious construction defectsDeficiencies and warrantyThe 10 percent holdbackSubstantial completionoccupancy permit requirements ontariofirst year new home maintenanceWhat Tarion covers

Sources and further reading

Questions people ask

What should I check at the final walkthrough of a new house?

Everything that runs, opens, locks or switches: taps, drains, windows, doors, outlets, fans, heating, HRV, alarms, sump. Then surfaces in daylight for defects, and the exterior for grading, caulking and guards. Write every item on one dated list.

What is a PDI?

The pre-delivery inspection on a Tarion-enrolled home: the walkthrough with the builder before possession where deficiencies are recorded on the PDI form. Items recorded on the form are protected; items missed may be harder to claim.

Can I hold back money for deficiencies?

Usually a reasonable amount for the value of incomplete or defective work, as the contract provides, agreed in writing against the list. That is separate from the Construction Act holdback, which is for lien protection and has its own timeline.

What documents should I get at the final walkthrough?

Engineer and truss letters, HRV balancing report, ESA electrical certificate, energy compliance form, septic use permit, manuals and warranties, as-built drawings, and the paint and finish schedule.

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Reviewed and updated October 2026. Costs are Ontario ranges, not quotes; code references are to the Ontario Building Code in force at that date.