Stage-by-Stage Checklists for a New Home Build: What to Verify Before Each Stage Is Covered

During construction Checklists From a builder

Stage-by-Stage Checklists for a New Home Build

Every stage of a house gets covered by the next one. These lists are what to look at, and photograph, in the day or two before that happens. They are the lists I use; print them and walk the site with your builder.

Short version: Eight stages, from the lot before excavation to the occupancy inspection. Each list is what has to be true, and photographed, before the next trade buries it. The photographs matter more than the ticks: a dated picture of the weeping tile with a tape measure in it settles more arguments than any contract clause.

Before excavation

Permit posted on site and drawings on site Lot staked by a surveyor; setbacks checked against the site plan Utility locates done (gas, hydro, telecom, water) Entrance and culvert in; construction access gravelled Silt fence or erosion control where required Tree protection up where required Septic and well locations staked and clearances checked Photos of the lot before the first bucket

Footings and foundation

Footing inspection passed before forms go up Bearing on undisturbed soil, not fill Rebar as per engineer; photos with a tape Anchor bolts and hold-downs in the wet concrete Damp-proofing or waterproofing to the top of the wall Weeping tile beside the footing, stone, filter, cleanouts; photos Drainage membrane lapped over the tile Sump pit or daylight outlet in and working Foundation inspection passed before backfill Under-slab insulation, vapour barrier and radon rough-in before the slab

Framing and roof

Floor system per the engineered layout; hangers with hanger nails Point loads traced to footings Headers and lintels per schedule Truss drawings on site; trusses installed and braced as drawn Sheathing nailed per schedule; ice and water shield at eaves and valleys Stair rise, run and headroom checked before the drywaller hides it Window and door rough openings checked against the window order Framing inspection passed before any rough-in is covered

Rough-ins

Plumbing pressure test witnessed; photos Duct or radiant layout matches the mechanical design Bathroom and kitchen exhaust ducted outside, not into the attic HRV ducts run to bedrooms and bathrooms ESA electrical rough-in passed Low-voltage, data and security wiring run before insulation Fire-stopping at penetrations through fire separations Photos of every wall before insulation

Insulation, vapour barrier and air barrier

R-values match the energy compliance form Vapour barrier continuous: seams, electrical boxes, rim joist, penetrations sealed Acoustic sealant at the perimeter Attic insulation depth marked and the hatch insulated Air barrier tied to windows and foundation Insulation inspection passed before drywall

Drywall and finishes

Fire separation drywall type and taping at the garage and any suite Self-closing door at the garage Guards and handrails installed at the Code heights Flooring over radiant: floor temperature and acclimatization respected Tile and waterproofing in showers before tile Cabinets and counters templated after cabinets are set

Mechanical and electrical finish

Heating system commissioned; venting complete HRV balanced; report in the file Water heater commissioned; expansion tank if required ESA final passed; certificate in the file Smoke and CO alarms interconnected and tested Thermostats and controls explained to the owner

Final and occupancy

Occupancy inspection booked with two working days’ notice Engineer letters, truss certification, HRV report, energy form in a folder Rough grading drains away from the house Exterior doors, locks and lighting complete Deficiency list walked with the builder; PDI form completed on a Tarion home Holdback release scheduled against the lien period HST rebate paperwork started

How to use these

Walk each stage with the builder the day before the inspection is booked, tick the list, and photograph anything that will be covered. Keep the photos in a dated folder. The inspections guide explains what the inspector checks at each visit, which overlaps with these lists but is not the same thing: the inspector checks the Code; you are checking the drawings and the contract too. The before-drywall checklist and the final walkthrough checklist are the two stages worth their own page.

Related guides on this site

Building inspections, every stagebefore drywall checklistfinal walkthrough checklist new homeDocumenting your projectweeping tile drainage sump pump ontarioconcrete pour day and curinghrv vs erv ontariooccupancy permit requirements ontario

Sources and further reading

The 2024 Ontario Building Code
Tarion: pre-delivery inspection
Electrical Safety Authority

Questions people ask

What should I check before drywall goes up?

Everything that will be hidden: plumbing pressure test, duct and radiant layout against the design, exhausts ducted outside, HRV ducts to the right rooms, ESA rough-in passed, low-voltage wiring in, vapour barrier sealed, insulation values matching the energy form. And photographs of every wall.

Why photograph a construction stage?

Because once it is covered, the photograph is the only record. Dated photos with a tape measure in them settle disputes with builders, inspectors and Tarion, and they help you find a wire or a pipe twenty years later.

Do these replace the building inspections?

No. The municipal inspector checks the Code at prescribed stages. These lists check the drawings, the contract and the things the inspector does not look at, such as whether the HRV ducts reach the bedrooms.

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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.