Coverage for Different Home Types

At Mi Cazza Construction, we believe in building quality homes and ensuring our homeowners have peace of mind. That’s why every new home we build in Ontario comes with a warranty backed by Tarion. This warranty provides important coverage, especially after you take possession.

Below, we’ll outline the different warranty periods and what they typically cover for various types of new homes, including standard Freehold homes, Condominium Units, and Residential Condominium Conversions.

The One-Year Warranty: Initial Protection

Your one-year warranty coverage begins the day you take possession of your new Mi Cazza home and lasts for one full year. This initial warranty period is comprehensive and covers defects in materials and workmanship.

• For Standard Freehold & New Condominium Units: This warranty ensures your home was built in a workman-like manner, is free from defects in material, meets the Ontario Building Code requirements, and protects against unauthorized material substitutions. It also confirms the home is fit for habitation. This coverage applies even if the home is sold within the first year.
• Special Note for Residential Condominium Conversions: For units in a residential condominium conversion (projects where an existing building is converted into condos, with the first sales agreement signed on or after January 2018), the seven-year warranty applies like other new homes. However, the one-year warranty on workmanship and materials generally does NOT cover defects in the pre-existing elements of the building. This is because those parts are older construction. All other one-year protections, like meeting the Ontario Building Code for new components, do apply.
• A Quick Note on Contract Homes: If you own land and hire a builder like Mi Cazza through a construction contract to build a home on that land (“contract home”), the warranty coverage works differently than buying a standard new home package. Tarion has specific information for contract homes on their website.

The Two-Year Warranty: Systems and Water Penetration

Your warranty coverage extends into the second year, focusing on key systems and potential water issues. This coverage also begins on your date of possession and lasts for two years, even if the home is sold.

• For Standard Freehold, New Condominium Units & Contract Homes: This warranty period covers:
  • Water penetration through the basement or foundation walls, or elsewhere into the building envelope.
  • Defects in the electrical, plumbing, and heating delivery and distribution systems.
  • Defects resulting in the detachment, displacement, or deterioration of exterior cladding (like brick or siding).
  • Ontario Building Code violations that affect health and safety.
• For Residential Condominium Conversions: The two-year warranty coverage for water penetration and defects in the electrical, plumbing, and heating systems does apply to both the new construction and the pre-existing elements within the conversion project.

The Seven-Year Warranty: Major Structural Defects (MSD)

The most long-term warranty is the seven-year coverage for Major Structural Defects, beginning on your date of possession and lasting for seven years.

• What is a Major Structural Defect (MSD)? For homes built after June 30, 2012, this generally means a defect in the work or materials used in a crucial load-bearing element of the building (like foundation walls, beams, or roof trusses) that either causes the element to fail, significantly affects its ability to carry weight for its intended life, or significantly impacts your ability to use a large part of your home for normal living purposes.
• What is Generally NOT Covered under MSD? It’s important to know this warranty does not typically cover damage or claims related to:
  • Elevators within the building structure.
  • Appliances that are part of your heating or cooling systems (like furnaces, AC units, or HRVs).
  • Dampness or mould that isn’t caused by a structural failure.
  • Damage caused by the homeowner, tenants, or visitors.
  • Damage from external events like war, riot, or natural floods (unless caused by the builder).
  • Anything else specifically excluded under the Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act.
• For Residential Condominium Conversions: The seven-year warranty for major structural defects applies to both new construction and the pre-existing elements of the building within the conversion project.

A Note on Household Appliances

While the warranty covers the installation of appliances provided by the builder (under the one-year warranty if due to faulty workmanship), the warranty does not cover the appliances themselves as they are considered personal property (“chattel”). This means:

• Aesthetic damage present when delivered (like scratches).
• Defects in the appliance’s manufacturing (like a broken part).
• Unauthorized substitutions of appliance brand/model.
• Missing appliances that were agreed upon.

If you encounter these issues, you should contact Mi Cazza Construction and/or the appliance manufacturer directly, as they are not covered under the Tarion warranty Plan Act itself.

We hope this overview helps clarify your Tarion warranty coverage after you move in. At Mi Cazza, we are committed to building homes that stand the test of time and providing you with the information you need to be a confident homeowner.