Bremont Homes – Tarion Warranty

Bremont Homes Defies Tarion Home Warranty Program

Bremont Homes are currently building new homes in Innisfil – called the Forest Edge in Innisfil.  This September I was contacted by a new home buyer to accompany him for his Pre-Delivery Inspection.  You can imagine my surprise when I pulled up to the building site in Innisfil and the Bremont Homes representative, who was standing outside the home,  smiled and “wagged his finger at me”  indicating I would not be allowed to do the inspection.  This was confirmed by my client, who had been inside the home when I arrived.  He told me that the Bremont Customer Service person he had been dealing with could not make the appointment and the “Bremont Representative” would  not allow him to have a “home Inspector” present for his PDI inspection.

The Tarion website is very specific about allowing “home inspector’s” to attend the PDI inspection.   This is a direct quote from their website, “The minimum customer service standard allows a purchaser to attend the PDI with a designate or appoint a designate to attend the PDI in his/her place.  There is no restriction as to who the designate may be, so a professional home inspector or any other person is permitted to attend the PDI either with the purchaser or in their place as a designate”    You can visit website here.

In this day and age it boggles the mind that any company who has any consideration for their customers would prevent them from enjoying their rights under the Tarion warranty program.  Doing a quick search about Bremont Homes on the internet resulted in an article about problems with zoning,draft plans and “mistakes” in tree cutting.  You can read article here.

If you are thinking of buying a new home,  you might consider the consideration this particular builder has shown his client when denying his entitlement to have a “professional home inspector” present for the Pre-deliver Inspection.  I did another PDI inspection a week previous in Innisfil and found two very surprising items, considering it was a brand new home.  One was the electrical panel had been installed too high and the second was the sump pump did not have a air barrier as required.  There were many more items noted, but how many home owners would be aware of these deficiencies?

This particular client is hiring me to inspect his home as soon as he gets possession, and if I can obtain his permission, I will update this article with a list of deficiencies so you can understand the importance of having a professional to look after your interests when buying a new home.

Always Remember:  Caveat Emptor –  Buyer Beware

There are many groups who are petitioning the Ontario Government to have Tarion held accountable to the Ontario Ombudsman.  Hopefully this will eventually happen which would be a “big win” for new home buyers.   Read one site dedicated to providing information on “Home Construction”>

When purchasing a new home and booking a Tarion Pre-Delivery Inspection – protect yourself and your investment by call the Barrie Home Inspection Service.

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Electrical Issues in Your Home

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Investing in Barrie – Residential Property Guide

Investing in Barrie

Barrie, ON is consistently being noticed as a “investment opportunity” city with buyers that are flocking to the city to invest in Real Estate.  Recently Barrie was ranked only behind Waterloo, Kitchener and Hamilton by the Real Estate investment Network.  The “REIN” cites the annexation of Innisfil as a future engine that will drive development in the area.

Many Toronto property investors are buying townhouses and rent to own properties in Barrie, due to its close proximity to Toronto and the affordable prices that make properties attractive to purchasers.

Barrie currently has a population of over 143,000 and has grown 5.7% since 2006.  The City takes in over 100 sq km of land and has a large networks of parks, many of which are on the shores of Kempenfelt Bay.  Barrie is currently in the process of extending it park land along Lakeshore Drive which hopefully will improve the enjoyment of the water by its citizens. The Barrie waterfront is the City’s greatest asset and attraction, characterized by outstanding natural features, vibrant and diverse public spaces and high-quality recreational facilities. It is a prized and shared resource for recreation, economic development, events and programming on the shores of Kempenfelt Bay.

Currently Barrie’s inventory of homes available for sale is low compared to previous years creating a “sellers market” which has resulted in many properties being sold above their asking price.  Some Realtor’s estimate that the average home price in Barrie has already risen over 9% in 2015.  Many seniors in Toronto have chosen Barrie as their retirement location, cashing in on a hot real estate market in Toronto and purchasing property in the Barrie and surrounding areas.

Mortgage rates are also part of the reason that Real Estate is experiencing substantial growth.  Low rates are allowing people, such as first time home buyers, to invest in their first home at an affordable cost.  One thing that has been consistent over the years,  the price of Real Estate always goes up,  even when there has been dips in housing prices, at the end of the day, they have alway risen.  Many people are using Real Estate investment as a hedge against inflation,  realizing that just leaving money invested with a bank will eventually see their “nest egg’ decline in value as inflation steadily eats away at its value.

When purchasing an investment property you need the services of a Professional Home Inspector.  Roger Frost, the Barrie Home Inspector, has been inspecting homes for over 10 years and is a Certified Building Code Official with the Ontario Building Officials Association.  Roger is also a Real Estate investor with both Commercial and Residential investments, which allows you to benefit from his experience and expertise.  Free Thermal Imaging scan of your home is also included with every property inspection.  The Barrie Home inspector can give you “Peace of Mind” when making your next purchase.

Remembrance Day

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
      Between the crosses, row on row,
   That mark our place; and in the sky
   The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
   Loved and were loved, and now we lie
         In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
   The torch; be yours to hold it high.
   If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
         In Flanders fields.

Wear your Poppy in Remembrance and Pride for those valiant warriors.

Take a moment from your day to day to remember all those who so bravely gave their lives to fight for their country and their beliefs.  The freedom we enjoy in our lives is due in part to the ultimate price they and their families paid.

Fire Prevention Week

National Fire Prevention Week

Fire Prevention Week was established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire in 1871.  This great catastrophe killed over 250 people and left a 100,000 homeless.  IN 1925 President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed the first Fire Prevention Week.  In Canada Fire Prevention Week was declared by the Governor General in 1919.

Fire Prevention personnel in Fire Departments follow the three E’s.  They are Education,  Engineering and Enforcement.  Education is the primary role of Fire Prevention Week with National Programs targeting a specific area of Education and also including visits to schools and manning educational booths in high traffic areas.  Many Fire Departments have Smoke Trailers or similar devices which allow school children to participate directly in a learning environment.

Stop, Drop and Roll is a primary example of the type of teaching Fire Prevention officers teach to young and old alike.  Fire extinguisher training is also carried out in supervised instructional settings.  New video technology allows mass training in classroom environments.

One of the most important messages your local fire department promotes frequently is to make sure you have a smoke detector installed and you test it monthly to ensure it works.  Did you know that many people don’t test their smoke alarms as often as they should? When there is a fire, smoke spreads fast. You need working smoke alarms to give you time to get out. Test yours every month!   In the US approximately one third of all deaths related to fire in the home occurred where there was no working smoke detector.

There are two types of smoke detectors commonly used,  Ionization and Photoelectric. Ionization type smoke detectors have a small particle of radioactive material between two electrically charged plates, which ionizes the air and causes current to flow between the plates. When smoke enters the chamber, it disrupts the flow of ions, thus reducing the flow of current and activating the alarm.

Photoelectric-type smoke detectors aim a light source into a sensing chamber at an angle away from the sensor. Smoke enters the chamber, reflecting light onto the light sensor; triggering the alarm.

Alongside this year’s Fire Prevention theme of “Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives: Test Yours Every Month!”, ;your local fire department will be holding open houses for the public during Fire Prevention Week to allow them to meet the staff and tour their facilities.

Many professional Fire Departments will tour neighbourhoods in the evening visiting homes and offering to test their smoke detectors and idenfiy any visible hazards.