Mattamy report on illegal wiring buried by Town of Oakville. The town with the donations.

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If anything, the recent court appearances by Toronto Mayor Rob Ford showed one thing.  It can cost one hell of a lot of money to fight city hall. A recent Toronto Star article quotes $300k if you get stuck with losing and having to pay for both sides.  Not chump change for sure.

As you know, Mattamy Homes, Peter Gilgan and their mouthpieces have threatened to take me to court on defamation charges,  a charge I pointed out they too are guilty of.  This is the type of tactic a builder will use in order to have their failures repressed.  No one is perfect but, honest people fess up and fix the problem.  Then there are those that hide behind politicians – politicians who receive donations from them.  You see, donations are perfectly legal, even if they can lead to favours.  But, try to prove some type of conflict of interest.

Others have tried the court route.

“Without securing funding from supporters in the community, Elias Hazineh says he would never have launched his suit against Mississauga mayor Hazel McCallion. “As it stands now, unless you have deep pockets, you can see corruption happening in front of you and be able to do nothing about it,” he said.

Lots of people may think about taking a stand, but “once you hit the road block of financing, you realize you can’t do it on your own.”

But who should look after these conflicts?

“My guess is that my phone isn’t going to be ringing for while with people wanting to bring conflict of interest applications,” said Stephen D’Agostino, a municipal conflict of interest law expert with Thomson Rogers. “But I don’t mind because I think it should be handled by the Ontario government.”

Only an individual can bring a politician to court on a conflict of interest and the potential for financial ruin is great. 

Trying to have the government do it is impossible as well. Remember who gets all the donations from developers.  McGuinty and Hudak were high on the list.  In my case, I did not go the route of a “conflict of interest” but tried to use my experience to have the Town of Oakville pass a simple bylaw that would allow a potential homebuyer to hire a house inspector to monitor the building of their new house;  thus protecting themselves from shoddy and illegal workmanship.  A privilege enjoyed by commercial builders – they have architects, engineers and site managers to keep an eye on their construction.

The Town of Oakville even did an investigation into my case regarding the illegal wiring of my house, which put my children at risk and,allowed the subsequent sale of the house even though it would not have been allowed by the town, according to their building director.  What happened to this report?  You’d have to ask former mayor Anne Mulvale.  She seemed to have her finger on all aspects of my case – attended sub-committee meetings and led the charge at town council.  The report was never given to me.  Why is that?  It was about me so, should I not have been given a copy?

No, it was hidden and my recommendation passed up to the provincial government.  Funny thing is, a councillor who passed this, was subsequently elected to the provincial parliament and did nothing concerning this recommendation, which he voted on.  So much for taking responsibility.

It would be hard to prove a conflict of interest regarding my case.  I can only state the facts.

1: A Town of Oakville building inspector passed an illegally wired furnace, which allowed Mattamy to sell the house.  A report was made concerning my incident and passed on to the mayor.  I did not see the report.  Was it fair, honest, relevant, illustrative, blaming, etc?

2: My recommendation was not followed through and passed into provincial oblivion. No real reason except they thought it was provincial.  Sorry to say but enforcing the building code is municipal and therefore this would be one tool to ensure the structure was built to code.  Obviously the town inspector cannot do this.

3: Mayor Ann Mulvale spearheaded an effort to have Mattamy donate money, etc to Wellspring – a personal project of hers.

4: Matttmy did in fact contribute to Wellspring.

5: Mattamy continues to contribute to the United Way – a personal project of former mayor Ann Mulvale.

6: Oh, I forgot.  Mattamy was a very generous donator to Ann Mulvale’s election.  Want to see the picture?

All facts (for the lawyers) and I leave the reader to draw their own conclusions.

I ask the Town of Oakville – why are you afraid of passing the recommendation?  You pass all sorts of recommendations that affect the lives of Oakville’s citizens.  Why not pass one that protects the lives of Oakville’s citizens? You stopped smoking didn’t you?  Why not a tool to allow homeowners to prevent shoddy workmanship and unsafe construction practices?

Just what is your policy in terms of inspecting the new Mattamy subdivision – The Preserve?  Do you intend to inspect all houses at all levels of construction?  If you don’t, then I would suggest that people will get shafted just like I did.  You know – taxpayers and voters.  The people who should be protected – not BILLIONAIRES………

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OPTICS – How Mattamy makes a sow’s ear into a silk purse.

Yes….. it’s all in how you spin it.  That’s why successful businesses hire PR firms to look after their image and hire creative people to not build the product but, to make people think they are built well.  Check out the Toronto Star homes section and you will see a plethora of advertising for new home developments, condos and other constructions.  Nice ads meant to drag you over and let the sales people at you.  Mattamy even throws a 2 page spread every Saturday.  They must be doing well or, just making some extra cash using shortcuts and spending it to make you feel you are buying a good product.

It is common knowledge that you never believe the “artist’s” interpretation of a new house or development.  Those full colour renditions are meant to give you an idea of what it could look like but, probably won’t.  You’ll notice these pictures are usually accompanied with some legal small print telling you it is probably a lie and don’t hold the builder to what you see.

When I bought my house, it was but an open field of red clay.  I went to the marked spot for my house and behold – the vista of Lake Ontario was spread before me.  Talk about falling in love with the place.  I knew there would be houses between me and the lake but, I thought I might be able to salvage the view from the bedroom window.  Nothing like waking up in the morning with the wife and enjoying the view – the view of the lake that is.  Sadly to say, it didn’t happen.  No lake view for me but in fairness, Mattamy never promised me a lake view.  Just a nice house and they couldn’t even supply that.

“Naming committee opposes Cityscape as misleading for new development”  reads the headline of the Calgary Herald.  Seems that Mattamy, their Calgary branch, want to name their latest sub-division “Cityscape”.  They feel the name reflects “a view of the urban landscape from a distance defined by the sky, mountains,  buildings and other natural or man-made features that create a pleasant and  memorable vista.”

Excuse me while I gag………

The Calgary naming committee felt that the subdivision was so far away that the name was misleading and would give people the wrong impression.  Don’t forget, like me, the present view on the vacant land does give a rather distant view of the skyline.  Vacant land.  Once the subdivision is built, just how many people will have this view?  Like me, the surrounding development will probably close it off to all but a select few properties.  And, knowing Mattamy, there will be a premium on those lots I don’t doubt.  Hey, Gilgan’s investments are down last year.

What kind of view do they have now.  Here is a picture which Mattamy showed Calgary planning commission.  Based on this, they got to name their new subdivision “Cityscape”.

View before development

When built, you might get a view of the mountain tops from your 2nd floor bedroom window. Optics.  People will flock to the Mattamy sales shack the night before, if anything like the Oakville sales, and try to get a house based on this view.  I suggest you take a picture before construction, enlarge it and frame it and put it up on your bedroom wall.  That will be about all you will really see. It does give a nice feeling though.  Much like the new Oakville development – “The Preserve”.  Makes you feel all warm and green and fuzzy.  I am sure the only thing preserved there will be the forested valley land and only because you can’t build there.  The old farm house that was to be “preserved”.  Burnt to a crisp and is now a pile of bricks somewhere.  You can phone them but I only got voice mail – no person.  One wonders what happened to the bricks – Gilgan’s driveway up in Muskoka maybe? All that exists of this landmark is a sign.  So much for “preservation”.  They may promise you a rose garden in print but, you could end up with the thorn patch.  Remember: HIRE A HOUSE INSPECTOR TO PROTECT YOURSELF. I met a millionaire a few days ago.  Quite a difference between a millionaire and a billionaire (Gilgan is one).  I noticed he had a high level of ethics and pride in his product.  From talking to him, I suspect he makes sure his products are up to snuff and if not, the customer is looked after.  Not by bully boys like Mattamy.  No, he will make sure the customer is satisfied. Gilgan – he just drove by in his Jaguar (?) and said I wasn’t being nice.  I guess in his world, being nice is shafting a customer and selling a house with illegal wiring that puts the kids at risk.  I guess I was brought up differently.  Probably why I’ll never be a billionaire.

Do you really know how to do a proper inspection? Mattamy doesn’t nor Town of Oakville building inspectors.

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Weekend is coming up and we will all have our activities.  Some will be working, some probably protesting ( i.e. #IdleNoMore), others off to a weekend activity such as skiing and others, looking at old and new homes to move into.

This blog is directed to those out looking at potential homes.  The others, have a good weekend and enjoy.  Maybe the #IdleNoMore can get the PM and GG to take them for a weekend extravaganza on the government dime.

But, for those looking into buying a home, new or old, I found the following website.  PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THIS AS AN ENDORSEMENT FOR THE COMPANY, “CARSON DUNLOP“.  I have had no experience with them, nor heard any positive or negative comments.  What I am drawing your attention to is to their website and,in particular, the page that shows 33 issues that can be found in a home, asks you to find the issue and, then shows you the answer.  Very visual.  Carson Dunlop link.

Some people think they are capable of doing a proper inspection prior to purchasing a home.  Some actually believe that a new home is issue free.  If you’ve read my blog you know that builders, at least Mattamy, seem to be capable of making mistakes – mistakes than can cost you money or even your life.  Sometimes they are looked after, other times you get scammed or forgotten about, depending on the mood of the builder.

No matter how good you think you are in picking up issues in a new or resale home, take this little test and see if you can spot the issues.  Issues which a professional house inspector should be able to spot if they do a comprehensive inspection.

I used to say you should have a house inspector for the PDI.  I can understand the reluctance that a house inspector would have in being with you.  One is the builder – they may make it very difficult for the inspector to do the right thing.  Time being one of the issues.  Myself, I think you should be able to hire a house inspector to monitor the build but, if you can’t, then at least before the 30 day and one year warranty periods are over.

Most people who buy a resale or new home kind of look for cosmetic issues and how the house is designed and if the paint and ceramics will clash with their decor.  A real inspection looks at a house down to the bones.  Is the house falling apart at the seams or a haven for mold, termites and rot?  You have to get down and dirty to spot this stuff.

So, before you hit the road this weekend and look at a few shacks, take a look at this link.  It will give you an idea of just how intensive an inspection needs to be.

Unless you are going to gut the place anyways.

P.S.  I would suggest that Mattamy employees and Town of Oakville building inspectors take a gander at this link as well.  Based on what I saw, you really do need to see how it should be done, not how you have done it in the past.  Maybe that way, those buying into “The Preserve” will have a good chance of a fairly problem free house, unlike some.  Mr. Gilgan, as the boss, maybe you should take a look as well – direction from the top can set standards.

P.P.S. For the Mattamy lawyers and, maybe attached at the hip, Town of Oakville lawyers, based on my experience and the experience of others, I believe the title to be truthful.  If you feel differently, you’ve got my number.  I will take any non-threatening contact into consideration.

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When politicians and developers work together – not always a good thing. Right Gilgan?

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So, you’ve stood out in line, freezing with your lucky number and can’t wait to get in and spend your hard-earned money on a new home.  Much like some did in the new Mattamy subdivision called “The Preserve”.  At the end of this blog, I have reprinted a comment from Tim made on my October 10th, 2012 blog titled: “Mike Holmes loves PERMITS.  Mattamy, maybe not?  What do you say Gilgan?”.  For fans of Mike Holmes, you may have seen the noted episode or, other episodes that show that a new house doesn’t necessarily mean a well-built house.  Even a fairly new Mattamy home has been showcased by Holmes and issues shown.  Issues that should never have happened and, most importantly, should never have been passed by a building inspector.  Much like my case, which I have shown on a number of occasions.  Showcasing the Town of Oakville’s attitude towards personal safety of the homeowners.  Illegal wiring anyone?  Now, they did tell Mattamy to change some gutters which they felt were a fire hazard but, didn’t care about the shoddy workmanship used to destroy my perfectly good gutters and leaving a mess in its place.  But, it was alright, at least according to the Mattamy guy.

Tim brings up a good point.  If you find something wrong and it was actually inspected by a building inspector, why would any subsequent inspection say anything was wrong.  The municipality would not want to open itself up to a potential lawsuit.  Maybe that is why the Town of Oakville never apologized for its mistake on my house, even though I told them I wouldn’t sue.  I know it is contrary to a lawyer’s ethics, but some people do actually tell the truth.  In my case, I never did sue but, the town’s lawyers clammed up worse than a virgin at a whores get together.

So, it begs the question – in Oakville, will the Town of Oakville’s building inspectors actually inspect every house being built by Mattamy in “The Preserve”?  The town is responsible for the building code (which they will tell you every time they issue you a permit) and thus should inspect every house at every construction point.  I am told that in tract housing, building inspectors only inspect a few samples and consider that if one is built well, they all are, even though different crews may be actually doing the construction.  Maybe they depend on the builder’s supervisors?  In my case, he seemed to be working more on his own house up the street (very well-built with all sorts of extras) than looking after my place.  He even bragged he could build a house in a month.  I believe it, based on what I have seen.  But then, haste makes waste.

Based on Tim’s comment and my own experience, I think I will be inquiring on just how the Town of Oakville intends to monitor Mattamy’s build.  I mean, they screwed up in my case (documented Mr. Lawyer) and so, based on past history, have they changed their inspection policy to ensure everyone gets a fair inspection.  Only fair, considering the homeowner is paying for it.

I also intend to ask the mayor, town clerk and, building department to check my records (I know they exist as they were part of a council meeting) and see just what was inspected on my house.  Kind of nice to see just what was actually inspected and what was done.

Good luck those having a house built. Especially in “The Preserve”.  Don’t forget, Mattamy has made major donations in the area.  At least these were in the open, unlike those donations in Quebec that are being investigated.  But then, where there is smoke, there is fire?  In my case, my investigation was buried while Wellspring, a project of the mayor, got a large deserving donation from Mattamy.  Was it just the timing?  Who knows?  But when you the homeowner depend on building inspectors to look after your interests remember, their bosses are getting donations from those you need protection from.    Maybe that is why the building inspectors don’t have time to inspect all the new houses – they are too busy inspecting the average guy who wants to build a rec room or something and gets fully inspected at his cost.  Wish my house had received the true building permit inspection some of my friends have experienced.  Maybe when I go to do a rec room and get the inspector around, I can show him how the building inspector screwed up in the first one.  Another report to be buried?

Look forward to hearing from the Town of Oakville.

 “A Good read. I do home renos and repairs here in the Durham Area. It irks me that people are forced to buy permits only to be let down by the very same people that issued them to the home owner. To me this is just a cash grab by the municipalities.
> The recent episode of “Make It Right” highlighted that very issue where the Toronto city inspector passed the work years ago. Now the new home owners have issue and want to make a claim using “tilte insurance” something that is suppose to cover you at a time like this. But.. and there it is.. “But”  the city has to come in and inspect the work to deemed the previous reno faulty.
> AH but this should be no problem. Dont think so. If the city deemed the work unsatisfactory then that will make the city ultimately responsible since they passed the work in the first place. So what happens. Well the home owner cant claim on the insurance and the city washed its hands with it. The whole system frustrates me to the point where Ill just work for my clients to do the job right and for a fair price. I wont be buying any large house or adding to  a car collection like homes, but i make a modest living sadly due to shoddy contractors.”

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Would you use Mattamy’s lawyer to save you money up front? Maybe lose big on the back end?

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If you were going to sue your lawyer, would you ask him/her to recommend a lawyer to you?  I doubt it but, it seems people use that type of thinking in setting up systems to protect themselves.  In a recent article by Bob Aaron of the Toronto Star, he tells a tale of someone buying a home.  They had asked for a house inspection and took the recommendation of the selling real estate agent on who to hire.  Their main concern was mould.  Needless to say, the house inspector did not find mould and it seems the real estate agent didn’t go over the house inspection report.  Even the buyer didn’t read the report.  The original court ruling was a split of the damages paid between the real estate agent, the house inspector and the buyer.  An appeal found the house inspector totally negligent and he had to pay.

A number of mistakes were made, including the glaring failure of the buyer not to read the report.  But, they should never have hired a house inspector that was recommended by the selling real estate agent.  The house inspector would want repeat business from the real estate agent so, his reporting credibility would be suspect to any normal person.

Hire a professional and accredited house inspector with good references.  References can also be found on local forums and blogs.  Just takes a few minutes of research.  A house inspector may not find everything, unless you hire one like Mike Holmes who gets to take apart homes to really check them out.  But, the more professional they are, the more likely they can recognize the signs of problems.

I don’t understand why people do things which do not protect themselves.  I should though, considering I let Mattamy do me in.

Here is a quote from Mattamy concerning lawyers from their Alberta operation.  Not sure if the new “Preserve” offers this suspected benefit?  I don’t think the Ontario Bar Association allows this potential flim-flam type of legal mumbo jumbo.

Q Do I need to obtain legal services?
A Mattamy recommends that you have the Agreement of Purchase and Sale reviewed within 5 days, prior to being binding, by a lawyer on your behalf. If you choose to use Mattamy’s solicitor for your closing, Mattamy will cover the legal closing costs once all conditions have been waived or satisfied. Any legal disbursements will be your responsibility.

Now, who would use the builder’s lawyer to assist you in closing the deal?  Where is the independent review of the closing in this matter?  Where is your protection?  Ask anyone who has had dealings with a builder – there are clauses in the contract that need to be adjusted or, you will be on the hook for a lot of money.  Those who closed in Milton with Mattamy had their lawyers review the purchase agreements and CHANGES HAD TO BE MADE.  Some lawyers didn’t follow through and I understand some people got stuck.

It is kind of like using the same lawyer for a divorce.  Who does that, except for those who are doing a mutually agreeable divorce.  Buying a house can lead to disagreements and you don’t want to have the builder’s lawyer tell you nothing can be done due to clauses in the contract – clauses he advised you to accept.

Be independent in the whole process. Hire those who will protect YOU.  Unless of course, you want to end up like I did.  Having my children put at risk due to Mattamy’s indifference to safety rules.  Mr. Gilgan wasn’t overly concerned that the then mayor of Oakville would do something.  But then, he did donate money to Wellspring.

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We pay the taxes and get the royal shaft from those paid to protect us.

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I think most of us take for granted the safety policies and agencies set in place to protect our lives within our community.  We know there are rules that are designed to protect us from poor construction, unsafe construction and construction that has the potential to cause us financial grief later on.  Unfortunately, we rely on humans to enforce these rules and we know how frail we are.  Just look at the mess in Quebec with the construction inquiry going on in regards to “mob” influence.

We pay our taxes to protect us, not knowing how much of our taxes are going to be self-interested persons – just where does that recent tax increase go.

I remember driving home one evening and noticed that the brand new on ramp from Royal Windsor Way to the westbound QEW in Oakville still had no guard rail.  It was to open the next day and this ramp had a very steep slope on the outside edge of the roadway.  I knew it was wrong but it seems that the Department of Transport and the construction company felt it was safe.  I wish I had called the OPP about it.  First thing that day when it opened, a transport truck zoomed around the curve and fell off the road – crushing the driver on the slope.  Anyone could see it would happen but no one stopped it from opening.

Fast forward a few years and I noticed that the on ramp from the 3rd Line to the eastbound QEW was going to open and it had a steep outside slope and no guard rail.  I contacted an Oakville town councillor and the Department of Transport.  Nothing, nada and thanks but no thanks is the response.  Actually, the town councillor did give me some advice but, how do you fight big government.  They opened this unsafe ramp and fortunately no one died.  Later, the guard rail went in.  Funny thing – if it hadn’t opened, the construction company would have faced a fine.  Hmmmm.;

When the 407 Toll road was to open, the OPP refused to give authorization for it to open.  They proved it was unsafe.  Fortunately, the OPP were successful in stopping the opening until some stuff was improved.  And, improvements have been made through time.  But, it was somewhat unsafe.  I won’t go into the plethora of issues that highway had.  I understand on projects like this lawyers and engineers work out a death rate per mile per year and if it is acceptable, they go ahead.  Yes, death rates are built into decisions.  Throw the dice and work it out.

And, what about the cheap guard rail designs that spear the front passengers of a vehicle?

What has this got to do with house construction?  Building inspectors also allow things to go by.  Some are given a consideration and others, just let it go.  In my case, the Town of Oakville allowed an illegally wired furnace to be authorized and Mattamy took the opportunity to sell the house with this illegal wiring in place.  And, there were other things.  My blog has shown what happened to me and others.

So, all that money you pay into taxes to pay for government oversight that should protect you loses out to those who can feather the nest of a politician or inspector.  Your only recourse is to hire someone to protect you and document same.  Then you can have a lawyer look after you instead of their normal trade of helping mob bosses and construction companies who do illegal shortcuts.

Or, you can roll over, call people who talk about it whiners or, do a quick sale on your less than perfect house.

P.S.   Seems “the Preserve” sales office is close to opening – prices are out.  Looking forward to seeing Peter Gilgan and the gang there.

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Mattamy re-paves sales office parking lot. Environmentally friendly??

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As I mentioned, Mattamy is sprucing up the old sales shack on Dundas Street at Proudfoot Trail for their new Oakville sub-division, “The Preserve“.  I have to give them some credit for recycling this structure of 3 difference facades put together like townhouses.  I’ve never been in it so I can’t tell you what it looked like but, for those who will be attending, by the size of the dumpster, they certainly did some major remodelling inside.  I guess they used some of the money they saved with the shortcuts on my house to do the sales office.  It’s like coming here and offering the natives some shiny bobbles – put up a pretty sales shack and I guess they must think we will assume the same care and quality will go into the homes we buy at inflated prices.  Mattamy tends to be cheaper than other builders though – and it shows.

I find it interesting they do not promote quality of the structure but, do emphasize the quality of the community they bring to the area.  Of course, some people don’t agree, and rightfully so.  Mattamy wasn’t just happy in destroying a lovely wetlands down in Cambridge, they made sure they left a stain that would be enjoyed by future generations.  For more on that,go to this article by Paul Langan called the “Curse of Mattamy Homes“.  Kind of shows you what goes on behind the advertised facade of Mattamy.  Remember, this is the same company that flooded Halton Council with their unknowing workmen (and work ladies) to demand a reduction in “development charges”.  Used the big stick approach.

What I found interesting is that here we have a recycled sales shack (good point) that is having its parking lot re-paved.  Now, why would you pave the parking lot of a temporary building – this lot is zoned for other uses which I am sure will happen once Mattamy flogs its new sub-division.  Someone more environmentally in tune would probably have used gravel, something that could have been used later in some other use.  Asphalt paving – yes, you can recycle it but look at the cost and impact on the environment (oh, I forgot, Mattamy lovers don’t mind paying for this in their homes and Mattamy, they just do a few shortcuts and it is paid for – hey, that’s just business, right.

No, I would have thought an environmentally concerned builder would have done something less impacting upon the environment.  Someone who doesn’t do illegal wiring, builds illegal berms, destroys wetlands and doesn’t use bully boys as a method of discouraging someone from complaining about Mattamy’s less than honourable attitude.

Maybe that is why they won’t let you hire a house inspector to monitor your build.  Might see things that shouldn’t be seen by people concerned about the environment and safety of their children.  I saw it but the Town of Oakville decided a donation was better.  At least a house inspector will enhance your legal argument and rights.

I might print my information pamphlets on shiny paper to use the same strategy.  Unless you can all see through Mattamy’s childish advertising techniques.  When you see me outside, let me know what it looks like inside.  Was it worth YOUR money?

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Mattamy’s “The Preserve” opening soon. Watch yourself as you are buying in Gilgan’s back yard – Oakville.

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Good news and bad news folks.

It appears that the grand opening for Mattamy’s new Oakville development,  “The Preserve”,  is soon to be.  If you want to know more, go to this Mattamy website.

Good news – you can view floorplans at this site – no prices as of this date and, read the usual flowery bullshit.

Bad news – you might have to face the problems that have occurred in Oakville in the past – documented issues.  Remember – Peter Gilgan and Mattamy have donated millions in Oakville and it has been shown that in the past, the Town of Oakville building inspectors have allowed illegal wiring, no insulation in bay windows and caused your eavestroughing to be wrecked and other issues.  And, if you complain, nothing happens.  The former mayor buried the report (the mayor that got Mattamy to donate to Wellspring) and, the Town of Oakville doesn’t do apologies for doing bad deeds.  So, make sure you cover all the bases if you decide to buy here.  Soon as the sales centre opens, I’ll be there and we can talk if you wish.

Funny how people come to visit my site.  Here are some of the search terms people use to find me on Google.  The list is only a small sampling of what people are interested in.

poppies, peter gilgan divorce, mattamy homes, edgemere, edgemere oakville, peter gilgan cottage, peter gilgan family y, peter gilgan mansion, edgemere estate oakville, houses that were built by mattamy homes photos, mattamy the preserve, peter gilgan house, mattamy homes reviews, mattamy homes upgrade price list, ymca nude swimming, mattamy half moon bay, mattamy divorce, brain johnston leaves monarch, oakville buzzhomes, matt gilgan, jennifer gilgan wife of peter e gilgan, mattamy homes articles in bracebridge, mattamy homes suck, ontario building code shingle overhang, minor foundation leak, Mattamy half moon bay delays, mattamy reduces prices, mattamy avid survey perks, housing developments near fairwinds ottawa, second floor laundry room floor drain, mattamy vs greenpark, how mattamy homes started, www.mattamyhomesoakville.ca, mattamy preserve oakville floor plans, hawthornevillager drywall, ontario ombudsman tarion, ballantry homes sucks, mike holmes how to insulate cold bay window, luigi favit, caivan development corporation, boris spremo, radon gas canadian tire, mattamy homes reviews decor center and, fairwinds mattamy forum.

I must admit I do find some of the search terms interesting.  Seems a lot of people are interested in the Gilgan divorce.  At least we have something in common Mr. Gilgan.  We should compare notes and see if a Mattamy house was at the centre of the divorce.  Not sure why some want to know about nude swimming at your YMCA though.

Other topics are self-explanatory – Bracebridge, Fairwinds and other issues that do not show Mattamy at its best.  It’s profitable but not customer service best.  Remember, Mattamy is a private company that wants a profit for the billionaire owner, not necessarily any shareholders.

Now, with  “The Preserve” opening up, you should do some research into house inspectors.  You can always ask but for some reason, Mattamy doesn’t like a house buyer to have a house inspector.  Must be something to do with quality or something.  REAL TRADESMEN AND BUILDERS don’t shy away from house inspectors.  They don’t mind having errors pointed out so they can correct them right away with less cost and bother to the housebuyer.  But, we are talking about REAL TRADESMEN AND BUILDERS, not billionaire accountants.

To stimulate your research, I offer the following perspective on house inspectors by David Fleming.  I put it in whole here but, if time is short, I put the link here in case you want to read it later at your convenience.  If you go to  “The Preserve“, good luck.

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Contrary to popular belief, a home inspection should not come with a “pass” or “fail” grade.

Think of the inspection as an investment in your new home…

I feel as though the bounty of real estate television shows out there today, or “real estate porn” as some people refer to it, has led viewers to believe that every home inspection results in a “pass” or “fail” grade.

Remember that these television shows are highly formulated, and only show what is truly interesting and unique, ie. a house that has a catastrophic deficiency, that no buyer should ever go near.

But in reality, and I find the word “reality” to be somewhat ironic in this case, since these television shows aren’t very realistic, a home inspection rarely reveals some potential financial albatross, and although it’s great to hunt for red flags and deal-breakers, a home inspection has other purposes as well.

It is my opinion that while a home inspection can identify a red-flag, it’s also somewhat of an investment in the home for the buyer. It’s an education in the home, if you will.

But the real estate television shows glorify the worst possible scenarios because they make the most interesting stories!

A friend of mine purchased a Rosedale home about two years ago, and had a home inspection conducted on the property. The inspector, who was referred to him by the listing agent (who he later fired and took to ethics…) gave the house a very clean report, and made a mere mention to a “potential” issue with the foundation.

My friend sought an independent second-opinion, and hired a home inspector who found a major issue; one that he said could cost the home-buyer hundreds of thousands of dollars. It seems that this house was actually sinking into the ground, as the foundation itself was badly damaged, and there would be no way to prevent further sinking and shifting. The home inspector said, “It’s not my job to tell a person whether or not to purchase a house, but I would never purchase this house in a thousand years, and I hope that nobody I know does either.”

My friend walked away from the deal, and the house has sold conditionally three times since then, falling through on inspection every time. It seems that every inspector worth his salt (ie. those not in cahoots with the listing agent) can identify this issue.

This would make a great episode on TV wouldn’t it?

Having said that, would you watch an 30-minute episode of a home inspector walking a young couple through the house and showing them which light switches don’t work? Of course not, that’s boring! But that’s reality, folks! A home inspection servers many purposes in addition to searching for red-flags, and I always tell my clients to consider the home inspection an “investment” in their new property.

A home inspection usually consists of two parts 1) the inspection itself, 2) the walk-through. This walk-through usually provides the buyer with an education on the property that he or she just purchased, and in my mind, it’s like taking a crash course on home ownership. Let’s be honest here: many first time-house owners are coming from condos where there’s no need to understand the inner workings of mechanical systems, and thus the house owner often has no clue what’s what!

Now I know some of my readers are sitting there, pounding their chests, preparing to hammer up drywall in their basement this weekend with their buddies, but maybe you guys represent 2-3% of the buyer pool. It’s great that you know a lot about houses and that you’re do-it-yourselfers, but most new home owners can’t make the same claims.

Consider that no house is perfect, and even a house built by a luxury developer is going to have a couple flaws and/or imperfections. I believe that the purpose of a home inspection is not just to search for catastrophic red flags that could “fail” the home inspection, but also to educate the buyer about ways to care for the house, and ways to improve it.

For example, I was doing a home inspection last weekend where the home inspector found there was only 4-inches of insulation in the attic. “You really want to have a solid 14-15 inches up there,” he said. “Don’t forget, hot air rises, and it’s easier to escape through 4-inches of insulation than 15! You can add some insulation for a few bucks, and potentially save hundreds or thousands of dollars on your heating bill over the next few years.”

That’s great advice, and it’s something that only a home inspector with a ladder and a flashlight would find. Would the home-buyer necessarily know to go up there and inspect him or herself?

A few weeks back, I took a young couple out of their King Street condo and put them in a house in Leslieville. Their home inspector asked, “Do you know where the main water shut-off valve is?” They both shook their heads. How could they be expected to know that? They probably hadn’t considered things like circuit breakers and supply lines the last time they lived in a house, which was probably when they were kids! They admitted as much to the home inspector, and benefitted from his hour-long tour of the house whereby he explained all the mechanical systems, and identified about a half-dozen “minor issues” that could be fixed at a nominal cost.

And that’s what most home inspections discover – items that can be fixed at a nominal cost. These aren’t true “deal breakers,” but rather things that can be dealt with easily, and on the cheap.

At my last home inspection, the inspector asked the buyer to turn on the bathroom ceiling fan. “Now do you see the exhaust hanging there from the ceiling – where the dryer will hook up once you install one? Put your hand underneath that. Do you feel the air coming out?”

It seemed that the person who installed the ductwork had accidentally vented the bathroom fan back through the same duct that was supposed to be venting the dryer. This could potentially cause mold if moisture from the fan were routed back through the ducts, and it’s something that only a solid home inspector would be expected to identify. Again – this is a $200-$300 problem; nothing that is going to hold up the sale of a $600,000 asset, but something that makes the $400 home inspection worthwhile!

Those of you who have lived, taken care of, and fixed-up several houses might think that much of what is covered in a home inspection is common knowledge, but I can tell you from experience that it’s not.

When I talk about a home inspection as an “investment,” part of that comes from preventative maintenance that the buyer is taught by the home inspector.

“See this above-grade basement window?” the home inspector pointed out to the buyers. “Well it’s only about two inches above grade, which means if there was a torrential rain, it’s possible that water could leak down into the basement through this window. You might want to get some heavy-duty sealant from Home Depot, or one of those plastic covers. The covers might not look great, but they don’t stop sun from coming through the window, and that’s basically the entire purpose of that window.”

That’s what a home inspector spends 90% of his or her time doing – pointing out all the little things that a buyer can fix or might want to look into down the road.

There’s no such thing as a “stupid question” when you’re a new home buyer going through a property with a professional, and who better to ask answer those questions than a person who has inspected thousands of houses?

I’ll be honest: I know a lot about houses, but I don’t know everything! I’m not qualified to go through a house and search for deficiencies, and thus the $400 cost of a home inspection could be the best money a buyer ever spends.

Outside of the TV world, a home inspector won’t give the house a “pass” or a “fail,” but will identify problems both large and small. Perhaps what most first-time buyers don’t expect is the education process that takes place in the hour after the home inspection is completed.

Every one of us can learn something new, even those who have owned several houses before.

And as I said before – there’s no silly questions when you’re dealing with an inspector who is there in your new home to help you get through the hurdles. Nobody is giving you a “pass” or a “fail” for your knowledge of houses, so learn whatever you can, and consider it an investment in your latest purchase…

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