Section 01
Read the agreement as the specification
Completion dates, delay provisions, deposit protection, escalation clauses and the definition of substantial completion all sit in the builder agreement.
Independent legal review before signing is proportionate to the sum involved and is far cheaper than a dispute afterwards.
Section 02
Allowances are budgets, not selections
Kitchens, millwork, lighting, tile and landscaping are frequently carried as allowances. The show home's finishes are often above them.
Ask what the displayed finishes actually cost and reconcile that against the allowance schedule before signing.
Section 03
Change orders compound quietly
Every change carries a price and often a schedule effect. A sequence of modest changes can move a budget materially.
Insist that changes be priced and signed before work proceeds, and keep the running total visible.
Section 04
Warranty coverage and what it does not cover
Alberta's new home warranty framework sets minimum coverage periods for defined categories such as materials and labour, delivery and distribution systems, building envelope and structure.
Coverage periods differ by category and claims are process-driven. Understand the process before you need it, and confirm the builder's licensing status.
Section 05
Completion, grading and landscaping are seasonal
A winter possession commonly means grading and landscaping are deferred to spring, sometimes with a holdback. That affects drainage performance in the interim.
Confirm what is deferred, who holds funds against it, and when final grading approval is expected.
Section 06
Neighbourhood maturity arrives years later
New districts deliver houses before they deliver canopy, commercial services, schools and finished streets.
Buyers who value immediate maturity should compare against renovated mature-area alternatives rather than assume equivalence.