- Use meetings to make decisions, not just report progress.
- Keep changes, costs and schedule consequences together.
- Handover includes records, instruction and follow-up.
Make updates actionable
Agree on a communication rhythm before work starts. A useful update separates completed work, work coming next, decisions needed, cost changes, schedule changes and unresolved risks. For each action, record the person responsible and the date required.
Keep approved changes linked to the drawings and specifications they affect. Ask for time consequences as well as cost consequences. Avoid parallel instructions from different decision-makers.
Prepare for the walkthrough
Bring the agreed scope, selections and previous issue list. Check the finished work against those documents with the team. Record outstanding items with locations, descriptions, responsible parties and expected follow-up.
Ask who will explain building systems and demonstrate routine operation. For a development, include the property manager or the people who will maintain equipment and shared areas. Confirm how keys, access credentials and owner-supplied equipment are handled.
Create a useful handover file
Ask for the applicable inspection and approval records, agreed drawings, product information, maintenance schedules, warranties, manuals, finish references and commissioning records included in your scope. Keep a contact list for follow-up and a record of outstanding work.
For a new home, clarify the applicable warranty documents, walkthrough process and reporting deadlines with the builder and Tarion. HCRA handles licensing and conduct matters; Tarion has a different warranty role. Do not assume a renovation has the same protection as a new home.
Agree how follow-up will work
Ask where to report issues, what information to include and how urgent matters are distinguished from routine follow-up. Keep dated photographs and communications. Do not wait for a routine review if there is an immediate safety or active water issue.
Confirm the agreed closeout obligations and any professional advice needed before final payment. A well-organized handover turns a completed project into a building you understand how to use and maintain.
A better first conversation.
- What records, approvals and manuals are part of our handover?
- Who records and tracks outstanding items?
- Which warranty procedures and deadlines apply to this specific project?
References & further reading
Source pages checked 21 October 2026. Requirements may change; confirm the rules for your property and scope.
Use these guides to prepare your questions. Confirm property-specific requirements, scope and pricing with your project team.