Getting a first look
Editor’s note: Janice Kennedy and husband Dan downsized from a four-bedroom house to a two-bedroom condo last year. She offers her perspective on the pre-delivery inspection.
Now, that was a shock. We walked in, never having seen the newly finished place before, and almost gasped. It was lovely — fresh, new, bright — and tiny!
It became clear to us that, in our imaginations as the months went on, we had expanded the size of the dining room/living room to football-field length. And as we’d looked online at the images of the model suite, we were confirmed in our delusion. (Note to self if ever I buy another condo: Don’t believe the pictures. The angles give a sense of space that doesn’t exist in reality, and the model suites — furnished for design purposes, not living — enhance the illusion.)
Our very first PDI thoughts were: “My God! What have we done? How can we fit anything in here?” Our next thoughts were: “OK, Plan B. What are we going to get rid of? What rearrangement will work best here?”
The actual inspection, in the company of Brigil foreman Gord Pickup, had us checking every little nook and cranny, every door closing and window opening, every bit of flooring, every electrical outlet, every faucet and tile and square centimetre of granite counter.
Bits of green masking tape were used to indicate where touch-ups or fixes were needed. He also explained the unit’s various systems — heat/air exchange, tankless hot water, alarms. An industry veteran with an immensely reassuring air, Pickup had us leaving the inspection with a decidedly positive outlook on our new adventure in condo living.