Warranty period

Established

Also: Warranty-guarantee period, Defects liability period, Warranty, Extended warranty

The period after handover — commonly one year in standard Canadian contracts — during which the contractor must correct defects in the work at its own cost, separate from longer manufacturer or extended warranties.

Explanation

Under the OAA/OGCA Take-Over Procedures, the one-year warranty period generally starts at Substantial performance (or at completion if no certificate was issued and the contract is silent); the owner must give prompt written notice of defects, and a review is held before the period ends. Under CCDC 2 (2020), the warranty for any part of the work the owner occupies before Ready-for-Takeover starts on the date of that occupancy. Extended warranties for specific systems (roofing, curtain wall, equipment) are set in the specifications and often depend on maintenance by the owner and on a Pre-installation conference or manufacturer inspection.

Practical example

Ten months after handover, the owner reports water ingress at a window. The contractor investigates and repairs it under the warranty; the consultant's eleven-month review finds two more minor defects, which are also corrected before the period expires.

Why it matters

Knowing exactly when each warranty starts and ends — and what notice it requires — prevents owners from losing coverage.

Common confusion

The contractor's warranty (correction of defects) is different from manufacturers' product warranties and from statutory limitation periods for claims.

  • Deficiency list — Deficiencies are known at handover; warranty items appear later

Standards and references

  1. OAA/OGCA Take-Over Procedures (Document No. 100). Ontario Association of Architects and Ontario General Contractors Association, 2019.Widely accepted professional interpretation
    Supports: One-year warranty-guarantee period generally from substantial performance; notice of defects; pre-expiry review · Status: Written under the former Construction Lien Act (reissued January 2019); check figures against the current Construction Act.
  2. CCDC 2 (2020): 8 Key Changes to the Stipulated Price Contract. McInnes Cooper, 2021.Widely accepted professional interpretation
    Supports: CCDC 2 2020: warranty for early-occupied parts starts on occupancy date

VDC Stack.io writes its own explanations and does not reproduce copyrighted standards text. Consult the cited standard for normative wording.

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VDC Stack.io. (2026). Warranty period. In VDC Stack.io Knowledge Dictionary. Retrieved from https://vdcstack.io/dictionary/warranty-period/