Parade of Homes

122 PARADE of HOMES FALL 2024 hat's why it's so important to do your home- work when choosing a homebuilder, says Lanny McInnes, president and CEO of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association (MBHA), a non-profit trade association comprised of homebuilders, land developers, renovators, manufacturers and financial institutions. "Our best advice is always do a lot of homework when you're looking at hiring the company to build your new home," McInnes says. "One of the starting points should be, 'Are they a member of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association?' If they aren't, you should be asking why not because our members have existing relationships with the municipalities they build in, they have great relationships with their vendors and they meet the requirements to be a member of our association, which means they're one of the best home- building companies in Manitoba." One of the biggest benefits to working with an MHBA member is that all builder members of the association must be part of a third-party home warranty program. The warranty ensures a new home is free from defects in workmanship and materials for one year from the date of posses- sion and from any major structural defects for five years. There are no provincial codes or regulations in place requiring non-MHBA builder members to provide a new home warranty, meaning the homebuyer could ultimately be on the hook for tens of thousands of dollars in work if they are not satisfied with the finished product. "Warranty coverage on your new home is very important should there be deficiencies in the construction of your new home or any issues in terms of structural issues or workmanship issues," McInnes says. "Those get addressed through warranty coverage. If you are building a home that does not have third-party warranty coverage, you run the risk of the home being completed and little can be done to address any issues after you've taken possession of the home." Choosing a homebuilder who is a member of the MHBA also ensures that the buyer is hiring a vetted professional. MHBA builder members must adhere to a strict association-set standards and are subject to a code of ethics and a code for disciplinary action. MHBA MEMBERSHIP PROVIDES peace of mind B Y J I M T I M L I C K Purchasing a new custom-built home is one of the most important and expensive decisions a family will likely ever make. T LANNY MCINNES, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE MANITOBA HOME BUILDERS' ASSOCIATION (MBHA) PHOTO BY DARCY FINELY Manitoba Home Builders' Association

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