In a newer Concord build, a window or door that sticks, rattles or leaks air is often a small hardware or weather-stripping adjustment, and in the first year it may be the builder's job under Tarion. Report it in writing before paying anyone.
A window that suddenly won't slide, a front door you have to lean on to latch, a bedroom door that rubs the frame every August: in a house or townhome that is only a few years old, these feel like defects. Sometimes they are. More often they are the normal break-in of a new building, and the useful question is which of three people should fix it: you, the builder, or a handyman.
Why a newer build moves in the first years
Ontario new-home guidance describes a break-in period, when building materials adjust to the regular cycles of heating, cooling and everyday living. Keeping the indoor temperature steady and running the bath and kitchen fans are the usual advice for limiting that movement in the first year, because sudden swings can make materials expand, contract or dry out too quickly.
Moisture matters as well. Wood doors and frames swell in wet weather, so a door that rubs in a humid week may be fine after it dries out. Recheck it on a dry day before you plane, sand or pay for anything. If the sticking comes with new cracks in the drywall running from the corners of the opening, or floors that feel out of level, treat that as something to show the builder and Tarion rather than something to shave off a door.
What Tarion says the builder must adjust
Tarion's Home Explorer lists "exterior air infiltration through windows and doors" as a one-year work-and-materials item. The performance standard is that windows and doors must meet the weather-tightness rating the Building Code requires. For a leaky one, the builder's listed response is to confirm the unit was tested to that rating and to adjust the weather stripping or hardware so the seal makes positive contact all the way along. That is a hardware adjustment, which is exactly the small job this article is about, and in year one it can cost you nothing.
Water is different. Tarion's second-year coverage includes defects in work or materials, windows, doors and caulking among them, that let water into the building envelope. If the window drips, don't treat it as a stiff-sash problem: take dated photos and report it. Our guide to balcony door and window seal repair in a Concord condo covers tracing a leak.
The claim-form dates, in plain terms
Since May 1, 2024, Tarion's first-year claims run on three forms counted from your date of possession. The Initial Form takes items from day 1 and is submitted automatically on day 41. The Mid-Year Form takes items from day 42 and is submitted on day 183. The Year-End Form takes items from day 183 and is submitted on day 365, with a 10-day grace period that requires written proof you reported the item to your builder during the year. Homes with a warranty start date before May 1, 2024 may still be on the older 30-day-form rules, so confirm your own dates in your Tarion MyHome account.
Once a form is submitted, Tarion starts a 120-day builder repair period. If the builder doesn't resolve the item, you can ask for conciliation, which is Tarion's assessment of whether it is covered. The practical rule: put every sticking door and drafty window on your list as you notice it, and keep your emails to the builder.
Condo or townhome: whose window is it?
In a Concord condo, windows and exterior doors are commonly common elements, so the exterior frame and seal are usually the corporation's, and a building-envelope claim is filed by the corporation, not by you. Read your declaration and ask property management in writing. Our Tarion overlap guide for Concord explains the split. A freehold townhome unit carries its own one- and two-year warranty.
What a handyman can usefully do
Once the warranty is over, or the builder has declined, the common small fixes are cheap to check:
- Loose hinge screws. A sagging door rubs and won't latch; tightening the screws, or replacing a stripped one with a longer screw, is often the whole fix.
- Strike plate position. Rub marker on the latch bolt, close the door and see where it marks the plate. Marks too high or low point to a sag or shift; a mark too far toward the stop suggests thick paint or new weather stripping is stopping the door closing fully.
- Worn or crushed weather stripping. Replaceable parts, and a standard cause of drafts at the door edge.
- Window sash and balance hardware. Latches and locks that no longer pull the sash tight can often be adjusted without replacing the unit.
Don't remove glass or open a sealed unit yourself. And if the work reaches the outside of a condo building, get the board's approval first; our condo board approval guide explains what needs sign-off.
What it typically costs
As a general estimate, HomeStars puts adjusting or replacing doors, locks and window hardware at about $100 to $350 in Toronto, and typical handyman hourly rates at about $60 to $120. That is a single source and a rough guide for the area, not a quote. Ask for an itemized price covering labour, parts and any trip charge. Also check Tarion eligibility first: paying someone to fix a covered item before you report it can give the builder grounds to refuse the claim.
Quick answers
Is a sticking door in a new home covered by Tarion?
It can be. Tarion's first-year warranty covers defects in work and materials, and its standard for air leakage tells the builder to adjust weather stripping or hardware. Ask the builder in writing first.
When do I have to report a first-year problem to Tarion?
Tarion's forms open on set days after possession: Initial from day 1, Mid-Year from day 42, Year-End from day 183, auto-submitted on day 365. Check your own dates in MyHome.
Why do windows and doors stick more in a newer home?
New homes go through a break-in period as materials adjust to heating, cooling and humidity. Sticking in wet weather often eases once things dry out, so recheck before paying for a fix.
How much does a handyman charge to adjust a door or window?
HomeStars lists about $100 to $350 in Toronto for adjusting or replacing doors, locks and window hardware. That is a general estimate, not a quote, and it varies by job.
Who fixes a stuck window in a Concord condo?
Start with your declaration. Windows are often common elements the corporation maintains, so report it to property management in writing before anyone touches the frame. Rhodex can quote hardware work on the owner's side at rhodex.ca/get-a-quote.html.
Report first, then fix
Most sticking windows and doors in a newer home are minor, and many are free to fix in year one. Write it down, tell the builder, and only pay for the adjustment once you know nobody else owes it to you.
Related reading
- Door installation and repair from Rhodex: get a fixed price
- More home repair guides for Concord
- Tarion Warranty in a Newer Concord Condo or Townhome: Whose Claim Is It?
- Balcony Door and Window Seal Repair in a Concord Condo
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