Tarion CPG 2.4 explained Warranty first, repair second Free written quotes

Squeaky floors in a new build

Squeaky Floor works on new-build squeaks as well as century homes, and points new homeowners at their Tarion warranty first, because in Ontario that may cover it.

Before paying anyone to fix a squeak in a new home, check whether it is a warranty item.

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New homes squeak, and Ontario has a rule about it

A new house is not immune to squeaks and it never was. Framing lumber is sold as dry when its moisture content is 19 per cent or less, and wood indoors settles at about 8 to 14 per cent, according to the Canadian Wood Council, so a new house’s framing keeps drying through its first heating seasons. Most of that shrinkage happens in horizontal members such as floor joists, which is enough to loosen connections that were tight the day they were made. Ontario’s new home warranty program addresses this directly. The Tarion Construction Performance Guidelines, currently the fifth edition updated in June 2024, include Article 2.4 on floor squeaks. The standard it sets is that some squeaking resulting from normal shrinkage of materials after construction is acceptable, but that floors shall be reasonably free from squeaks caused by movement in the floor system connections under normal seasonal indoor humidity and loading conditions. Where loose connections are causing squeaks, the guideline says they shall be repaired. Note what that draws a line between: shrinkage squeaks are excluded from the statutory warranty, while squeaks caused by movement in the floor system connections are a one-year work and materials item.

What Tarion's guidelines say about squeaks

The wording matters, so here is what the current guidelines set out. Confirm the current text at tarion.com before relying on it.

Article 2.4, floor squeaks

Covered under the one-year work and materials warranty where the cause is movement in floor system connections. Squeaks from normal shrinkage after construction are excluded.

Article 10.12, squeaking stair tread or riser

Stricter wording than the floor article. Stair risers and treads shall be free of squeaks caused by loose or inadequately fastened joints, and those joints shall be repaired. Again a one-year item, and it also says a squeak-free stair may not be attainable.

Article 2.3, loose subfloor

Subfloors shall not become loose, no movement other than acceptable deflection should be felt underfoot, and subfloors shall be fastened in accordance with the Building Code. Where unacceptable movement is confirmed, repairs shall be made. One-year work and materials plus one-year Building Code coverage, and plywood delamination is a warranted material defect.

No numeric tolerance exists

The standard is the qualitative phrase reasonably free from squeaks. There is no decibel or count threshold, and anyone quoting you one is inventing it.

A squeak-free floor may not be attainable

The guidelines say this in plain terms, and note the homeowner must maintain indoor humidity to prevent excessive drying or expansion.

Humidity cuts both ways

The floor article's remarks say long periods of low indoor humidity cause excessive shrinkage and loose connections, while excessive humidity makes wood swell and causes pressure-related squeaks.

Shrinkage or a loose connection

The line the warranty draws, and how to document your side of it

The guideline excludes squeaks from normal shrinkage and covers squeaks from loose connections, but it does not set out a test for telling the two apart, and that is where disagreements with a builder tend to start. What helps is a clear record. Note when the squeak started, exactly where it is, whether it changes with the seasons, and whether you can feel movement as well as hear it. A subfloor that moves underfoot is what the loose subfloor article describes, since it says no movement other than acceptable deflection should be felt. A hygrometer reading kept through the first winter answers the humidity question before anyone asks it, because the guidelines put indoor humidity on the homeowner. List the item in writing through Tarion’s MyHome portal rather than only mentioning it to site staff. Each submission starts a builder repair period, and the builder needs access to your home to make the repair. If a warranted item is still not resolved after the builder’s repair periods have run, you can ask Tarion for a conciliation inspection.

What to do before you pay anyone

Check your possession date

It sets which claim process applies to you and which deadlines you are working to, so find it before anything else.

Put it on your warranty list

Tarion's MyHome portal is where warranty items are listed. Get the squeak recorded there in writing rather than only mentioning it to the builder's site staff.

Call us if it falls outside

If the item is excluded, out of time, or you would simply rather have it done, we repair new-build squeaks the same way as any other.

What a new-build squeak repair costs if it is not covered

If a squeak falls outside your warranty, or you are past the claim window, this is the typical range. It is a budgeting range; your written quote sets the price. Check the warranty position first, because if it is covered you should not be paying at all.

New-Build Squeak Repair

$200 to $1,100 typical

Refastening the connection that moved
Often a same-visit fix
Price confirmed in a written quote

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Our Process

Warranty first, repair second

Find your possession date

Everything about your claim timeline follows from it, including which forms apply.

Document the squeak in writing

Record it through the warranty process rather than relying on a conversation with the builder.

Give the builder access

Each submission starts a builder repair period, and the builder needs access to make the repair. Ask Tarion before anyone else touches a listed item.

Call us if it is not covered

We repair new-build squeaks like any other, and we will tell you if we think it is a warranty item.

Clients on squeak and board repairs

We hired them to fix squeaking and movement in our hardwood floor. They identified the underlying problem quickly and completed the repair without needing to replace the entire floor. Everything now feels solid and quiet.

We needed an urgent flooring repair after several boards became loose and uneven. The team responded quickly, secured the boards, and corrected the uneven sections. Professional service and a high-quality repair from start to finish.

They repaired several damaged hardwood boards in our living room and blended the replacements beautifully with the existing floor. The team was punctual, tidy, and careful throughout the job. You can barely tell where the damage was.

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Read the Tarion rules yourself

The articles quoted on this page come from Tarion's Construction Performance Guidelines, fifth edition, updated June 2024, and you can read the full document on Tarion's Construction Performance Guidelines page. Tarion also publishes a page for each of the two squeak articles: Article 2.4, floor squeaks and Article 10.12, squeaking stair riser or tread. The guidelines are revised from time to time, so check the current wording before you rely on it. For your own claim timeline, confirm the process that applies to your possession date with Tarion directly; Tarion's page on the changes to the claims process covers homes with a possession date on or after 1 May 2024. The loose subfloor article is on Tarion's page for Article 2.3.

Squeaky floors in a new build questions

Are squeaky floors covered by the Tarion warranty in Ontario?

Partly, and the distinction is important. The current Construction Performance Guidelines say floors shall be reasonably free from squeaks caused by movement in the floor system connections, and that loose connections causing squeaks shall be repaired, as a one-year work and materials item. But squeaks resulting from normal shrinkage of materials after construction are explicitly excluded from the statutory warranty. Confirm the current wording at tarion.com, as the guidelines are periodically revised.

Is there a limit on how much squeaking is acceptable in a new home?

There is no numeric threshold. The standard is the qualitative phrase reasonably free from squeaks, with no decibel level, count or measurement attached. The guidelines also state plainly that a permanently squeak-free floor may not be attainable, and that the homeowner is expected to maintain indoor humidity to prevent excessive drying or expansion of materials.

Are squeaky stairs treated differently from squeaky floors under the warranty?

The stair article is worded more strictly. Where the floor article says floors shall be reasonably free from squeaks, the stair article says risers and treads shall be free of squeaks caused by loose or inadequately fastened joints. Both sit in the one-year work and materials warranty, both exclude squeaks caused by normal shrinkage after construction, and both note that a squeak-free floor or stair may not be attainable.

How long do I have to make a claim?

That depends on your possession date, and the process changed for homes with a possession date on or after 1 May 2024, so check which applies to you rather than relying on general advice. To be eligible for Tarion's help, items have to be reported within the warranty timeframes, so a missed window can end a claim. Confirm the current process and dates directly with Tarion for your own home before doing anything else.

Should I just hire someone instead of dealing with the warranty?

Not before you have checked, because if it is a covered item you would be paying for something you are entitled to have fixed. The builder has to be given access to make warranty repairs, and if someone else repairs a listed item first there may be nothing left for the builder or Tarion to assess. Check the warranty position with Tarion first. If it turns out not to be covered, or you are outside the window, we are happy to do the work.

Does indoor humidity affect a Tarion squeak claim?

It can, because the guidelines make humidity the homeowner's job. The remarks to Article 2.4 say long periods of low indoor humidity cause excessive shrinkage and loose floor connections, that excessive humidity causes swelling and pressure-related squeaks, and that the homeowner must maintain indoor humidity levels to prevent excessive drying or expansion. In practice that means running a humidifier through the first heating seasons, keeping it steady rather than high, and noting hygrometer readings so you can show the house was kept in a normal range.