The Tarion Warranty Corporation has announced the recipients of the 2014 Tarion Awards of Excellence, the only awards in Ontario that recognize new home builders based solely on homeowners’ satisfaction with their customer service delivery. Tarion Warranty Corporation is a private corporation established in 1976 to serve as the regulator of the new home building industry in Ontario. In this role, Tarion licenses all new home and condominium builders pursuant to provincial legislation.
“A home is the largest purchase most people will make in their lifetime, and to have an attentive and responsive builder is paramount in making this experience a positive one for all those involved,” said Howard Bogach, Tarion President and CEO of Tarion Warranty Corporation. “Congratulations to all recipients and finalists for being leaders in customer service.”
The awards are based on the results of a comprehensive survey sent to almost 46,800 Ontario homeowners who took possession of a new home between October 1, 2012 and September 30, 2013. More than,400 survey responses were received, representing 14 per cent of consumers who bought a new home in Ontario during that time. The results were tabulated by Crunch Research in partnership with Harris Decima.
Survey questions covered every stage of the homeowner-builder relationship beginning with the signing of the agreement of purchase and sale, through construction, pre-delivery inspection, and after-sales service. The Honourable Tracy MacCharles, Minister of Consumer Services, provided the following remarks on the outstanding accomplishments in customer service: “Congratulations to the 2014 Tarion Awards of Excellence recipients. These builders demonstrate that excellent customer service can be an asset to your business and will have a lasting effect on home buyers.” Among the finalists was Hayhoe Homes from St.Thomas. They were recognized in the medium volume builder category (21-100 possessions per year). “Based on the critiera attached to these awards, it is an honour just to be nominated,” said Joe Hayhoe, one of the owners. As well, Hayhoe Homes has previously been nominated as Builder of the Year seven times and won twice.