Which areas of the city do we start at and why?

Decision making about which communities/streets we start with is solely based on the rate at which the ground thaws. A number of factors affect this, including community location and orientation of your home.

Community Location:

• Soil conditions in the west end are sandier and tend to thaw and dry quicker. Because of this, we can start seasonal work earlier in the west than in some other areas of the city.

Orientation of Home (North/South):

• The ground upon which south facing homes are built tends to thaw faster. Because of this, sometimes we can start seasonal work on one side of a street, but not the other side.

What to expect in the first year and how to maintain the finished product

Within the first year, it is normal for some finished products to change in appearance. With proper care, these changes can be minimized. Below is a summary of a few common occurrences and the steps you can take to care for your home.

Grading:

• Settlement will occur within the first year. Ensure your downspouts are aimed at the swale to prevent unnecessary soil erosion and to keep water away from your foundation and flat work.

Exterior Flat Work:

• Floating slabs will crack. We design them to control where and how they crack. Control joints, buffalo boards, and strategic grading are used to mitigate the multiple challenges our climate presents to concrete.
• Concrete slabs will shrink as they cure. Some of this shrinkage will show up as cracks. Shrinkage can also show up as larger gaps between the foundation and the driveway/sidewalk, or the garage floor and the driveway/sidewalk.

Parging:

• Because parging is a cement product that is subject to expansion and contraction, minor hairline cracks will develop. Use caution when shoveling your driveway in the winter as parging can easily separate from the foundation wall if knocked with a shovel
• The white, powdery substance that sometimes accumulates on masonry surfaces is called efflorescence. This is a natural phenomenon and cannot be prevented.

If you have questions about any seasonal work done on your home, please contact our Warranty Department at warrantyedmontonarea@daytonahomes.ca. 

If you attended our Seasonal Information Sessions on April 28^th 2021, you have been entered into a draw for our amazing door prizes, which include a deck from Rivait Custom Carpentry and a tree from the architectural supply list from DMuir Landscaping! We will be drawing the winners on May 5^th at 12:30pm on Facebook and Instagram live. Make sure to tune in, it could be your lucky day!

If you are unable to attend the live sessions on May 5^th at 12:30pm, make sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. We will be announcing the winners on these platforms.