The builder’s rep works for the builder. We work for you. New construction is exciting — and it’s where buyers most often sign 30–60 page contracts written by the builder’s lawyers to protect the builder. Talk to us before you visit a show home.
Read this first
The friendly person who greets you in the show home represents the builder — not you. They are legally prohibited from giving you independent advice, cannot tell you a clause is unfavourable, and cannot advocate for your interests. They are there to sell you a home. This isn't a criticism — it's simply how new construction sales work.
The solution is equally simple: bring your own Calgary REALTOR®. It costs you nothing — the builder pays the buyer's agent commission in most cases. And it changes everything.
On the resale MLS®, you negotiate with a seller who has their own agent — both sides represented, the contract relatively balanced. In new construction, the builder's contract has been refined over years by their lawyers, and in the excitement of floor plans and finishes it's easy to skip the fine print. We've seen buyers face price increases at closing, possession delays of six months or more, material substitutions they didn't anticipate, and upgrade costs far above what the same work costs after possession. None of it surprised the builder — it was all in the contract.
Know what you're signing
Builder contracts run 30–60 pages, and most buyers skim them. These are the clauses we review carefully on every new construction purchase — and what each one means for you.
Allows the builder to increase the purchase price before possession — typically tied to material costs, labour costs, or construction cost indices. You agreed to pay $650,000; at possession the builder invoices $672,000 — and the contract says you agreed to this possibility.
Watch for: Any clause referencing “price adjustments,” “cost escalations,” “material cost increases,” or “index-linked pricing.” Some contracts cap the escalation, others do not. We identify this clause in every contract and explain exactly how much exposure you have.
Gives the builder the right to delay your possession date — sometimes repeatedly — without financial penalty. Your June 1st possession becomes September 15th, you've given notice on your rental, and you now need three and a half months of short-term accommodation.
Watch for: How many times the builder can delay, what counts as an acceptable reason, whether there is any compensation to you, and what your options are beyond a certain threshold. Most contracts allow multiple delays with very limited buyer recourse.
Allows the builder to substitute specified materials, finishes, or fixtures with alternatives of “equal or better value” — as determined by the builder. The brick, windows, appliances, or flooring you chose may change if supply chains shift or the builder gets a better deal elsewhere.
Watch for: How broadly the substitution right is written, whether “equal value” is defined, and whether you have any approval right. Vague substitution clauses give builders enormous latitude to change what you get without your consent.
New construction deposits are often large — 5–15% of the purchase price — and typically non-refundable if you cannot complete. Unlike a resale contract where conditions protect you, new construction deposits are frequently at risk from the day you pay them.
Watch for: Total deposit amount and installment schedule, conditions (if any) under which it is refundable, what constitutes buyer default — and whether the builder can keep your deposit AND resell the home and keep that profit too.
Allows the builder to change plans, specifications, or features — lot size, square footage, window placement, garage size, exterior design — without your approval, as long as the change is deemed “minor” or within a specified percentage.
Watch for: How “minor change” is defined, whether there is a size or value threshold, and what your remedies are if a change materially affects your enjoyment or the value of the home.
Many new construction contracts have no standard financing condition — or limit it to a very short window at signing. If you cannot secure financing when possession arrives 12–18 months later, you may be in default with your deposit at risk.
Watch for: Whether a financing condition exists at all, how long it runs, and what happens if your financial situation changes between signing and possession. Always discuss this with Al Zayat before signing any new construction contract.
Some contracts let the builder terminate the agreement — returning only your deposit, without interest and without compensation for costs you have incurred (financing fees, legal fees, moving plans) — if the builder decides not to proceed or cannot secure their own financing.
Watch for: Under what conditions the builder can terminate, whether you receive interest and out-of-pocket costs, and what your recourse is if the project is cancelled mid-construction.
New construction homes in Canada are subject to GST — unlike resale homes. Whether GST is included in the purchase price or added on top varies by contract, and the GST New Housing Rebate rules are specific: not all buyers qualify for the full rebate.
Watch for: Whether the contract price includes GST or is “plus GST,” and your net exposure after any rebate. Confirm with your accountant and with Al Zayat on how GST affects your financing.
CalgaryListings Group reviews every builder contract clause by clause before our clients sign. We explain each one in plain language, flag anything unusual or particularly unfavourable, and help you decide whether the contract is acceptable, negotiable, or worth walking away from. We've done this hundreds of times — we know what's standard and what isn't, and we'll tell you honestly which is which.
Live from the Calgary MLS®
Every listing below was built in 2025 or later — spec homes, quick possessions, and new infills, refreshed in real time. Use the filters to narrow by type, price, or community, and every card links back to its full neighbourhood guide.
Every community below is actively building today — each links to a full neighbourhood guide with live listings, market data, and buyer fit. Inner-city buyers: new infills run continuously through communities like Killarney, Richmond, Banff Trail, and Capitol Hill.
The design centre
The design centre appointment is one of the most exciting parts of buying new — and one of the most expensive. Builder upgrades are typically marked up well above post-possession cost, but some genuinely are worth doing now: structural items, things that are much cheaper during construction, and anything covered by the new home warranty.
Set a design centre budget before you go — and stick to it. It's easy to add $30,000–$80,000 in a single afternoon. Spend on structural and non-reversible items; everything cosmetic can be done better and cheaper after possession.
After the purchase price
The show home is furnished, landscaped, fenced, and finished with blinds and organizers — but almost none of that comes with the house. Most new-build buyers in Calgary spend $40,000–$80,000 in the first two years making the home actually liveable. Budget for these before you fall in love with the base price:
New homes come with dirt, and landscaping is no joke — realistic budgets start around $20,000 and climb quickly with lot size, trees, irrigation, and any hardscaping. Most Calgary builders require front landscaping within the first year under architectural controls, and the back yard is entirely on you.
Lot lines arrive unfenced. Costs depend on lot size and corner exposure, and while neighbours conventionally split shared runs, your neighbours may not exist yet — early buyers in a phase often carry full cost or wait years to be reimbursed by convention, not obligation.
That show home deck is an upgrade. Many specs include only a small landing at the back door — or a door opening onto a drop. Check what your grade and contract actually include, and remember decks need permits.
Every window arrives bare — and possession day means neighbours can see straight in. Whole-home coverings are one of the first cheques you'll write, and they can easily reach $20,000 with motorized blinds or drapery in a larger home. Builder-offered window packages exist but are rarely the best value.
Standard spec is a single wire shelf per closet. Proper closet systems, pantry shelving, garage storage, and mudroom lockers are all post-possession costs — and they're the difference between the show home feel and moving-box chaos.
Many builders include only the A/C rough-in. The unit itself, installation, and electrical hookup come later — and Calgary's hot-summer demand means peak-season installs book out months ahead.
Some spec and pre-sale contracts include no appliances at all, or an allowance that doesn't survive contact with a showroom. Verify the appliance schedule in writing before you sign — "as shown in show home" is not a spec.
New homes attract GST — partially rebated below federal price thresholds, and often (but not always) baked into the advertised price. Add legal fees, title registration, and builder adjustments resale buyers never see. Confirm "GST included?" in writing.
Your first property tax bills are based on the land value; once the city assesses the finished home a supplementary assessment catches up — sometimes thousands at once. If your lender collects tax with payments, expect a recalculation.
Budget patience too: unpaved roads, construction dust and debris, tradesperson parking, and 7am hammering for the two or three years the phase builds out — plus driveway and city sidewalk timing that may lag possession by a season.
For years after you buy, the builder keeps selling brand-new homes a few streets over — same floor plans, full warranty, design-centre incentives, and pricing you can't match. Until the community builds out (often 5–10 years in Calgary's newest areas), reselling means competing head-to-head with the show home. This can be tricky in some neighbourhoods and barely matters in others — it's one of the first things we assess when you're choosing between communities, and a key reason early-phase pricing and lot choice matter for your exit.
The community plan shows schools, shopping, parks, and transit — but on possession day much of it is a rendering. School sites can sit empty for years and your designated schools may be a drive away in another community; groceries and services often mean leaving the neighbourhood; parks, pathways, and rec amenities arrive with buildout, not with your keys. It can take years for a new community to come together — check what's actually funded and under construction versus simply drawn on the plan, and budget the commuting reality in the meantime.
Get every inclusion in writing before signing, and hold back 7–10% of the purchase price for the first-two-years list above. When comparing a new build against a resale home that already has landscaping, fencing, blinds, A/C, and window coverings — add these costs to the new-build price so you're comparing the same finished product. Ranges above are typical Calgary figures and vary with lot, home size, and finishes.
What's available
You buy before construction begins — from plans and a show home. Longest lead time (12–24+ months) but often the best pricing. Highest contract risk — the most important one to review carefully before signing.
Built by the builder without a pre-sold buyer — finished or near-finished. You see exactly what you get, possession is faster, and there's less customisation. The builder is motivated to sell, so negotiating room exists.
A completed or nearly complete home available within 30–90 days. Limited or no upgrade selection, but ideal for firm timelines or buyers who sold first and need to move.
A defined lot with a defined plan you can modify within the builder's parameters. More customisation than a spec home, less than fully custom. Common in newer Calgary communities.
Pre-sale or newly completed condos from developers. Subject to condo document review AND builder contract review — two layers of due diligence — and often sold with assignment clauses that affect resale before possession.
New attached homes, often in inner-ring or infill communities, from entry-level townhomes to high-end inner-city infills. Some are freehold, some condo-structured — always verify ownership type.
Your protection
New homes built in Alberta are covered under the Alberta New Home Warranty Program — one of the genuine advantages of buying new. Understanding what is and isn't covered, and how to claim, protects your investment after possession.
Defects in materials and labour — finishes, fixtures, workmanship
Delivery & distribution systems — plumbing, electrical, HVAC, mechanical
Building envelope — exterior cladding, windows, roof, waterproofing
Structural defects — foundation, load-bearing components, framing
Warranty coverage depends on the builder being registered with the program. Not all builders are registered — and an unregistered builder means no provincial warranty protection. We verify registration as part of our due diligence on every new construction purchase.
Our approach
Here's exactly what we do differently when representing a new construction buyer — and why doing this before visiting a show home matters.
This is the most important step. Once you've signed a builder registration card or toured without registering a REALTOR®, it may be too late to have representation — most builders require your agent to be registered at or before your first visit. We set this up before you walk in the door.
New construction timelines run 12 to 24 months or more, and rates, lending rules, and your situation can all change. Al Zayat reviews your pre-approval specifically in the context of a new construction purchase — including what happens if rates change by possession.
Not all Calgary builders are equal. We research the builder's reputation, track record, warranty registration, and what past buyers experienced — plus the community's development plan, what surrounds your lot, and what the neighbourhood looks like in five years.
We review the builder's purchase contract before you sign — price escalation, possession delays, material substitution, deposit forfeiture, GST treatment, and every clause that gives the builder unusual flexibility — explained in plain language.
We help you set a design centre budget and split upgrades into builder-now versus after-possession. This conversation alone regularly saves buyers $20,000–$40,000 in unnecessary design centre spending.
Before possession, we attend the builder walkthrough — or coordinate an independent inspector — to ensure a comprehensive deficiency list is documented and signed off. What's on that list is what they're obligated to fix.
On possession day we confirm the home matches the agreed specifications, deficiencies are addressed, and title transfers clean. We stay in contact through your warranty period and help you document and submit warranty claims effectively.
Be prepared
Common questions
Builder contracts decoded. The clauses to watch for. Which upgrades are worth it. How to protect your deposit. What the warranty covers — everything you need to buy new construction in Calgary without being caught off guard. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
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