Tips for Ottawa condo buyers: types of condominiums
What types of condos are there? That’s a question we get quite often. Whether you’re shopping for condos in Ottawa, Toronto or elsewhere in Ontario there are four basic condo types you should be aware of when it comes to your Tarion New Home Warranty.
Condominium types
There are 4 recognized types of condos, each of which with its own characteristics. Tarion identifies each type of condominium as follows:
Type A Condominium – Project has only Part 9 Ontario Building Code (OBC) requirements and is a lot-line condominium. Examples of common elements include the roadways, curbs, sidewalks, but exclude the home/unit dwelling and landscaping surrounding the home.
Type B Condominium – Project has only Part 9 OBC requirements and is not a lot-line condominium. The common elements boundaries usually start from the back side surface of the drywall of the unit and include the full exterior of the unit, including all exterior windows and doors (in the closed position).
Type C Condominium – Project has both Part 9 and Part 3 OBC requirements. Construction usually includes underground parking, which incorporates the Part 3 OBC requirement. This type of condominium is subject to Bulletin 19 Reporting.
Type D Condominium – Project has only Part 3 OBC requirements. This type of condominium is characteristic of high-rise condominiums with 4 or more storeys and with underground parking and amenities. This type of condominium is subject to Bulletin 19 Reporting.
Want to go straight to the horse’s mouth? Check out all the facts on condo types straight on the Tarion website.
What does this all really mean?
Type A and B condominiums are low scale buildings and more often than not constructed in wood. Both of these types fall under part 9 of the Ontario Building Code. A great example of a Type A is a condominiumized townhouse while a Type B could be a 3 storey apartment style condo like our Hampton Park Lofts project as well as our upcoming project EDGE Lebreton Flats. Type C condominiums can still be constructed in wood but usually have underground parking while Type D condominiums are what people would typically associate with highrise condo towers. Type D condos are built of concrete and steel.
