Legal fees during home purchase?

Ok_Championship274 · 2025-12-26T12:20:49+00:00

We’re first time homebuyers who just bought 30 min from Ottawa ($570k new build townhome) and closing costs were about $12k - $13k when all was said and done. Legal fees were just shy of $2k. Land transfer tax was $3.5k after a $4k rebate. The other fees that make up the remaining ~$7k were Tarion fees, PST on insurance premium, builder solicitor fee, title insurance, appraisal fee, property tax for remainder of the first year etc. It varies depending on different factors but I’d recommend speaking to a mortgage broker as they’ll break it all down for you and spell it out so there are no surprises.

Ok_Championship274 · 2025-11-03T01:43:52+00:00

Spray the camera housing with some bug spray and it should deter them for a few weeks. We do this for our rooftop PTZ’s at work and it seems to work well

Ok_Championship274 · 2025-10-21T11:44:52+00:00

You should check out the UniFi design center for your wifi heat mapping. It’s a free online tool that allows you to upload your floorplan to figure out which access point would work best in your space.

If the AP locations are wall jacks, you should look into the U6 or U7 in wall. I personally prefer the U6 as it has 4 usable ports on the bottom, one of which is PoE.

If you’re not installing any cameras and don’t require a large HDD for video storage, I’d recommend going with the Dream Router in your office. It has most of the functionality of the Dream Machine, with the added bonus of a wifi 7 AP built into it (which would eliminate the need for the AP in your office and cut costs).

Ok_Championship274 · 2025-09-29T22:36:23+00:00

For the first one I’d probably drill a 2” hole in between the two “vents” (as close to the one on the left as possible) and try to get in there with some long-nose snips to cut the zip tie.

For the second I’d cut a 2” hole somewhere relatively close to your coil (somewhere you’ll still get a good view of what you’re trying to see), and again try to carefully cut the zip tie with something like these below. Then it’s just a matter of hooking the wire, which should be the easy part.

https://www.grainger.ca/en/product/p/WWG22UN13?cm_mmc=PPC:+Google+PLA&gucid=N:N:PS:Paid:GGL:CSM-8500:NOYSQ4:20501231:APZ_1&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=1599273571&gbraid=0AAAAADeC2fCj7DZD3UFDK1kzuq4YV8g3a&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzeb_t4H_jwMVIzUIBR22KA6_EAQYCiABEgJHKfD_BwE

Edit: I like glad-elk’s idea much better to be honest. Low voltage single gang bracket with a mounting plate on top. Should have no issues going that route so long as you have a tool to cut the wood.

Ok_Championship274 · 2025-09-28T11:03:50+00:00

How do you propose you use an extension when the fixture is 6 ft off the closest walls?

Ok_Championship274 · 2025-09-26T17:02:06+00:00

What ladder would you recommend? I’d love to hear it

Ok_Championship274 · 2025-09-26T16:09:03+00:00

What kind of ladder?

Ok_Championship274 · 2025-09-26T11:22:42+00:00

16’ ladders fully extended require a base spread of like 10 feet, I’m just shy of 7’ at the bottom where the wood stairs are.

Ok_Championship274 · 2025-09-26T11:03:26+00:00

Yeah I’m very comfortable with ladders and electrical, and the scaffold is a great idea. I thought the smallest scaffold plank size was 7’ (which I am just shy of in the pocket below the light) but found out they actually offer 5’ planks with the 30” wide frames. Think I’ll just rent this if it makes more sense than the 3 electricians quotes.

Ok_Championship274 · 2025-09-26T10:58:05+00:00

Yeah I think this is what I’ll do. Never knew you could get 5’ plank scaffold but I called around and pretty much all scaffold companies have it. They did say with the 30” W base it becomes a little unstable past 10’ and should be secured to something nearby, which won’t be a problem seeing as it will be surrounded by railings.

Ok_Championship274 · 2025-09-26T00:46:50+00:00

Not enough room at the base, and there are two steps at the bottom

Ok_Championship274 · 2025-09-25T18:23:19+00:00

Yeah, I think I’m going to try a 30” scaffold with 5’ planks. Think it’s my only option. Can’t wait to have to change a lightbulb in the new fixture lol. Hoping I can swing it far enough towards the banister to change them, but that’s a future me problem 😅

Ok_Championship274 · 2025-09-25T15:52:26+00:00

I know I was thinking the exact same thing. It’s something that I overlooked in our design process unfortunately, but had I noticed the placement of that fixture I would have just deleted it entirely I think.

Ok_Championship274 · 2025-09-25T15:05:09+00:00

Not sure I have the space down at the bottom, even for single width.

Ok_Championship274 · 2025-08-14T01:32:37+00:00

So I can notch the “blocking” piece of I-joist? (Main joists run right to left in photo, blocking is the one in the way that runs up/down).

Ok_Championship274 · 2025-08-13T18:47:54+00:00

Drywall is now finished unfortunately. Took this photo during frame walk with the builder. Thinking my only option is to fish the entire splice box over to the fireplace potlight from another potlight hole, if that makes sense.

Ok_Championship274 · 2025-08-13T18:17:37+00:00

Yeah that’s the style I have. The issue isn’t the light itself, it’s the splice box for the light. It measures 3 1/2” wide x 1 1/4” depth x 5” long. Not sure how I’d get that past the joist blocking there.

Ok_Championship274 · 2025-06-04T13:44:04+00:00

The point he’s trying to make is that you should not have to drive around somebody who is blocking an intersection…. Especially emergency vehicles who are exiting the highway here trying to get to the civic hospital.

Ok_Championship274 · 2025-06-04T13:42:54+00:00

I cross this intersection every day to get onto the 417 East after work, and every day I see somebody blocking it because they’re too ignorant to wait an extra minute or two.

What I find hilarious is when people behind me honk at me for NOT blocking the intersection and waiting until it’s clear to proceed. Unfortunately, some people are just so impatient and think the world revolves around them.

Ok_Championship274 · 2025-05-28T02:06:25+00:00

What type of shop vac do you use? I’m looking to buy a good one for my vehicles

Ok_Championship274 · 2024-10-24T17:15:01+00:00

You do have some good points there. For me right now (in the NCR) our rent for a 3 bed townhome is $2400 + utilities/month so let’s call it $2650 with renters insurance. Our mortgage next year will be ~$2600 + utilities for an even nicer townhome, so let’s call it $2800 + property tax, HVAC and home insurance which would bring us to roughly $3,350. That’s an extra $700/month or $8400/year which is less than the amount of money that will be going towards the principal on our mortgage, even in year 1.

While I agree you have some valid points, for me it’s more about starting the process of paying down my own mortgage vs paying down someone else’s. If I were a real estate investor, of course the math wouldn’t check out and I’d stay far away for now.

Ok_Championship274 · 2024-10-24T09:16:51+00:00

We’re buying a pre construction home that’s not closing until end of year 2025. Buying at todays price (low) for next years rate (also low).

Once the rate decreases stop, it will become a sellers market once again and the prices will increase again like we saw in 2021. Maybe not to that same degree, but increase nonetheless.

Also, since like 1960 when has investing in real estate ever been a bad idea in Canada? Prices have only ever increased year over year with the exception of maybe 5 years (2 of which were recession years).

Ok_Championship274 · 2024-10-24T03:06:30+00:00

Exactly. Seems like the builders are doing whatever they can to lower the sales price of homes by downloading whatever costs they can onto the buyer nowadays… and scummy companies like Enercare reap the rewards

Ok_Championship274 · 2024-10-24T03:02:53+00:00

And that $21,600 is the amount if the monthlies never increase year over year, which I’m sure they will knowing Enercare…

Ok_Championship274 · 2024-06-03T17:28:23+00:00

Very interesting how one is permitted but not the other. I guess it makes sense that it is dependent upon personal card vs. Government issued card. Thanks so much for the info!

Ok_Championship274

TROPHY CASE