# Home inspections in Morinville > We inspect homes in Morinville, the town north of St. Albert on Highway 2. Morinville has a historic core around St. Jean Baptiste Church and newer areas such as South Glens and Westwinds planned in the early 2000s. Planning studies there found clay soils and water-bearing coal seams, so basement drainage gets close attention. Francophone-founded town north of St. Albert, with a historic core and 2000s subdivisions on clay till. About 40 minutes from central Edmonton. ## Homes in Morinville Morinville was settled in the early 1890s by French settlers brought by Father Jean-Baptiste Morin, followed by German pioneers. It became a village in 1901 and a town in 1911. St. Jean Baptiste Church, built in 1907 and declared a historic site in 1975, burned in 2021 and reopened in December 2025. The oldest streets sit near it, and their homes range widely in age. Planning for larger subdivisions came in the early 2000s. The South Glens plan, adopted in 2002, covers land north of Cardiff Road, and the Westwinds plan of 2004 covers the southwest corner between Highway 2 and 100 Street. Sunshine Estates is mostly 1990s and early 2000s homes, and the town grew by more than half between 2001 and 2021. Homes permitted before February 2014 came with no mandatory warranty, so a [pre-purchase inspection](https://edmontonhomeinspector.com/services/pre-purchase-home-inspection) matters even on a house that looks new. The ground is part of the story. The Westwinds plan describes clay till over coal and shale, with water-bearing coal at depths that may affect underground utilities. The South Glens plan describes clay loam on old lake deposits. Neither study found a barrier to building, but both point to soils that hold water, which is why sump pits, grading and basement walls get a close look. ## Neighbourhoods we cover - South Glens: Plan adopted in 2002 - Westwinds: Plan from 2004, southwest corner - Sunshine Estates: Mostly 1990s and early 2000s - The Lakes - Juniper Heights: Formerly planned as Grandin Heights ## What we look for in Morinville - **Groundwater and sump pumps**: Planning studies note clay soils and water-bearing coal seams under parts of town. An inspection checks the visible sump pit, discharge line and signs of past basement water. - **Early-2000s homes without warranty**: Homes in South Glens, Westwinds and Sunshine Estates built before the 2014 warranty rules carry no mandatory coverage. Defects become the buyer’s cost. - **Late Poly-B in 1990s houses**: Houses from the 1990s are at the tail end of the Poly-B years. An inspection notes any grey supply pipe it finds in the utility room. - **Wells on Sturgeon County acreages**: Alberta Health Services has advised some Sturgeon County well owners to test for arsenic and manganese. Water testing is separate from a home inspection. ## Common questions ### Do you travel to Morinville for inspections? Yes. Morinville is about 34 km north of Edmonton on Highway 2, past St. Albert, and it is part of our regular service area. ### Why does a Morinville inspection focus on the basement? Town planning studies describe clay soils and water-bearing coal seams in parts of Morinville. An inspection checks the sump, grading and basement walls for signs of water. ### Can you inspect a home in winter? Yes. Most of an inspection is unaffected by winter. Snow can limit what is visible on the roof and around the grading, and the report says exactly what could not be seen. ## Nearby areas we serve - [St. Albert](https://edmontonhomeinspector.com/service-areas/st-albert) - [Edmonton](https://edmontonhomeinspector.com/service-areas/edmonton)