Is a home inspection a condition of sale in Alberta?
A home inspection is optional in Alberta. It becomes part of the deal only if you write it into your offer. Here is how inspection conditions work and what happens if issues come up.
· 4 min read
About 25 minutes from central Edmonton
Home inspections in St. Albert
Sturgeon River city with 1950s Sturgeon Heights, 1970s annexation areas and new Jensen Lakes.
Homes in St. Albert
St. Albert began in 1861 as a Métis settlement beside the Sturgeon River, and the Mission neighbourhood grew from that first site on the hill. Today Mission holds detached houses, row homes, duplexes and condos, so the buildings on one block can be decades apart in age.
Postwar growth came in steps. Sturgeon Heights did most of its building in the 1950s. Land annexed in 1957 created Akinsdale and enlarged Braeside and Forest Lawn, Grandin expanded after 1961, and land taken in 1975 became Kingswood, Pineview and Woodlands. Houses from these decades are old enough that attic insulation, electrical panels and wiring may be original or partly updated, which is worth knowing before you make an offer. A pre-listing inspection gives sellers here the same picture early.
By 1980 the city had added the land that became Erin Ridge and Deer Ridge, with a mix of single-family homes, duplexes, townhouses and apartments. A 2007 annexation in the northwest created Jensen Lakes, Chérot and Avenir. Building in Jensen Lakes started in 2014 around a man-made lake, and a new construction inspection suits homes in these newer areas.
Neighbourhoods we cover
- Mission
- Sturgeon Heights
- Akinsdale
- Braeside
- Grandin
- Kingswood
- Woodlands
- Erin Ridge
- Jensen Lakes
- Chérot
What we look for in St. Albert
Homes near the Sturgeon River
The Government of Alberta has published a St. Albert flood study with draft flood maps. An inspection cannot tell you a property’s flood risk, so check the provincial maps for homes near the river.
Aluminum wiring in 1960s and 1970s houses
Homes built from the mid-1960s to the late 1970s may have aluminum wiring, which is safe only with proper connections. An inspection flags it where visible so an electrician can check the connections.
Vermiculite in older attics
Health Canada advises treating vermiculite installed before 1990 as possibly containing asbestos and leaving it undisturbed. An inspection notes it if seen; only a lab test confirms what it is.
Townhouse and condo complexes
Mission and Erin Ridge both include townhouses and apartments. For these, the condo documents and reserve fund matter as much as the unit itself.
Inspections in St. Albert
Common questions
Will a home inspection tell me if a St. Albert house is in a flood area?
No. An inspection looks at the house itself, including signs of past water in the basement. For flood risk near the Sturgeon River, check the Government of Alberta’s St. Albert flood study maps.
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.
Reading for St. Albert buyers
What are the red flags in older Edmonton homes?
Poly-B, knob-and-tube, vermiculite, galvanized pipes and more: what each looks like, why insurers ask about it, and which specialist to call next.
· 5 min read
What does a condo inspection cover in Edmonton?
A condo inspection looks at your unit and the systems that serve it. The condo documents and reserve fund study cover the rest of the building. Here is how the two fit together.
· 5 min read
Nearby areas we serve
Buying or selling a home in the Edmonton area?
Get on the priority list and we'll contact you to confirm availability and a quote.