Below is a broad, organized word list of things you can see in, on, and around a home — architectural elements, building systems, finishes, fixtures, styles, yard/site items, utilities, and regional details common in Alberta.Â
Lot, parcel, frontage, rear lane
Driveway, apron, parking pad, gravel drive, paved drive
Garage (attached, detached, tandem, double, single), garage door, opener
Carport, porte-cochère
Walkways, sidewalks, concrete pad, pavers, flagstone
Porch, veranda, deck, balcony, sundeck, gazebo, pergola
Patio, patio door, step, stoop
Retaining wall, terracing, rockery
Fence (wood, chain link, vinyl, composite), gate
Landscaping, sod, flower beds, shrubs, trees, hedges, xeriscaping, xeric plants
Irrigation system, sprinkler heads, drip irrigation
Drainage swale, french drain, surface drain, catch basin
Swale, berm, lot grading, slope, backfill
Rock retaining wall, crib wall
Walkout yard, terrace walkout, lower level exit
Roof (asphalt shingle, metal roof, cedar shake, tar & gravel, membrane)
Eaves, soffits, fascia, gutters, downspouts, gutter guards
Chimney (masonry, metal chase), flue, cap
Siding (vinyl, wood clapboard, cedar, engineered wood, fibre cement, stucco/EIFS, brick, stone veneer)
Exterior insulation, vapour barrier, house wrap (Tyvek)
Cladding, trim board, corner boards
Window trim, lintels, sills
Exterior lighting, security lighting, coach lights
Exterior paint, stain, sealant
Foundation exposed (parged, painted, concrete), frost wall
Foundation (poured concrete, concrete block, rubble, stone)
Footings, footing drain, weeping tile, sump pit, sump pump
Crawlspace, crawlspace vent, insulation, vapor barrier
Basement (unfinished, developed, walkout, daylight, poured concrete walls)
Slab on grade, slab thickness, control joints
Load-bearing wall, beam, lintel, post, column
Joists, rafters, trusses, ridge beam, collar ties
Sheathing, subfloors, OSB, plywood
Structural steel, engineered lumber (LVL, glulam)
Expansion joint
Ceiling types: flat, vaulted, cathedral, coffered, tray, dropped, popcorn (acoustic)
Crown moulding, baseboard, chair rail, wainscoting, beadboard, picture rail
Casings, architrave, jamb, casing, threshold
Fireplace (gas, wood, electric), mantel, hearth, surround, flue
Built-ins, bookcases, window seat, banister, newel post
Staircase (open stringer, closed stringer, spiral, floating), riser, tread, balustrade, landing
Pocket door, barn door, sliding door, French doors, bifold, accordion door
Skylight, roof hatch, clerestory window, transom
Architectural style elements (see Styles section)
Foyer/Entry: coat closet, mudroom bench, boot tray
Living room: media wall, TV mount, gas hookup, in-wall speakers
Dining room: chandelier, wainscot, buffet niche
Kitchen: island, peninsula, pantry, breakfast nook
Bathroom: ensuite, powder room, three-piece, four-piece, wet room
Laundry room: laundry tub, stacking washer/dryer, laundry chute
Bedrooms: walk-in closet, built-in wardrobe
Home office: built-in desk, network jacks, data closet
Basement rec room: wet bar, theatre room, games area
Secondary suite / legal suite: separate entrance, kitchen, egress windows
Sunroom / solarium, conservatory
Hobby rooms: workshop, craft room, gym, wine cellar
Cabinets (frameless, framed, shaker, custom, stock)
Countertops (granite, quartz, laminate, butcher block, soapstone, solid surface)
Backsplash (tile, glass, metal, stone)
Sink (single bowl, double bowl, farmhouse, undermount), faucet (pull-down, touchless)
Garbage disposal, composter, integrated waste bins
Dishwasher (built-in), microwave (over range, built-in), range/oven (electric, gas, induction), cooktop, hood fan/vented range hood
Pot filler, warming drawer, drawer organizers, soft-close hinges
Pantry (walk-in, pull-out), lazy susan
Toilet (two-piece, one-piece, wall-hung, dual-flush)
Sink (pedestal, vanity, vessel)
Faucet (single handle, double handle, thermostatic)
Shower (stall, curb, curbless, steam shower), shower pan, tiling, glass enclosure
Bathtub (soaker, clawfoot, jetted / whirlpool)
Tub/shower surround, shower niche, grab bars
Vanity (single, double), medicine cabinet, exhaust fan (vented), in-floor heat (radiant)
Water softener, whole-house water filtration, UV filter
Hot water tank (storage), tankless (on-demand) water heater, indirect hot water heater (boiler)
Pressure regulator, expansion tank, mixing valve (anti-scald)
Municipal water connection, curb stop, service line
Well (submersible pump, pressure tank), cistern
Septic system, septic tank, leach field, holding tank
Main water shutoff, isolation valves, gate valve, ball valve
Supply piping (PEX, copper, CPVC), drain piping (PVC, ABS, cast iron)
Cleanouts, floor drain, backwater valve, backflow preventer
Sump pump, ejector pump, sewage pump
Hose bibs, frost-proof exterior taps, RV hookup, gas line stub (for BBQ)
Hydronic piping (PEX for radiant), boiler connections
Furnace (natural gas, oil, electric), condensing furnace, high-efficiency AFUE rating
Boiler (hot water baseboard, hydronic), steam boiler
Heat pump (air source, ground source / geothermal)
Air conditioner (central AC, split system, packaged), condensing unit, evaporator coil
Rooftop unit, mini-split / ductless AC
Ductwork, supply register, return grille, balancing damper
Thermostat (programmable, smart thermostat, Nest)
HRV / ERV (Heat Recovery Ventilator / Energy Recovery Ventilator)
Humidifier (whole-house), dehumidifier, attic fan, ventilation fans
Baseboard heaters, electric wall heaters, in-floor radiant heating, radiant ceiling panels
Service entrance, meter base, utility connection, service drop / lateral
Service size (amps): 100A, 150A, 200A, 400A, main breaker, panelboard
Circuit breakers, GFCI (ground-fault circuit interrupter), AFCI (arc-fault circuit interrupter)
Subpanel, distribution panel, fused disconnect
Wiring types (NM-B Romex, BX, conduit, knob & tube — older)
Outlets (receptacles), USB outlets, tamper-resistant outlets, weatherproof outlet, 240V outlet (dryer, stove, EV charger)
Switches (single pole, three-way, dimmer), smart switches
Lighting (pot lights / recessed, track, pendant, chandelier, sconce)
Smoke alarms, CO detectors, hard-wired alarms with battery backup
Security system, alarm keypad, motion sensors, door contacts, CCTV cameras, doorbell camera (Ring)
Intercom, structured cabling (Cat5e, Cat6), ethernet jacks, coax cable, satellite dish
Home automation, smart home hub, whole-home surge protection, generator transfer switch, standby generator
Insulation types: batt (fibreglass), blown-in cellulose, spray foam (open/closed cell), rigid foam (XPS, EPS)
R-values (wall, attic, basement), vapour barrier, air barrier, house wrap
Window glazing: single, double, triple glazed, low-E coating, argon fill
Thermal bridging, continuous insulation, caulking, weatherstripping
Solar panels (PV), inverter, net metering, solar thermal collectors
Energy Star appliances, heat recovery systems, LED lighting, programmable thermostats
Passive solar design, south-facing glazing, shading devices
Window styles: casement, double-hung, single-hung, sliding, awning, fixed, picture, bay, bow, egress, hopper
Frames: vinyl, wood, aluminium, clad wood, fiberglass
Window treatments: blinds, shades, drapes, shutters
Entry door (solid core, fibreglass, steel), storm door, security door
Patio door (sliding glass, French, folding), garage door (insulated, sectional)
Fire door, fire rating, egress door, service door
Door hardware (deadbolt, smart lock, knob, lever), peephole, doorbell
Flooring: hardwood (solid, engineered), laminate, vinyl plank (LVP), sheet vinyl, tile (ceramic, porcelain), stone (marble, travertine), terrazzo, carpet, cork, linoleum
Subfloor (plywood, OSB), underlay, underlayment, vapor membrane
Flooring accessories: thresholds, reducers, transitions, stair nosing
Surface finishes: paint (latex, oil), stain, varnish, polyurethane, lacquer
Wall finishes: drywall (gypsum board), plaster, lime plaster, exposed brick, wood paneling, shiplap, tile wainscot
Ceiling finishes: acoustic tiles, wood beams, exposed joists
Water heater (as above), gas lines, interior gas shutoff
Central vacuum system, vacuum inlet, dust canister
Built-in appliances: microwave, oven, range, cooktop, wine fridge, built-in coffee maker
Laundry hookups (gas dryer outlet, electric dryer outlet), utility sink
Electrical subpanel for shop, RV outlet, EV charger (Level 1/2)
Cable/antenna/satellite, fiber optic connection, municipal broadband
Egress windows (minimum size requirements), window well, ladder
Handrails, guardrails (height standards), anti-slip treads
Fire separation, firestopping, firewall, fire suppression sprinklers (in some multi-family)
Accessible features: ramps, lever handles, barrier-free showers (curbless), grab bars, widened doorways
Carbon monoxide detectors, smoke detectors, emergency lighting
Radon mitigation system, test ports, sub-slab depressurization fan (in areas with radon risk)
Egress window wells, bulkhead entry, sump pit/pump, vapor barrier, radon mitigation, sewage ejector, crawlspace encapsulation, basement insulation, sub-flooring systems, framed walls, exposed beam
Mezzanine storage, attic storage, built-in shelving, workbench, compressor hookup, heated garage, commercial door opener, door sensors, sheathing, insulated garage door, overhead storage racks
Secondary structures: shed, garden shed, greenhouse, pool house, barn, shop, studio
Inground pool, above ground pool, pool pump, filter, heater, deck, pool fence
Hot tub / spa, hot tub electrical, spa pad
Outdoor kitchen, BBQ hookup (natural gas), fire pit, outdoor fireplace
Play structures, trampoline, sports court, rink infrastructure (in Alberta yards), snow-clearing access
Bungalow, raised bungalow, split-level, two-storey, three-storey
Character / older styles: Edwardian, Victorian, Craftsman, Tudor, Prairie, Queen Anne
Mid-century modern, post-war, infill, contemporary, modern farmhouse, Scandinavian, ranch, urban loft
Duplex, semi-detached, townhouse, rowhouse, walk-up condo, high-rise condo, bareland condo
Bi-level, tri-level, bungalow with walkout, executive estate, acreage
Refrigerator (freestanding, built-in), freezer (upright, chest)
Range/oven, cooktop (gas, electric, induction), hood fan
Dishwasher, microwave, hood, range hood, trash compactor (less common)
Washer, dryer (gas/electric), tumble dryer, dryer vent
Water heater, softener, iron filter, boiler, humidifier, dehumidifier, furnace, heat pump, air conditioner
Municipal address, PIDs, legal description, lot plan, title, certificate of title, condominium plan, bareland condominium documents, condominium corporation bylaws, board minutes, reserve fund study (25-yr), property disclosure statement, survey plan, Real Property Report (RPR), building permits, development permits, occupancy permit, gas safety certificate, electrical inspection, plumbing permits, compliance letters, heritage designation (if applicable), environmental site assessment (Phase I/II), septic certificate, well log, certificate of compliance
Rot, mould/mildew, water stains, efflorescence, spalling concrete, heaving slab, settlement cracks, hairline cracks vs structural cracks, drainage issues, ice damming, condensation, pest damage (carpenter ants, termites — rare in AB), asbestos (older homes), lead paint (older), knob & tube wiring, contaminated soil, buried oil tanks
Mailbox, civic sign, snow fence, snow storage area, streetlight, utility pole, transformer, easement, right of way, utility corridor, storm sewer inlet, boulevard, tree protection, conservation reserve, floodplain designation