What to Ask a Home Inspector: Questions Before Hiring, During the Walkthrough and After the Report

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's guide to scheduling a home inspection puts it simply: "You want an independent home inspector who is accountable to you." It also warns that an inspector paid by someone else, or paid only at closing, may have a reason to downplay problems. These questions test for that.

License and the state rules behind it

Licensing depends on your state. The CFPB suggests checking your state or county licensing authority and notes that licensing may not be required where you live. Where it is required, the rules can be detailed. Texas inspectors are licensed by the Texas Real Estate Commission and must use its Property Inspection Report Form for real estate inspections, marking each item as Inspected, Not Inspected, Not Present or Deficient. If you are buying in Austin's Mueller neighborhood, ask to see a sample on that form.

Standard of practice and sample report

The InterNACHI home inspection FAQ tells buyers to make sure the inspector follows a code of ethics and standards of practice, and says the inspector should provide a copy or online link to the standards they follow. The standard matters in practice: the current ASHI standard requires running installed kitchen appliances through their primary function, while InterNACHI's does not require inspecting appliances at all. A sample report shows how the inspector writes, whether photos sit next to findings, and whether recommendations say who should evaluate a problem.

Insurance

Ask for a certificate, and ask what kind of policy it is. Some states set a floor. Florida Statutes 468.8322 requires home inspectors to carry commercial general liability insurance of at least $300,000, so buyers hiring in Orlando or anywhere in the state can ask to see it. Texas, under Occupations Code 1102.1141, requires inspectors to maintain financial responsibility through a liability policy with professional liability coverage of at least $100,000 per occurrence, or through a bond or other security the commission accepts.

Independence

The ASHI Code of Ethics says inspectors shall not compensate real estate agents for referrals or for a place on a recommended list, shall not take payment from more than one party without the client's agreement, and shall not repair, replace or upgrade, for pay, systems covered by the standard for one year after the inspection. If an inspector offers to fix what they find, that is the answer to your question.

Scope and add-ons

The last set of hiring questions is about what the visit will and will not include, because that is where most disappointments start. Useful ones:

• "How will you inspect the roof?" The current ASHI standard asks inspectors to describe the method they used, whether walking it, viewing from a ladder or using a drone. Know in advance which one you are paying for.
• "Will you enter the attic and the crawl space?" If access is tight or blocked, ask what they will do and whether they come back once it is cleared.
• "What on this property is outside your scope?" ASHI's standard excludes wells, septic systems, water quality and recreational facilities such as pools. A house with any of them needs a separate specialist.
• "What does your pre-inspection agreement say?" Read it before inspection day, especially any clause that limits liability or requires arbitration, and know what home inspectors are not allowed to do.

Two practical questions round out the call: what add-ons they offer, such as radon, a sewer scope or a wood-destroying insect report, and when the report arrives. Prices are covered in average home inspection cost, and timing in how long a home inspection takes.

The CFPB says being present "makes it easier to interpret the inspection report," and the InterNACHI FAQ says plainly that you should attend. If you cannot follow for the whole visit, be there for the final walkthrough. Good questions for home inspector walkthroughs are short and specific:

• "Is this a safety issue, a repair, or maintenance?" It sorts the list before the report does.
• "What could you not reach, and why?" A locked crawl space, a blocked attic hatch or a panel cover that stayed on is a gap, not a clean bill.
• "Is this typical for a house this age?" Old houses have old parts; the question is which ones are failing.
• "Is this near the end of its life?" The current ASHI standard requires reporting systems that are "near the end of their service lives," but not estimating remaining years, so ask what they see.
• "Did you run the heat and the air conditioning?" Weather can keep a system from being tested.
• "Where are the main water and gas shutoffs?" You will want this the week you move in.
• "What would you check next if this were your house?" It invites a candid answer about specialists.

Take your own photos of anything flagged, labeled by room. They make the written report easier to match to what you saw.

The report lands, often long and full of "recommend further evaluation." These home inspection follow up questions turn it into decisions:

1. "Which three items worry you most?" An inspector who will not rank findings is leaving the hard part to you.
2. "Who should evaluate this, a roofer, electrician, plumber or engineer?" Book that person right away; your contingency clock is running.
3. "Roughly what does this kind of repair involve?" An ASHI ethics interpretation says an inspector may give a projected repair cost within their expertise, as long as it is not an offer to do the work, and notes that some states restrict such estimates. Treat any figure as a starting point and get contractor quotes.
4. "Would you re-inspect after repairs?" Some inspectors return to check completed repairs; ask whether yours does and what it costs before you negotiate.
5. "Can you send the report to my agent and lender?" Under the ASHI code, the inspector does not disclose results without the client's approval, so you decide who sees it.

Then the questions go to your side. The CFPB notes you may negotiate with the seller over who makes or pays for repairs, and that a lender may require major repairs before closing. Whether to ask for repairs or a credit is covered in our guide on whether you can roll closing costs into your mortgage, which explains how seller credits work. If you are tempted to skip the inspection to win a bidding war, read the property inspection waiver guide first: a lender's waiver is not a waiver of your own inspection.

Your agent and, in attorney states, your real estate attorney can tell you what your contract allows you to request and by when. The inspector's job ends with the report.

Some answers should end the conversation:

• They discourage you from attending or from asking questions. InterNACHI's FAQ says you should reconsider hiring an inspector who does not allow you to attend.
• They cannot tell you which standard of practice they follow.
• They offer to repair the problems they find, or quote you their own repair price.
• They mention a referral arrangement with your agent.
• Their sample report is a checklist of boxes with no photos or explanations.
• They will not send the pre-inspection agreement until they arrive, leaving you to sign it on the porch.
• They cannot say when the report will be ready, or quote a date that falls after your contingency deadline.

In a condo, the most important question is the scope. The current ASHI Standard of Practice excludes "common elements and common areas in multiunit housing, such as condominium properties and cooperative housing." Ask the inspector exactly what they will cover in your unit and which signs of building problems they will note from inside it, such as staining at windows, around risers, or on ceilings below another unit.

The building itself needs questions for the association:

• When was the last reserve study for the condo association, and is the budget following it?
• Are any projects or a special assessment approved or under discussion?
• What does the master policy cover inside the unit? The condo association master insurance policy guide shows how to read one, and condominium association insurance coverage walks through who pays after common losses.
• What does the estoppel certificate show is owed? Our guide to what an estoppel is in real estate explains why it matters before closing.

Florida buyers may also face an insurer's request for a 4-point report on an older home or unit, explained in what a 4-point inspection is. Ask your inspector whether they prepare it and whether your insurer will accept their form.

If you are touring homes in Charlotte's South End or anywhere else, the neighbors who bought before you can tell you which inspectors were thorough. Ask them on Ask a Resident before you book.

Residents know what inspections in their building or street tend to miss, which is the one thing your inspector cannot tell you.

• Which inspector did you use, and would you hire them again?
• What did your inspection miss that you found in the first year?
• Did your inspector get into the attic and crawl space, or were they blocked?
• Did a specialist the inspector recommended find something bigger?
• In this building, have leaks come from units above or from the roof and walls?
• Has the association shared engineering reports with owners, and did they lead to an assessment?
• Which insurers wrote your policy without asking for extra inspections?