12 Questions to Ask Your Home Inspector

You bought a new home, but now you need it inspected. But what do you ask the inspector when you call for an appointment? And what do you ask the inspector when he or she is on your property? What do you even need to look for? Check out these 12 questions that every home buyer needs to ask their inspector.

The Call

When you first look to hire an inspector, there are a few questions you need to ask before making your choice.

1. What do you check for?

2. What don’t you check?

Inspectors have a huge checklist of what they need to see in every home, but most home buyers have no idea what that is or why it’s important. So, don’t be afraid to ask your potential inspector! You also need to realize that there are some limitations to what your inspector can look at in your home. Make sure you find out what they are, that way you don’t walk away with questions later, wondering if your inspector wasn’t completely honest with you, or if they could have done more.

3. What do you charge?

4. How long have you been inspecting homes?

Don’t be afraid to ask for the price of an inspection. Some inspectors will be cheaper than others, and sometimes there is a good reason for it. And it’s valuable to find out how long he or she has been an inspector, that way you are assured that they are trustworthy, reliable and will know what is a red flag and what isn’t.

But you should also check out reviews on them. There are plenty of places online that you can look at and find reviews on different services, including home inspection. See what other customers have had to say about that inspector. This way you will be more confident about your choice.

5. Can I come on the inspection?

6. How long will the home inspection take?

Most inspectors should have no problem allowing you to come on the inspection. In fact, inspectors usually want you along so that you know exactly what is going on in your new home. And if you’re at the inspection, it’s easier to ask the questions that might pop into your head along the way. Of course, you want to know how long the inspection will take because you have other things going on in your life. Asking about the time is not rude. It shows the inspector that you value your time and his or hers.

7. Do your inspections include radon or mold?

One thing you want to ask before you sign up for an inspection is if the inspector checks for radon or mold. This is usually an add-on service but can be done at the time of the walk-through, so you need to set it up beforehand. Checking for radon or mold in Ohio is a huge deal, as it is very expensive to remediate. Not only so, but if either is present in your home, they can pose huge health risks and need to be fixed immediately.

The Home Inspection

On the day of the inspection, you’ll have more questions as you go along with your inspector. Don’t be afraid to ask! You are not bothering the inspector with your questions. Most of the time, he or she is happy to explain what he or she is looking at, or for, and if it is concerning or not.

8. Can you point that out to me, and what should I do about it?

If you see or hear the inspector make note of something, go ahead and ask him or her to point it out to you. Then ask if it needs to be fixed, and if so, how or who should fix it. That way you know what you need to be done immediately and what can wait until later.

9. Where are the major shut-off valves and electrical box?

One question a lot of home buyers forget to ask is where are the major shut-off valves and the electrical box? You may think that you can find it on your own later, but that usually occurs during an emergency and will be extremely stressful. It is far simpler to merely ask your inspector where they are and make either a mental or physical note of the place for future reference. You will need to know where these are for regular maintenance.

Finally, the inspection comes to an end and your inspector is getting ready to leave. That is when you need to ask these questions:

10. What will be on the report?

11. When will I receive the report?

12. What should I do with the report?

Don’t leave all this up to chance. The report is important (click here to see a sample home inspection report) and you should know what to do with it before the inspector leaves. He or she will explain everything to you and you can leave your new property confident that you made a great buy and now know what next steps you need to take.

If you are ready to have your home inspected, please contact us today and we can get you started.