Questions to Ask
Your Home Inspector

The hire decision matters more than buyers realize. Cheap inspectors miss expensive issues. Vetting saves money.

• Are you ASHI or InterNACHI certified? These are the two main professional bodies. Certification means continuing education and standards.
• How many inspections have you personally completed? Experience matters. Be wary of inspectors with under 500 inspections.
• Can I see a sample report? Reports vary dramatically in quality. A good one is photo-heavy, organized, and actionable. A bad one is a vague checklist.
• What's your E&O insurance coverage? Errors and omissions insurance protects you if the inspector misses something major. Confirm coverage exists.
• Do you have a warranty on your inspection? Polaris is backed by InterNACHI Buy-Back. Some inspectors offer nothing. This signals confidence in their work.

Attend if at all possible. You'll learn more in 3 hours walking with the inspector than from reading any report. Ask these as you go.

• "Is this normal for a home this age?" Context matters. A 1950s home with original plumbing isn't surprising; a 1990s home with the same is.
• "Is this safety-critical or maintenance?" Inspectors often note things without ranking urgency. Push them to clarify.
• "What would this cost to fix?" Inspectors aren't contractors, but experienced ones give ranges. "I don't know" is also valid — push for ranges where they can.
• "What's the worst thing you found today?" Forces prioritization. Helps you focus negotiation.
• "What's nothing to worry about?" Equally important. Reports list everything. You need to know what's noise.
• "How long until this becomes urgent?" A 15-year-old HVAC and a 25-year-old HVAC are very different stories.
• "Would you buy this house at this price?" Inspectors won't always answer, but their hesitation tells you something.
• "What questions should I be asking that I haven't?" Best question of all. Gives experienced inspectors space to share insights.

The report drops, you read it, you panic. Take a breath. Schedule a 15-minute call with your inspector to walk through findings. Ask these.

• "What's the top 3 things from this report I should care about?" Reports are exhaustive. You need ranking.
• "Which of these are negotiable with the seller?" Inspectors know what typically gets fixed pre-closing. Use their experience.
• "Which require licensed contractors for repair?" Critical for negotiation language. "Seller will repair" vs "licensed plumber will repair" are different commitments.
• "What did you NOT inspect that I should be aware of?" Limitations matter. Crawl spaces, blocked access, areas you couldn't safely reach.
• "If you found this on your own home, what would you do first?" Forces personal stake. Reveals the inspector's true priorities.