A five-minute phone call before booking can tell you almost everything you need to know about an inspector — often more than an hour of reading online reviews. Here are the questions worth asking, organized by topic, and what a good answer sounds like.
Most buyers only think to ask about price and maybe availability. Taking five extra minutes to run through this list can be the difference between a report you can actually negotiate with and one that just checks a box on your closing timeline.
About their license and coverage
- What's your Kentucky home inspector license number, and is it current? Every inspector in Kentucky must be licensed under KRS 198B; verify it through the state lookup.
- Do you carry errors-and-omissions coverage in addition to the required liability policy? A confident "yes" with an offer to show proof is the right answer.
- How many inspections have you completed? There's no magic number, but hesitation to answer plainly is a bad sign.
About scope and pricing
- What's included in the base price, and what costs extra? Radon, sewer scope, and termite/WDO are almost always separate line items — get the full all-in quote up front.
- Do you inspect crawl spaces and attics in person, or from the access hatch only? A physical entry catches meaningfully more, which matters in Louisville's clay-soil crawl spaces.
- How long will the inspection take? A typical single-family home should take 2–4 hours. Anything under 90 minutes for a full-size home is a red flag worth pushing back on.
About the report
- When will I receive the report, and in what format? Same-day, photo-rich digital reports are the local standard.
- Can I see a sample report first? This single question tells you more about quality than any other on this list.
- Will the report include repair cost estimates or just findings? Most inspectors document findings rather than pricing repairs — good to know before you plan your negotiation.
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About the visit itself
- Can I attend the inspection? The answer should always be an enthusiastic yes.
- Will you walk me through findings on-site before I get the written report? Many good inspectors do a verbal walkthrough of major issues before you leave the property.
- Are you available for follow-up questions after the report? You'll have questions once you sit down and read the full report — make sure that access is included, not billed separately.
Put it together
None of these twelve questions are a trap — a solid inspector answers all of them without hesitation, usually before you finish asking. If you get vague or defensive answers on more than one or two, weigh that heavily before you book. See our related guide on red flags to avoid when vetting inspectors anywhere in the Louisville market.
Key takeaways
- Confirm the Kentucky license number and current status first, then ask about E&O coverage and experience.
- Get a full, all-in quote covering add-ons like radon, sewer scope, and termite/WDO — not just the base price.
- A same-day, photo-rich digital report is standard locally, so anything less is worth questioning.
- Confirm you're welcome to attend and that follow-up questions are included, not billed separately.