Find a contractor that has years of experience working in the home inspection industry. With more experience comes a higher level precision with home inspections. Less experienced inspectors will generally miss things that their more experienced counterparts won't. This could have a number of negative impacts on you, including a lower selling price on your home.

Ask what the home inspection fee will be before you hire an inspector. Home inspection contractors generally don't follow the same payment scheme as other contractors do. There is generally a set price that the inspector charges for inspection of houses within a specific size range. Any reputable inspector will be able to quote you a price over the phone if you tell him or her the size of your home.

If you live on a border between two states, then you should make sure the inspector is licensed in your state. Home inspections are heavily regulated and inspectors need to go through a strict licensing program. You can not necessarily trust the estimates given to you by an unlicensed home inspection contractor.

If possible, find a building inspector that operates out of your county or town. Local inspectors will be more knowledgeable of local codes and home standards.