Home inspection in Hartford.

It changes the mix. Hartford was laid out in 1849 by John D. Hartman, and that original stock is what most people picture — stone and block foundations, chimneys, wiring updated in layers. But the town is inside the Des Moines metropolitan area, so newer and recently renovated houses sell here too, and renovated older homes are the ones that need the closest look: new finishes over old framing, updated kitchens on original branch circuits, a modern panel feeding cloth-sheathed cable. The panel, the circuits and what was actually replaced behind the drywall are what matter.

Plan on two to three hours for an average home; larger, older or multi-unit properties run longer because there is simply more to document.