Do you smell smoke?

Our sale agreement is eleven pages long, with options for a variety of addenda that can make it much longer. 

One of the important things the sale agreement says is: at the earlier of possession or closing date, the dwelling will have one or more operating smoke alarms, smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors as required by law (see http://www.oregon.gov/OSP/SFM/).

We all pretty much know and agree that smoke alarms and detectors save lives.  But many of us  have gotten a bit complacent keeping up on current some alarm/detector laws, and on keeping our actual devices up to date.  MANY real estate transactions get bogged down and slowed down while the correct devices are negotiated and installed.

Sometimes the issue comes up on the home inspection.  Sometimes an appraiser notes a missing device, and sometimes a sale closes without anyone noticing a missing alarm or detector,  EVEN THOUGH BOTH PARTIES SIGNED THE AGREEMENT SAYING THEY’D BE THERE.

The City of Portland has its own smoke and carbon monoxide detector rules, as distinct from the State of Oregon.

Anyone looking for a business idea?  I think there is market for the following service:  be familiar with the prevailing code, perform an inspection of  a property before it goes to market or sometime in the inspcetion process, and update or install the required devices.  Inventory woud be inexpensive.  There would be some sort of inspctor or contractor's license involved, and probably a chunk of liability insurance.  Oh, and putting seismic straps on water heaters is another service often needed, that can be inexpensively done.  Anyone?