Free checklist
Below-grade waterproofingBelow-grade waterproofing rough-in inspection checklist
Below-grade waterproofing rough-in is the last time the work is fully visible. Once the cover inspection passes and the walls, ceilings and slabs close, every defect left behind becomes a demolition bill. This checklist walks the rough-in in the order the work goes in, with the photo each item needs before it gets buried. Work is commonly verified against manufacturer's published instructions, the applicable building code. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 5
- Photos required
- 9
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The waterproofing foreman checking the wall ahead of the membrane crew, or the GC's superintendent releasing the foundation for waterproofing.
When in the schedule
After the wall is stripped and cured and details are patched, before the membrane goes on and while every detail is still reachable.
The checklist
Every item, and the photo that proves it
The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Copy the list as is, or load it into RTI and let the gate enforce it.
Substrate condition
- 2 photos
Substrate cured, sound and clean
Wall cured to the manufacturer's requirement, dry where a dry substrate is required, free of laitance, form oil, fins and loose material.
- 2 photos
Cant or fillet formed at the footing-to-wall joint
Cant or fillet installed at the inside corner where the wall meets the footing so the membrane turns the corner without bridging a sharp angle.
Wall defects
- 2 photos
Tie holes and cold joints detailed
Form-tie holes filled and cold joints treated with the specified detail material, honeycomb cut out and patched, before the field membrane.
Penetration detailing
- 2 photos
Penetrations detailed and reinforced
Pipes, sleeves and conduit sealed and reinforced with the detail piece the system calls for, collars tight before the field sheet or coat laps over.
- 1 photo
Corners and transitions reinforced
Inside and outside corners and material transitions reinforced with the specified strip or detail before the field application.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Membrane applied to green concrete or a damp wall, so it never bonds and blisters off below grade.
- Tie holes and honeycomb patched with a quick smear instead of the detailed treatment, leaving a path straight through the wall.
- No cant or fillet at the footing-to-wall corner, so the membrane bridges a sharp inside angle and cracks there.
Run it with the Photo Gate
A checklist nobody can submit half-finished
Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 9 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident record behind every line.
Submission state
The gate is enforced on the server, so it holds even if the phone is offline when the walk happens.
Common questions
- What does this below-grade waterproofing rough-in checklist cover?
- 5 items across 3 sections, covering substrate condition, wall defects, penetration detailing. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
- Who should run this inspection?
- The waterproofing foreman checking the wall ahead of the membrane crew, or the GC's superintendent releasing the foundation for waterproofing.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- After the wall is stripped and cured and details are patched, before the membrane goes on and while every detail is still reachable.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 9 of the 5 items call for photo evidence. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
- What most often fails a below-grade waterproofing rough-in inspection?
- Membrane applied to green concrete or a damp wall, so it never bonds and blisters off below grade. Tie holes and honeycomb patched with a quick smear instead of the detailed treatment, leaving a path straight through the wall. No cant or fillet at the footing-to-wall corner, so the membrane bridges a sharp inside angle and cracks there.
- Can I use this checklist in RTI?
- Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident audit trail.
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