Free checklist
Carpet and carpet tileCarpet and carpet tile rough-in inspection checklist
Carpet and carpet tile 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 CRI carpet installation guidance, manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 3
- Photos required
- 5
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The carpet foreman prepping the floor, with the GC's superintendent walking the substrate before the field is covered.
When in the schedule
After the space is enclosed, conditioned and the slab is dry, before adhesive or tackless is set and the floor is covered.
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 flat, sound and dry
Slab or underlayment within the specified flatness, ridges ground and low spots patched, moisture within the maker's limits for the adhesive or cushion system, no telegraphing defects.
Cleanliness and bond surface
- 2 photos
Old adhesive, dust and compounds removed
Bond surface free of old adhesive, curing compounds, sealers and dust so adhesive or tackless holds, prepped where the maker requires.
Layout and anchorage prep
- 1 photo
Tackless, cushion or layout lines set for the field
Tackless strip and cushion set correctly at the perimeter for stretched-in work, or the tile layout snapped from balanced center lines so borders are even and no sliver cuts land at the edges.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Adhesive-set carpet tile laid over a slab that was never moisture-checked, so the bond fails and the tiles curl at the corners once vapor drives through.
- Ridges and low spots left unpatched, so glue-down seams telegraph and the seam line shows as a shadow across the field under raking light.
- Old adhesive, dust and curing compound left on the slab, so neither the new adhesive nor the tackless holds and the carpet creeps under traffic.
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 5 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 carpet and carpet tile rough-in checklist cover?
- 3 items across 3 sections, covering substrate condition, cleanliness and bond surface, layout and anchorage prep. 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 carpet foreman prepping the floor, with the GC's superintendent walking the substrate before the field is covered.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- After the space is enclosed, conditioned and the slab is dry, before adhesive or tackless is set and the floor is covered.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 5 of the 3 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 carpet and carpet tile rough-in inspection?
- Adhesive-set carpet tile laid over a slab that was never moisture-checked, so the bond fails and the tiles curl at the corners once vapor drives through. Ridges and low spots left unpatched, so glue-down seams telegraph and the seam line shows as a shadow across the field under raking light. Old adhesive, dust and curing compound left on the slab, so neither the new adhesive nor the tackless holds and the carpet creeps under traffic.
- 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.
Related checklists
2642 items and 4211 photo requirements in total.