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Cold-formed metal framing

Cold-formed metal framing final inspection checklist

Cold-formed metal framing final inspection is where the punch list is either short or expensive. This checklist walks the finished work the way an owner or AHJ will see it: devices on, systems running, everything labeled. Each item gets the photo that closes it instead of reopening it. Work is commonly verified against AISI cold-formed steel standards, the applicable building code. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.

Items
4
Photos required
7

Who runs it

The GC's superintendent with the framing foreman, walking finished walls before the next trade takes over.

When in the schedule

After framing is complete on an area and before board, cladding or ceiling grid starts, so alignment problems don't get built into the finishes.

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.

01

Alignment

  • Walls plumb, straight and in plane

    Plumb checked at ends and mid-height, wall face straight along its length with no bow, adjacent walls in the same plane at intersections.

    2 photos
  • Ceilings and soffits level and to layout

    Framed ceilings and soffits level to the line, hangers and framing tight, dimensions matching the reflected ceiling plan.

    1 photo
02

Openings and connections

  • Openings framed to the correct rough size and reinforced

    Rough opening dimensions confirmed against door and window schedules, jambs and headers complete, reinforcing at openings in place.

    2 photos
  • All connections complete and tight

    Stud-to-track, bridging and structural connections fully fastened with nothing left loose at corners, intersections or crew hand-off lines.

    2 photos

What usually sends this back

The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work

  • A wall plumb at the ends but bowed in the middle, so the finished face waves once board is hung.
  • Corner and intersection connections left loose where two crews met and each assumed the other tied them.
  • A framed opening left the wrong rough size, forcing the door or window trade to shim or refit later.

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 7 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident record behind every line.

Submission state

Mandatory items answered4 of 4
Photos attached4 of 7
Submit locked, 3 photos missing

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 cold-formed metal framing final checklist cover?
4 items across 2 sections, covering alignment, openings and connections. 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 GC's superintendent with the framing foreman, walking finished walls before the next trade takes over.
When in the schedule should this walk happen?
After framing is complete on an area and before board, cladding or ceiling grid starts, so alignment problems don't get built into the finishes.
Why does every item ask for a photo?
7 of the 4 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 cold-formed metal framing final inspection?
A wall plumb at the ends but bowed in the middle, so the finished face waves once board is hung. Corner and intersection connections left loose where two crews met and each assumed the other tied them. A framed opening left the wrong rough size, forcing the door or window trade to shim or refit later.
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.