Free checklist
Curtain wallCurtain wall rough-in inspection checklist
Curtain wall 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 AAMA guidance, manufacturer's published instructions, the applicable building code. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 6
- Photos required
- 12
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The curtain wall foreman laying out anchors ahead of the setting crew, or the GC's superintendent releasing the slab edge floor by floor.
When in the schedule
After the slab edge is poured and surveyed and before units are set, early enough that a mislocated embed can still be corrected with a supplemental anchor rather than field-welded blind.
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.
Slab edge and embeds
- 2 photos
Slab-edge line surveyed and embeds located to the schedule
Edge of slab checked against the control line, each embed or cast-in plate found within the position tolerance the anchor schedule calls out.
- 2 photos
Slab-edge condition sound where anchors land
No spalls, honeycomb or thin cover at the plate; edge concrete solid enough to develop the anchor.
Anchorage
- 2 photos
Anchor type, size and weld or bolt-up per the anchor schedule
Anchor assembly matches the engineered schedule for that spandrel, weld size and length or bolt torque verified before load.
- 2 photos
Shim stacks and adjustment within the allowed range
Shim material and stack height inside the range the detail permits in and out, up and across, nothing bridged with unauthorized packing.
Slab-edge safing and smoke seal
- 2 photos
Perimeter fire-safing packed continuous at the slab edge
Safing insulation full-depth and continuous in the gap between the slab edge and the back of the wall, no open lengths left behind the anchors.
- 2 photos
Smoke seal installed over the safing before units cover it
Continuous smoke seal over the safing at each floor line, tooled tight to slab and back-pan while the joint is still reachable.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Embeds cast in the wrong position, so anchors get shimmed and stacked past the range the schedule allows instead of the plate being relocated.
- Slab-edge safing and the smoke seal detailed but left open where the setting crew needed working room, then never closed before the units cover it.
- Anchor bolts and welds substituted or field-modified without checking the engineered anchor schedule for that spandrel condition.
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 12 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.
Verified against
Common questions
- What does this curtain wall rough-in checklist cover?
- 6 items across 3 sections, covering slab edge and embeds, anchorage, slab-edge safing and smoke seal. 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 curtain wall foreman laying out anchors ahead of the setting crew, or the GC's superintendent releasing the slab edge floor by floor.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- After the slab edge is poured and surveyed and before units are set, early enough that a mislocated embed can still be corrected with a supplemental anchor rather than field-welded blind.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 12 of the 6 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 curtain wall rough-in inspection?
- Embeds cast in the wrong position, so anchors get shimmed and stacked past the range the schedule allows instead of the plate being relocated. Slab-edge safing and the smoke seal detailed but left open where the setting crew needed working room, then never closed before the units cover it. Anchor bolts and welds substituted or field-modified without checking the engineered anchor schedule for that spandrel condition.
- 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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