Free checklist
Deep foundationsDeep foundations final inspection checklist
Deep foundations 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 ACI, the project geotechnical report and specifications. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 4
- Photos required
- 7
- Built for
- General contractors
Who runs it
The GC's superintendent with the geotechnical rep and the structural engineer of record's field observer before caps are formed.
When in the schedule
After piles and shafts are trimmed to cutoff and before pile caps and grade beams are formed, so any deficient element is caught while it's still exposed.
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.
Cutoffs and connection
- 2 photos
Cutoff elevations verified and sound concrete exposed
Each pile trimmed to the specified cutoff, concrete at the head sound and not fractured from over-driving or chipping.
- 2 photos
Dowels and embeds for the cap in place and correct
Projecting bars, dowels or embed plates for the pile cap present, correct length and position, undamaged after trimming.
Testing coordination
- 2 photos
Integrity and load testing observed and documented
Specified integrity or load tests witnessed on the required elements, results recorded and reconciled against acceptance criteria before proceeding.
As-built record
- 1 photo
As-built locations and elevations surveyed
Final head location and cutoff elevation surveyed for each element and compared against plan tolerance before caps are formed.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Cutoff elevation trimmed low, leaving too little embedment of the pile into the cap.
- Dowels or embeds for the cap missing or bent out of position after the head is chipped down.
- As-built locations never surveyed, so an out-of-tolerance pile isn't picked up until the cap won't fit the layout.
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
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 deep foundations final checklist cover?
- 4 items across 3 sections, covering cutoffs and connection, testing coordination, as-built record. 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 geotechnical rep and the structural engineer of record's field observer before caps are formed.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- After piles and shafts are trimmed to cutoff and before pile caps and grade beams are formed, so any deficient element is caught while it's still exposed.
- 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 deep foundations final inspection?
- Cutoff elevation trimmed low, leaving too little embedment of the pile into the cap. Dowels or embeds for the cap missing or bent out of position after the head is chipped down. As-built locations never surveyed, so an out-of-tolerance pile isn't picked up until the cap won't fit the layout.
- 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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