Free checklist
Fencing and gatesFencing and gates rough-in inspection checklist
Fencing and gates 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 the project specifications, manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 5
- Photos required
- 8
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The fence crew foreman setting posts, or the GC's superintendent checking the line before concrete sets.
When in the schedule
As posts are set and before the footing concrete takes its set, so a hole that's short or a post out of plumb can still be reset.
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.
Layout and alignment
- 2 photos
Fence line and gate openings set to the survey and plan
Line pulled off survey control, offsets from property lines and setbacks confirmed, gate openings measured to the specified rough width before posts go in.
Post holes and footings
- 2 photos
Post-hole depth and diameter meet the specified embedment
Hole depth and width checked against the spec, deeper and wider footings at gate, corner and end posts, bottoms clean and not caved.
- 1 photo
Footing concrete placed and crowned to shed water
Concrete filling the hole with no voids around the post, top crowned above grade to drain away, embedded post depth confirmed before the set.
Post spacing and plumb
- 1 photo
Post spacing matches panel or fabric runs
On-center spacing checked against panel length or the fabric stretch, so no field-cut short panel or over-stretched run is forced at the end.
- 2 photos
Posts plumb and on line before the set
Each post checked plumb two ways and sighted down the run, gate posts braced against the pull of the leaf, corrected while the concrete is still workable.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Fence line laid off a property assumption rather than the survey, so the run crowds a setback or drifts off the plan.
- Post holes dug to a habit depth instead of the specified embedment, leaving gate and corner posts to work loose later.
- Concrete allowed to set before posts were checked plumb and on line, locking a lean or a dogleg into the run.
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 8 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 fencing and gates rough-in checklist cover?
- 5 items across 3 sections, covering layout and alignment, post holes and footings, post spacing and plumb. 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 fence crew foreman setting posts, or the GC's superintendent checking the line before concrete sets.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- As posts are set and before the footing concrete takes its set, so a hole that's short or a post out of plumb can still be reset.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 8 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 fencing and gates rough-in inspection?
- Fence line laid off a property assumption rather than the survey, so the run crowds a setback or drifts off the plan. Post holes dug to a habit depth instead of the specified embedment, leaving gate and corner posts to work loose later. Concrete allowed to set before posts were checked plumb and on line, locking a lean or a dogleg into the run.
- 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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