Free checklist
Final inspection checklist for construction
The final walk is where a job either hands over cleanly or drags on for six weeks. What separates the two is almost always documentation: not whether the work is done, but whether it can be shown to be done.
- Items
- 15
- Photos required
- 25
- Built for
- General contractors
Who runs it
GC project manager and superintendent, with the owner's representative and the design team.
When in the schedule
After the punch list is closed and before the owner takes beneficial occupancy.
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.
Systems operational
- 2 photos
Every mechanical system runs through its sequence
Record the system responding, not just the thermostat setting.
- 2 photos
Electrical distribution complete, labelled and tested
Panel schedules accurate, devices operable, emergency and standby systems exercised.
- 2 photos
Plumbing fixtures operate with no leaks
Run every fixture, check below, verify hot water delivery time and temperature.
- 1 photo
Controls and low-voltage systems commissioned
Access control, alarm, data and AV verified as handed over, with credentials transferred.
Life safety
- 2 photos
Egress paths clear, lit and hardware operable
Walk every exit, test panic hardware, confirm door swings and closers.
- 2 photos
Fire protection systems tested and tagged
Test records available, devices in place, extinguishers mounted and current.
- 2 photos
Emergency lighting and exit signage functional
Test each unit on battery; photograph the illuminated state.
- 2 photos
Accessibility features verified in the field
Clearances, reach ranges, hardware and signage measured, not assumed from the drawings.
Finishes and cleanliness
- 1 photo
Punch list closed with correction photos
Every open item has a closing photo attached to the original entry.
- 2 photos
Final clean complete, protection removed
Glass, floors, fixtures and horizontal surfaces; nothing left in the ceiling plenum.
- 2 photos
Exterior and site complete
Paving, striping, landscaping, signage and drainage all in their final condition.
Documentation and handover
- 1 photo
Turnover package assembled and delivered
Inspection records with photos, test reports, warranties, O&M manuals and as-builts in one package.
- 1 photo
Warranties started and durations recorded
Start dates agreed in writing; equipment registrations submitted.
- 1 photo
Owner training delivered and attendance recorded
Who attended, on what systems, on what date — with the session recorded where possible.
- 2 photos
Keys, credentials and spare parts transferred
Signed transfer record for keys, access credentials, attic stock and specified spares.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Systems demonstrated verbally but never recorded operating.
- Closeout documentation assembled from memory a month after the trades left.
- Owner training delivered to whoever happened to be on site that day, with no attendance record.
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 25 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.
Related checklists
See all 69 checklists — 614 items and 1031 photo requirements in total.