What does this flooring checklist cover?

12 items across 4 sections, covering substrate, moisture and conditions, installation, finish and protection. 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?

Flooring contractor; the GC verifies the substrate readings before material is accepted on site.

When in the schedule should this walk happen?

Substrate and moisture testing before delivery, acclimation before installation, protection immediately after.

Why does every item ask for a photo?

All 12 items call for photo evidence, 25 photos in all. 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 flooring inspection?

Moisture test performed but the readings never recorded against a location. Material installed the day it arrived, with no acclimation period. Finished floor used as a work surface by following trades with no protection.

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.

Free checklist

Flooring installation inspection checklist

Two numbers decide whether a floor lasts: substrate flatness and substrate moisture. Both have to be measured and recorded before material is opened, because after installation neither can be proven and both become somebody's warranty claim.

Start free with this checklist Download as PDF

The checklist

Every item, and the photo evidence it needs

The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Work the list here and watch the gate hold, or load it into RTI and let it enforce the real thing.

Substrate

Flatness measured against the tolerance for the product
Straightedge readings recorded at multiple locations, photographed with the gap visible.
Substrate clean, sound and free of contaminants
No curing compounds, adhesive residue or drywall mud left on the slab.
Cracks and joints treated per the system
Moving joints honoured through the floor, not bridged and left to telegraph.

Moisture and conditions

Moisture testing performed with results recorded by location
Test method, reading and location on a plan. One number for a whole floor is not a test.
Building conditioned to service conditions before installation
HVAC operating, temperature and humidity within range and recorded.
Material acclimated for the required period
Delivery date, storage location and acclimation start recorded.

Installation

Layout set and dry-laid before fixing
Starting line, cut sizes at the perimeter, and pattern verified against the plan.
Adhesive, underlayment or fastening as specified
Correct trowel notch and coverage; check a lifted piece for transfer.
Expansion gaps maintained at all perimeters and penetrations
Gap present behind base and at columns, doors and thresholds.

Finish and protection

Transitions, thresholds and base complete
Secure, level with the adjacent finish, scribed where the floor is uneven.
Surface free of lippage, hollow spots and damage
Sound test hard surfaces; check lippage across the room, not just one tile.
Protection installed immediately after installation
Breathable protection, taped to itself rather than to the finish.

What usually sends this back

The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work

Moisture test performed but the readings never recorded against a location.
Material installed the day it arrived, with no acclimation period.
Finished floor used as a work surface by following trades with no protection.

Common questions

6 answers

What does this flooring checklist cover?: 12 items across 4 sections, covering substrate, moisture and conditions, installation, finish and protection. 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?: Flooring contractor; the GC verifies the substrate readings before material is accepted on site.
When in the schedule should this walk happen?: Substrate and moisture testing before delivery, acclimation before installation, protection immediately after.
Why does every item ask for a photo?: All 12 items call for photo evidence, 25 photos in all. 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 flooring inspection?: Moisture test performed but the readings never recorded against a location. Material installed the day it arrived, with no acclimation period. Finished floor used as a work surface by following trades with no protection.
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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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.