What does this flooring punch checklist cover?

9 items across 3 sections, covering damage walk, repair and proof, signoff. 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 flooring foreman on a callback, or the GC's superintendent closing finish punch items room by room.

When in the schedule should this walk happen?

During closeout, after protection comes off and cleaning is done, the moment damage from other trades becomes visible.

Why do these items ask for a photo?

5 of the 9 items call for photo evidence, 6 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 punch inspection?

Damage under the protection discovered at turnover with no record of when the floor was last seen clean. A replaced tile or plank photographed so close nobody can tell which room it is in.

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

Flooring punch checklist

Flooring punch is where small misses become callbacks after the crew has demobilized. This checklist walks the finished work the way the owner and the next trade will see it, with the photo that closes each item instead of a note that reopens it. Work is commonly verified against manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.

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.

Damage walk

Floor condition recorded as the protection comes off
Wide shots of each room the day protection is pulled, scratches, gouges, dents and stains marked, so the damage is dated before closeout.
Seams, edges and transitions re-checked for movement since final
Seams opening, plank ends peaking, boards cupping, loose reducers or base pulled away from the wall, each marked as a punch item.
Caster tracks and dragged-equipment gouges logged by trade
Lift and pallet-jack tracks on resilient, gouges in wood and snags or stains in carpet recorded with the room, trade and date, not absorbed as a flooring callback.
No photo

Repair and proof

Each damaged area repaired and photographed in context
A close shot of the repair plus a wide shot that locates it in the room, so the closure is verifiable remotely.
Repairs match the surrounding field
Color, sheen, pattern direction and grout joints blended; the repair not visible from standing height.
Replacement units drawn from the installed lot or attic stock
Where a unit is replaced, the carton or roll label checked for the same product and lot as the field and noted on the punch item, not a new order with a shade shift.
No photo
Adjacent units undisturbed by the removal
Neighboring tile, plank or seam around the repair checked by hand and tap for chips, lifted edges or loosened bond from cutting out the damaged piece.
No photo

Signoff

No remaining flooring items before area signoff
All punch items in the room or zone closed with photos before the area is marked complete.
Final clean done with the method the manufacturer allows
Cleaner, pad and water use matched to the care instructions for each floor type, with no wet-mopping or stripping that voids the finish warranty.
No photo

What usually sends this back

The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work

Damage under the protection discovered at turnover with no record of when the floor was last seen clean.
A replaced tile or plank photographed so close nobody can tell which room it is in.

Common questions

6 answers

What does this flooring punch checklist cover?: 9 items across 3 sections, covering damage walk, repair and proof, signoff. 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 flooring foreman on a callback, or the GC's superintendent closing finish punch items room by room.
When in the schedule should this walk happen?: During closeout, after protection comes off and cleaning is done, the moment damage from other trades becomes visible.
Why do these items ask for a photo?: 5 of the 9 items call for photo evidence, 6 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 punch inspection?: Damage under the protection discovered at turnover with no record of when the floor was last seen clean. A replaced tile or plank photographed so close nobody can tell which room it is in.
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.

Related checklists

Flooring Rough-inFlooring rough-in inspection checklistSubstrate flatness, moisture and prep verified before any material is laid15 items16 photos Flooring FinalFlooring final inspection checklistFinished floors walked for lippage, bond, seams and transitions14 items15 photos

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 6 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident record behind every line.