Free checklist
Landscaping and irrigationLandscaping and irrigation final inspection checklist
Landscaping and irrigation 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 the project specifications, manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 7
- Photos required
- 12
- Built for
- General contractors
Who runs it
The GC's superintendent with the landscape and irrigation foremen, walking the site before the owner's walk.
When in the schedule
After planting and the system is charged and programmed, before the establishment period starts and before turnover walks.
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.
Irrigation coverage and control
- 3 photos
Head coverage, arcs and precipitation matched per zone
System run zone by zone, arcs adjusted to head-to-head coverage without spraying paving or walls, matched-precipitation nozzles within a zone, no misting from over-pressure.
- 2 photos
Controller zones, run times and schedule programmed
Each station labeled to the zone it drives, run times and days set for the plant type and exposure rather than the test default, rain sensor or shutoff wired and responding.
- 2 photos
Backflow assembly tested by a certified tester
Certified test performed and observed, the assembly holding, the test report captured; no substituting a visual check for the actual test.
Plant material
- 2 photos
Species, size and spacing verified against the plan
Plant list walked against what's in the ground, container or caliper size and spacing checked, substitutions only where approved, healthy stock with no girdling roots.
- 1 photo
Trees plumb and staked without girdling
Trunks plumb, staking loose enough to allow movement and set to be removed after establishment, ties broad and not cutting into the bark.
Soil and mulch
- 1 photo
Soil prep, amendment and finish grade verified
Beds tilled and amended per the spec, finish grade draining away from structures and holding no low spots, subgrade not left compacted under the topsoil.
- 1 photo
Mulch depth and clearance at trunks and crowns
Mulch at the specified depth across beds, pulled back off trunks and crowns rather than mounded, edges held off walks and drains.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Heads throwing onto walks and walls instead of the bed, with dry gaps between arcs that don't overlap.
- Controller left on the installer's test program, zones and run times never set for the actual plant material and exposure.
- Plant substitutions or undersized stock accepted at delivery without checking species, size and spacing against the plan.
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 12 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 landscaping and irrigation final checklist cover?
- 7 items across 3 sections, covering irrigation coverage and control, plant material, soil and mulch. 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 landscape and irrigation foremen, walking the site before the owner's walk.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- After planting and the system is charged and programmed, before the establishment period starts and before turnover walks.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 12 of the 7 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 landscaping and irrigation final inspection?
- Heads throwing onto walks and walls instead of the bed, with dry gaps between arcs that don't overlap. Controller left on the installer's test program, zones and run times never set for the actual plant material and exposure. Plant substitutions or undersized stock accepted at delivery without checking species, size and spacing against the plan.
- 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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