What does this landscaping and irrigation punch checklist cover?

9 items across 3 sections, covering plants and coverage, grade and heads, warranty and schedule. 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 landscape foreman on a warranty walk, or the GC's superintendent closing site punch items.

When in the schedule should this walk happen?

During closeout and through the establishment period, after the first weeks of watering reveal coverage gaps and trench settlement.

Why do these items ask for a photo?

7 of the 9 items call for photo evidence, 9 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 landscaping and irrigation punch inspection?

Dry spots between heads written off as plant stress when the real cause is an arc knocked out of adjustment by mowing or foot traffic. Trench lines settling into visible ruts across the lawn after the first rains, never brought back to grade and reseeded.

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

Landscaping and irrigation

Landscaping and irrigation punch checklist

Landscaping and irrigation 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 the project specifications, 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.

Plants and coverage

Dead or struggling plants identified and tagged
Each failing plant located against the plan, a close shot of the condition and a wide shot placing it in the bed, replacement stock matched to the original.
Dry spots and coverage gaps traced to a cause
System run again over the reported dry areas, the gap traced to a plugged nozzle, a misadjusted arc or a stuck valve, and the fix photographed running.
Trees sighted for lean after the first wind and rain
Each tree checked for lean or a rocking root ball, re-plumbed where it moved, and ties loosened wherever growth has them pressing into the bark.
Each zone walked running for leaks and boggy ground
Wet spots, geysers or soft ground away from the heads traced to a lateral, swing joint or valve leak, dug up and repaired, and the zone rerun dry.

Grade and heads

Settled trenches brought back to grade
Settled runs topped, tamped and reseeded or re-sodded, the repaired line photographed level with the surrounding lawn.
Head alignment corrected and rechecked
Heads reset to spray the bed and not the walk, sunk heads raised to grade, each corrected head watched through a cycle before signoff.
Beds and slopes checked for mulch and soil washout
Beds walked after rain for washed-out mulch, exposed root balls and soil carried onto paving; low spots regraded and mulch topped back to depth.

Warranty and schedule

Seasonal controller adjustment recorded by the installer
Irrigation installer's note of the run times set for the current season and establishment stage, with the change dated and shared with the owner.
No photo
Replacement plants logged with their own guarantee dates
Each replaced plant recorded by location, species and planting date so its guarantee period starts on record, with the owner's representative copied.
No photo

What usually sends this back

The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work

Dry spots between heads written off as plant stress when the real cause is an arc knocked out of adjustment by mowing or foot traffic.
Trench lines settling into visible ruts across the lawn after the first rains, never brought back to grade and reseeded.

Common questions

6 answers

What does this landscaping and irrigation punch checklist cover?: 9 items across 3 sections, covering plants and coverage, grade and heads, warranty and schedule. 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 landscape foreman on a warranty walk, or the GC's superintendent closing site punch items.
When in the schedule should this walk happen?: During closeout and through the establishment period, after the first weeks of watering reveal coverage gaps and trench settlement.
Why do these items ask for a photo?: 7 of the 9 items call for photo evidence, 9 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 landscaping and irrigation punch inspection?: Dry spots between heads written off as plant stress when the real cause is an arc knocked out of adjustment by mowing or foot traffic. Trench lines settling into visible ruts across the lawn after the first rains, never brought back to grade and reseeded.
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

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