Free checklist
Landscaping and irrigationLandscaping and irrigation rough-in inspection checklist
Landscaping and irrigation rough-in is the last time the work is fully visible. Once the cover inspection passes and the walls, ceilings and slabs close, every defect left behind becomes a demolition bill. This checklist walks the rough-in in the order the work goes in, with the photo each item needs before it gets buried. Work is commonly verified against the project specifications, manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 6
- Photos required
- 10
- Built for
- General contractors
Who runs it
The irrigation foreman walking open trenches, or the GC's superintendent releasing the site for backfill.
When in the schedule
After trenching and before backfill, and before paving or hardscape covers any sleeve crossings, so a missed sleeve or a nicked line is still reachable.
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.
Mainline and laterals
- 2 photos
Mainline and lateral routing and depth per plan
Pipe run where the plan shows it, trench depth and cover checked against the specified burial depth for mainline versus laterals.
- 2 photos
Mainline pressure-tested before backfill
Charged line held at the specified test pressure with joints exposed and dry, gauge and glued joints photographed before any cover goes in.
Sleeves and crossings
- 2 photos
Sleeves placed under all paving and hardscape crossings
Sleeve at every walk, drive and curb crossing per plan, sized larger than the pipe and wire it carries, ends marked and capped so they aren't paved over.
Valves and control wiring
- 1 photo
Valve boxes set to grade with valves accessible
Boxes level and set to finish grade, valve and its wiring reachable, gravel sump under the valve, no soil packed around the bonnet.
- 2 photos
Control wiring run, spliced and slack left at turns
Wire bundled below or beside the mainline, waterproof splices only at valves, an expansion loop at each box and at direction changes, spare wire pulled where the plan calls for it.
- 1 photo
Backflow assembly roughed in and supported
Assembly set at the specified height above grade, isolation on the correct side, supported so it doesn't hang on the piping, ready for the certified test.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- A sleeve under a walk or drive forgotten, so a lateral has to be bored or the paving cut open after the fact.
- Trench backfilled before the mainline held pressure, hiding a glued joint that weeps once the system is charged.
- Control wire run loose in the trench with splices left unmarked, so a dead zone can't be traced later.
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 10 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 rough-in checklist cover?
- 6 items across 3 sections, covering mainline and laterals, sleeves and crossings, valves and control wiring. 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 irrigation foreman walking open trenches, or the GC's superintendent releasing the site for backfill.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- After trenching and before backfill, and before paving or hardscape covers any sleeve crossings, so a missed sleeve or a nicked line is still reachable.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 10 of the 6 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 rough-in inspection?
- A sleeve under a walk or drive forgotten, so a lateral has to be bored or the paving cut open after the fact. Trench backfilled before the mainline held pressure, hiding a glued joint that weeps once the system is charged. Control wire run loose in the trench with splices left unmarked, so a dead zone can't be traced later.
- 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
2642 items and 4211 photo requirements in total.