Free checklist
Low-voltage and structured cablingLow-voltage and structured cabling rough-in inspection checklist
Low-voltage and structured cabling 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 TIA structured-cabling standards, NEC (NFPA 70). Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 5
- Photos required
- 9
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The cabling foreman walking their own pathways, or the GC's superintendent at the pre-cover hold point above the ceiling.
When in the schedule
After conduit, sleeves and J-hooks are set and the horizontal cable is pulled, before ceiling grid, hard lid or drywall closes the runs in.
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.
Pathways and support
- 2 photos
J-hooks, conduit and sleeves set at the required spacing
Support intervals within the spacing the pathway calls for, no cable draped on ceiling wire, grid or piping between hooks.
- 2 photos
Bend radius maintained at turns and drops
No kinks or tight sweeps at hooks, sleeve mouths and cabinet entries; radius held to the cable's minimum at every direction change.
- 1 photo
Bundles dressed and not overfilled in the pathway
Bundles combed and hung without crushing ties, conduit and sleeve fill left with room to pull, no cinched cinch straps deforming the jacket.
Separation from EMI sources
- 2 photos
Separation held from power conduit, motors and lighting ballasts
Copper cable routed clear of parallel power runs, ballasts and motors by the separation the standard calls for, crossings kept perpendicular.
Firestop at penetrations
- 2 photos
Rated penetrations firestopped with the listed system
Every sleeve or core through a rated wall or floor sealed with the listed system for that assembly and fill, no open annular space left behind the cable.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Cable bundles laid across ceiling grid wire and pipe instead of on the J-hooks, so the weight and the crushing show up as failed links later.
- Data cable pulled tight against fluorescent ballasts, motors or conduit carrying power, with the required separation never checked before cover.
- Sleeves and cored penetrations left unfirestopped because the pull wasn't finished, then buried above the ceiling with the seal never installed.
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.
Submission state
The gate is enforced on the server, so it holds even if the phone is offline when the walk happens.
Verified against
Common questions
- What does this low-voltage and structured cabling rough-in checklist cover?
- 5 items across 3 sections, covering pathways and support, separation from emi sources, firestop at penetrations. 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 cabling foreman walking their own pathways, or the GC's superintendent at the pre-cover hold point above the ceiling.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- After conduit, sleeves and J-hooks are set and the horizontal cable is pulled, before ceiling grid, hard lid or drywall closes the runs in.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 9 of the 5 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 low-voltage and structured cabling rough-in inspection?
- Cable bundles laid across ceiling grid wire and pipe instead of on the J-hooks, so the weight and the crushing show up as failed links later. Data cable pulled tight against fluorescent ballasts, motors or conduit carrying power, with the required separation never checked before cover. Sleeves and cored penetrations left unfirestopped because the pull wasn't finished, then buried above the ceiling with the seal never installed.
- 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.