What does this masonry final checklist cover?

15 items across 3 sections, covering surface and finish, movement joints and details, site condition and closeout. 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 mason foreman at completion, then the GC or owner's representative at final walk.

When in the schedule should this walk happen?

After the wall is complete, cleaned and cured, before scaffolding comes down and the area is turned over.

Why do these items ask for a photo?

10 of the 15 items call for photo evidence, 14 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 masonry final inspection?

Efflorescence appearing after turnover with no baseline photos to show it wasn't present at completion. Movement joints omitted or filled solid with mortar, showing up as cracking later. Acid or aggressive cleaning damaging mortar joints or unit faces, discovered after scaffolding is gone.

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

Masonry

Masonry final inspection checklist

Masonry 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 TMS standards. 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.

Surface and finish

Wall face free of efflorescence and staining
No white salt deposits or streaking at the surface; mortar and unit color consistent across the wall.
Mortar joint color and tooling consistent across the wall
No visible cold joints or patch repairs with a different mortar batch or tool profile.
Units undamaged and properly cleaned
No mortar smears, tool marks or chipped edges left on the finished face.
Finished wall compared against the approved mockup or samples
Unit blend, mortar color and joint profile photographed beside the mockup panel or approved sample units; visible differences logged before scaffolding drops.
Scaffold tie and bracing holes pointed to match
Where scaffold or bracing was anchored to the wall, the holes are filled with matching mortar and tooled to the joint profile, no open or patched-looking spots.
No photo
Cleaning method matched the unit manufacturer's guidance
Cleaning product and method recorded, consistent with the unit maker's recommendation, and tried on a test area first.
No photo

Movement joints and details

Control and expansion joints present at the planned locations
Joints open through the full wall thickness, backer rod and sealant installed, not filled with mortar.
Flashing and weeps visible and functioning at the base
Weep holes clear at grade and above openings, no landscaping or grading blocking drainage.
Copings, sills and caps sloped and sealed
Positive slope away from the wall face, sealant continuous at joints between units.
Perimeter joints at frames and dissimilar materials sealed
Sealant continuous where masonry meets window and door frames, other cladding and penetrations, with backer and no voids.
Exposed lintels and shelf angles coated with no rust bleed
Where steel lintels or angles are exposed, they are primed or painted as specified, with no rust staining running down the face below them.
No photo
Water repellent applied only where specified and after cleaning
Repellent product matches the approved submittal and went on after cleaning and cure, not over wet or dirty masonry.
No photo

Site condition and closeout

Scaffolding, bracing and debris removed
No tie-backs, braces or leftover mortar bags left against the finished wall.
Adjacent surfaces protected from mortar and cleaning residue
Sidewalks, glazing and finished surfaces near the wall free of mortar splatter or acid burn.
Mortar mix and color record turned over with any attic stock
The mortar mix, color and unit lot record handed over for future repairs, with any spare units the spec requires stored and labeled where the owner wants them.
No photo

What usually sends this back

The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work

Efflorescence appearing after turnover with no baseline photos to show it wasn't present at completion.
Movement joints omitted or filled solid with mortar, showing up as cracking later.
Acid or aggressive cleaning damaging mortar joints or unit faces, discovered after scaffolding is gone.

Verified against

TMS masonry standards

Common questions

6 answers

What does this masonry final checklist cover?: 15 items across 3 sections, covering surface and finish, movement joints and details, site condition and closeout. 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 mason foreman at completion, then the GC or owner's representative at final walk.
When in the schedule should this walk happen?: After the wall is complete, cleaned and cured, before scaffolding comes down and the area is turned over.
Why do these items ask for a photo?: 10 of the 15 items call for photo evidence, 14 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 masonry final inspection?: Efflorescence appearing after turnover with no baseline photos to show it wasn't present at completion. Movement joints omitted or filled solid with mortar, showing up as cracking later. Acid or aggressive cleaning damaging mortar joints or unit faces, discovered after scaffolding is gone.
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

Masonry Rough-inMasonry rough-in inspection checklistFirst-lift walk of layout, coursing, mortar joints and reinforcement before the wall builds height15 items20 photos Masonry Pre-coverMasonry pre-cover inspection checklistThe hold-point walk before grouting and insulation seal cells, ties and weeps out of view14 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 14 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident record behind every line.