Free checklist
Masonry rough-in inspection checklist
Masonry 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 TMS standards — confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 9
- Photos required
- 14
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The mason foreman checking their own first courses, or the GC's superintendent verifying layout before the wall climbs.
When in the schedule
After the first course or two is set and before the wall gains enough height to make correcting layout or bond pattern disruptive.
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.
Layout and coursing
- 2 photos
Wall lines and corners set to the layout
String lines and corner poles match the control points; wall thickness and offsets match the plan.
- 2 photos
Coursing height and bond pattern consistent
Unit heights and running or stack bond pattern hold true across the wall, no drifting joint lines.
- 1 photo
Units sound and free of defects before they're set
No chipped, cracked or spalled units placed at exposed faces or corners.
Mortar and joints
- 1 photo
Mortar mixed and placed within workable time
Batch consistency uniform, no retempered mortar used past its working window.
- 2 photos
Head and bed joints filled full
No voids visible at joint faces before tooling; furrowing not excessive at the bed joint.
- 2 photos
Joints tooled to a consistent profile
Concave, weathered or struck profile matches the spec and is uniform course to course.
Reinforcement and cells
- 2 photos
Vertical bar placed and positioned before cells are built up around it
Bar size and spacing match the schedule, held centered in the cell with positioners.
- 1 photo
Horizontal joint reinforcement set at the specified courses
Ladder or truss reinforcement present at every required course, lapped at splices.
- 1 photo
Cleanout openings left at the base of cells to be grouted
Openings sized to allow debris removal, mortar droppings not blocking the cell below.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Wall lines started off the survey control point, discovered only after several courses are up.
- Reinforcing bar and dowels placed off the drawn spacing, with no photo taken before mortar covers the cell.
- Mortar joints tooled inconsistently from the start, locking in a visible seam once the wall is finished.
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.
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 masonry rough-in checklist cover?
- 9 items across 3 sections — layout and coursing, mortar and joints, reinforcement and cells. 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 checking their own first courses, or the GC's superintendent verifying layout before the wall climbs.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- After the first course or two is set and before the wall gains enough height to make correcting layout or bond pattern disruptive.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 14 of the 9 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 masonry rough-in inspection?
- Wall lines started off the survey control point, discovered only after several courses are up. Reinforcing bar and dowels placed off the drawn spacing, with no photo taken before mortar covers the cell. Mortar joints tooled inconsistently from the start, locking in a visible seam once the wall is finished.
- 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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