Free checklist
Punch list template
A punch list only works if an item can be closed by someone other than the person who wrote it. That means each entry carries a location, an owner, a description a stranger can act on, and a photo of the condition — then a second photo when it's corrected.
- Items
- 15
- Photos required
- 21
- Built for
- General contractors
Who runs it
GC superintendent or QA/QC manager, walking with the owner's representative and each responsible trade.
When in the schedule
At substantial completion, then re-walked until the list is empty. Many teams also run a pre-punch two weeks earlier so the list handed to the owner is short.
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.
Every punch item records
- 1 photo
Location down to the room and surface
Unit or room number, wall or elevation, and height if it matters. Not just 'lobby'.
- No photo
Responsible trade and a named owner
The company and the person who will actually do the work, not just the scope.
- 1 photo
Condition photo at the time of writing
The defect in frame, with enough context to find the spot again.
- 1 photo
Correction photo before the item is closed
Same angle, corrected condition. This is what makes closeout reviewable instead of trusted.
Interior finishes
- 2 photos
Walls and ceilings free of defects at final lighting
Nail pops, seam telegraphing, roller marks and touch-up flashing, checked under the fixtures that will actually be used.
- 1 photo
Doors operate, latch and are square in the frame
Even reveals, no rubbing, hardware secure, closer adjusted, undercut correct for the floor finish.
- 2 photos
Flooring transitions and base complete
Transitions fastened, base scribed to the floor, no gaps at outside corners.
- 2 photos
Casework and countertops secure and aligned
Level runs, consistent reveals, hardware installed, sealant at wall and splash.
Systems and fixtures
- 2 photos
Every device, plate and fixture installed and operable
No missing plates, no loose devices, all lamps working, dimmers tested through range.
- 2 photos
Plumbing fixtures set, sealed and leak-free
Run water at each fixture and check below; look for movement at the mounting.
- 1 photo
Registers, diffusers and thermostats installed and clean
Correct sizes, no bent vanes, no construction dust in the boot, thermostat responds.
- 2 photos
Life-safety devices installed and unobstructed
Detectors, extinguishers, exit signage and egress hardware in place and reachable.
Exterior and site
- 2 photos
Sealant joints continuous at all penetrations
No skipped joints at windows, doors, hose bibs and vents; tooled, not smeared.
- 1 photo
Grading drains away from the building
Positive fall at every elevation, splash blocks or leaders discharging clear.
- 1 photo
Site cleared of construction material and protection removed
Temporary protection off finished surfaces, no residue, no leftover material stored on the job.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Items written as "touch up paint" with no room, no wall and no photo.
- No owner assigned, so the item sits through two re-walks.
- Closed items with no after photo, which means the walk has to happen again.
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 21 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.
Related checklists
See all 69 checklists — 614 items and 1031 photo requirements in total.