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Rainscreen cladding

Rainscreen cladding final inspection checklist

Rainscreen cladding 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 the applicable building/energy code, manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.

Items
3
Photos required
5

Who runs it

The cladding foreman with the GC's superintendent, walking the finished elevation before turnover.

When in the schedule

After panels are installed and trims and sealants are complete, before the owner's walk and before staging comes down.

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.

01

Panel alignment and reveals

  • Panels flat, aligned with consistent reveals

    Even joint reveals across the elevation, panels in plane with no lippage, coursing lined up around corners and openings.

    2 photos
02

Attachment

  • Panels engaged and fastened to the layout

    Clips and fasteners complete on the specified spacing, panels fully engaged, no loose or rattling panels, edges captured as detailed.

    2 photos
03

Joints and venting kept open

  • Designed-open joints and vents left open

    Open joints and vent gaps clear, sealant only where the detail calls for it, drainage cavity not sealed shut at the finish.

    1 photo

What usually sends this back

The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work

  • Panels installed with uneven reveals and lippage that read as a wavy elevation once the light rakes across it.
  • Fastener spacing or panel engagement short of the manufacturer's layout, so panels rattle or work loose in wind.
  • Sealant run at joints that were designed to be open, sealing the drainage cavity shut and defeating the rainscreen.

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 5 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident record behind every line.

Submission state

Mandatory items answered3 of 3
Photos attached2 of 5
Submit locked, 3 photos missing

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 rainscreen cladding final checklist cover?
3 items across 3 sections, covering panel alignment and reveals, attachment, joints and venting kept open. 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 cladding foreman with the GC's superintendent, walking the finished elevation before turnover.
When in the schedule should this walk happen?
After panels are installed and trims and sealants are complete, before the owner's walk and before staging comes down.
Why does every item ask for a photo?
5 of the 3 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 rainscreen cladding final inspection?
Panels installed with uneven reveals and lippage that read as a wavy elevation once the light rakes across it. Fastener spacing or panel engagement short of the manufacturer's layout, so panels rattle or work loose in wind. Sealant run at joints that were designed to be open, sealing the drainage cavity shut and defeating the rainscreen.
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.