What does this rainscreen cladding punch checklist cover?

8 items across 3 sections, covering panel repair, vents and cavity re-checked, late work and elevation release. 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 crew on a callback, or the GC's superintendent clearing exterior punch items before turnover.

When in the schedule should this walk happen?

During closeout, after staging comes down and after other trades and weather have marked the finished skin.

Why do these items ask for a photo?

3 of the 8 items call for photo evidence, 3 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 rainscreen cladding punch inspection?

Scratched or dented panels touched up at the surface instead of replaced, so the repair flashes different in daylight. A vent or weep found blocked by debris or a stray bead of sealant and cleared, but never re-checked to confirm the cavity drains.

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

Rainscreen cladding

Rainscreen cladding punch checklist

Rainscreen cladding punch is where small misses become callbacks after the crew has demobilized. This checklist walks the finished work the way the owner and the next trade will see it, with the photo that closes each item instead of a note that reopens it. Work is commonly verified against the applicable building/energy code, manufacturer's published instructions. 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.

Panel repair

Scratched or dented panels repaired or replaced
Damaged panels located and photographed, finish repaired or panel swapped to match, wide shot placing the repair on the elevation.
No photo
Each elevation walked for chipped corners and cracks at fixings
Panel corners and fixing points checked from the lift or ground; chipped or cracked panels logged by gridline and replaced rather than filled.
Grade-level panels checked for impact and splash damage
Panels at grade, entries and service areas checked for dents, cracks and soil or splash staining; damage logged by gridline and repaired or replaced.
Panel faces cleaned with the manufacturer's approved method
Mortar splash, sealant smears, marker and labels removed with the cleaner the panel manufacturer lists, with no abrasive marks or solvent haze left.

Vents and cavity re-checked

Weeps and vents cleared and drainage re-confirmed
Blocked weeps and vents cleared, joints confirmed open, cavity drainage re-checked so nothing traps water behind the finished panels.
No photo

Late work and elevation release

Panels held out for ties, hoists or access installed and engaged
Where panels were left out for scaffold ties, hoists or access, they go in last with full clip engagement and matching reveals, cavity checked clear first.
No photo
Attachments added through panels after install tied to the subframe
Signs, lights or conduit fixed through panels after the fact land in a girt, not the panel alone, with the cut-out trimmed and the cavity left open.
No photo
Cladding punch closed by gridline before the elevation is released
Each item tied to an elevation and gridline, closed with the crew and cross-checked against the architect's list before the elevation is released.
No photo

What usually sends this back

The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work

Scratched or dented panels touched up at the surface instead of replaced, so the repair flashes different in daylight.
A vent or weep found blocked by debris or a stray bead of sealant and cleared, but never re-checked to confirm the cavity drains.

Common questions

6 answers

What does this rainscreen cladding punch checklist cover?: 8 items across 3 sections, covering panel repair, vents and cavity re-checked, late work and elevation release. 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 crew on a callback, or the GC's superintendent clearing exterior punch items before turnover.
When in the schedule should this walk happen?: During closeout, after staging comes down and after other trades and weather have marked the finished skin.
Why do these items ask for a photo?: 3 of the 8 items call for photo evidence, 3 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 rainscreen cladding punch inspection?: Scratched or dented panels touched up at the surface instead of replaced, so the repair flashes different in daylight. A vent or weep found blocked by debris or a stray bead of sealant and cleared, but never re-checked to confirm the cavity drains.
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

Rainscreen cladding Rough-inRainscreen cladding rough-in inspection checklistGirts, clips and furring set on a continuous water-resistive barrier, with the barrier tied into openings before panels start15 items11 photos Rainscreen cladding Pre-coverRainscreen cladding pre-cover inspection checklistThe last look before panels: drainage cavity open and vented, WRB continuous, and flashings lapped to drain out14 items10 photos Rainscreen cladding FinalRainscreen cladding final inspection checklistPanels installed flat, aligned and fastened with clean joints and open vents as the finished exterior skin15 items13 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 3 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident record behind every line.