Free checklist
Roof inspection checklist
Roofs fail at the details — the penetrations, the transitions and the terminations — long before the field of the roof gives up. This checklist walks the assembly in the order it goes together, so the photo that matters is taken while the layer underneath is still visible.
- Items
- 11
- Photos required
- 19
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
Roofing foreman on their own work, or the GC's superintendent before the roof is accepted and covered.
When in the schedule
Twice: once at dry-in, before the finish layer covers the underlayment and flashing, and again at completion before the deck is loaded with equipment.
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.
Deck and substrate
- 2 photos
Deck dry, sound and swept before cover
No standing water, no soft or delaminated sheathing, no fasteners standing proud, no debris under the membrane line.
- 1 photo
Fastening pattern matches the approved layout
Spacing at field, perimeter and corner zones; no overdriven or missed fasteners.
- 1 photo
Slope and crickets built as designed
Water is directed to drains or scuppers, with crickets behind every curb wider than the drainage path.
Underlayment and flashing
- 2 photos
Underlayment lapped in the direction of drainage
Laps shingle-style downslope, side laps staggered, no reverse laps at valleys.
- 2 photos
Base and counter flashing at every vertical
Flashing carried up the wall, counter-flashed or reglet-set, terminated and sealed.
- 1 photo
Valley and transition details complete
Continuous metal or membrane through the valley, no butt joints left open.
Penetrations and edge
- 3 photos
Every penetration flashed and sealed
One photo per pipe, curb, vent and conduit — boot seated, clamped and sealed at the top.
- 2 photos
Equipment curbs sealed and level
Curb flashed above the finished roof line, unit set level, condensate routed off the roof.
- 2 photos
Edge metal, drip edge and terminations secured
Continuous cleat or fastening at the required spacing, laps sealed, no oil-canning at corners.
Drainage and closeout
- 2 photos
Drains, scuppers and gutters clear and flowing
Strainers in place, no debris, water leaves the roof at every low point.
- 1 photo
Roof clear of debris and staged material
Fasteners, offcuts and packaging removed; nothing left to puncture the membrane.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Flashing photographed after the finish layer went on, so nobody can see how it was lapped.
- Penetration boots counted but not photographed individually.
- Positive drainage claimed with no shot of standing water — or of the absence of it — after a wet test.
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 19 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.