Free checklist
Roofing pre-cover inspection checklist
A roofing pre-cover inspection is the hold point before concealed work disappears behind the next layer. This checklist is built for that walk: verify, photograph, then release the cover — not the other way around. Work is commonly verified against NRCA guidance, manufacturer installation requirements — confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 5
- Photos required
- 11
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The roofing foreman with the GC's superintendent, releasing sections for field material to be loaded.
When in the schedule
After flashing, valleys and cricket underlayment are complete, before the finish layer (shingle, tile, panel or membrane cap) covers them.
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.
Base and step flashing
- 3 photos
Base flashing laps over underlayment, not under it
Flashing edge visible on top of the underlayment course below it at every wall and curb intersection.
- 2 photos
Step flashing set at every course along sidewalls
One piece per shingle or panel course, each piece lapped by the course above.
Valleys and crickets
- 2 photos
Valley lining continuous and at the required width
Metal or membrane centered in the valley, width measured against the spec at several points along its length.
- 2 photos
Crickets built to divert water around chimneys, curbs and skylights
Cricket ridge height and slope sufficient to shed water to both sides, underlayment and flashing wrapped over it.
Penetration prep
- 2 photos
Pipe boots and curb flashing set before the field material covers the base
Boot or flashing collar sealed to the deck, storm collar or counterflashing ready to receive the finish layer.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Base flashing lapped under the underlayment instead of over it, sending water behind the flashing.
- Valley metal or membrane cut short of the required width, only visible before the field material lands on top.
- Cricket built too shallow to shed water around the back of a curb or chimney.
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 11 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 roofing pre-cover checklist cover?
- 5 items across 3 sections — base and step flashing, valleys and crickets, penetration prep. 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 roofing foreman with the GC's superintendent, releasing sections for field material to be loaded.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- After flashing, valleys and cricket underlayment are complete, before the finish layer (shingle, tile, panel or membrane cap) covers them.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 11 of the 5 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 roofing pre-cover inspection?
- Base flashing lapped under the underlayment instead of over it, sending water behind the flashing. Valley metal or membrane cut short of the required width, only visible before the field material lands on top. Cricket built too shallow to shed water around the back of a curb or chimney.
- 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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