Free checklist
RoofingRoofing rough-in inspection checklist
Roofing rough-in is the last time the work is fully visible. Once the cover inspection passes and the walls, ceilings and slabs close, every defect left behind becomes a demolition bill. This checklist walks the rough-in in the order the work goes in, with the photo each item needs before it gets buried. Work is commonly verified against NRCA guidance, manufacturer installation requirements. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
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.
Deck condition
Sheathing sound, flat and properly fastened
No soft spots, delamination or sagging between rafters, fasteners set flush without overdriving.
Deck gaps and damage addressed before covering
Gaps beyond the allowed spacing filled or sheathing replaced, no holes left unpatched under the underlayment.
Deck dry and swept before the first course goes down
No dew, frost or wet sheathing trapped under the underlayment, deck swept of nails, chips and loose debris.
Deck openings and curbs at the drawing size and location
Every opening cut in the deck for vents, stacks, skylights or units, and any curb, measured against the drawings, framed and anchored before underlayment runs to it.
Sheathing nailing inspection recorded where the project requires it
AHJ or GC sign-off on the deck fastening logged before underlayment hides the nail pattern.
No photo
Underlayment and fastening
Underlayment lapped correctly with the slope
Upper courses overlapping lower courses shingle-fashion, laps at the required minimum width.
Fastener type, pattern and spacing correct for the wind zone
Fastener spacing consistent across the field, tighter pattern visible at edges and corners where required.
Underlayment continuous with no exposed deck
No gaps, tears or fishmouths left uncovered, especially around penetrations and at hips and valleys.
Eave and valley underlayment run to the line on the drawings
The eave and valley treatment the drawings show (ice barrier, self-adhered strip or doubled underlayment) carried to its line and rolled tight with no wrinkles.
Edge metal sequenced with the underlayment at every roof edge
Lap order at eaves, rakes and perimeter edges matches the manufacturer's detail, so water sheds onto the metal and not behind it.
Underlayment product matches the approved submittal
Roll label or printed marking photographed and matched to the submittal and the roof system the warranty is written on.
Drainage prep
Drains, scuppers and crickets roughed in at the correct slope
Tapered insulation or framing directs water toward drains, no flat or backward-pitched areas visible.
Water path from each roof area to its outlet traced
Each area walked from its high point to its drain, scupper or eave; nothing dams the flow, and drain bowls or eave edges sit low enough to receive the finish layer.
Overflow drains or scuppers set at the height shown on the drawings
Where the drawings show overflows, the inlet is measured against the primary drain level shown, with a clear path to its outlet.
No photo
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Soft or delaminated deck sheathing covered by underlayment before it's flagged for replacement.
- Underlayment laps run against the slope instead of shingle-fashion, found only after the first rain.
- Fastener pattern thinned out near the ridge or eaves where the crew ran short.
Verified against
Common questions
6 answers
- What does this roofing rough-in checklist cover?
- 14 items across 3 sections, covering deck condition, underlayment and fastening, drainage 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 walking the deck with the crew, ahead of the GC's dry-in inspection.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- After the deck is installed and underlayment is run, before the field material, tile or panels are loaded onto the roof.
- Why do these items ask for a photo?
- 12 of the 14 items call for photo evidence, 18 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 roofing rough-in inspection?
- Soft or delaminated deck sheathing covered by underlayment before it's flagged for replacement. Underlayment laps run against the slope instead of shingle-fashion, found only after the first rain. Fastener pattern thinned out near the ridge or eaves where the crew ran short.
- 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
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 18 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident record behind every line.
See all 508 checklists · 6741 items and 5984 photo requirements in total.