Skip to content
RTI

Free checklist

Selective demolition

Selective demolition final inspection checklist

Selective demolition 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 code, the project specifications. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.

Items
6
Photos required
9

Who runs it

The GC's superintendent with the demo foreman and, where structure was touched, the following trade's foreman.

When in the schedule

After demolition is complete in the area and debris is cleared, before the follow-on trade is released to start new work.

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

Extent of removal

  • Demolition complete to the limit line shown

    Everything within the demo limits removed, nothing left standing inside the line, and the line itself matches the drawings.

    2 photos
  • Surfaces prepped for the new work

    Substrates cleaned back to sound material, fasteners and adhesive residue removed, surface flat and ready for the following trade.

    2 photos
02

Structure to remain

  • Elements to remain undamaged

    Beams, columns, slabs and walls that stay checked for gouging, cracking or over-cutting from the removal.

    2 photos
  • Openings and edges left clean and true

    Cut edges at new openings straight and square where the drawings call for it, no ragged over-break beyond the opening.

    1 photo
03

Cleanup and protection

  • Debris removed from the area and egress paths

    Room, corridors and stairs clear of demo debris, nothing staged in the path the next crew or occupants use.

    1 photo
  • Open penetrations and shafts protected

    New openings, floor holes and shafts covered or barricaded so no one steps through and no debris drops.

    1 photo

What usually sends this back

The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work

  • Removal stopped short of the limit line in one corner, leaving the follow-on trade to demo the remainder off the clock.
  • A slab or stud left gouged or cracked from over-aggressive removal, discovered only when the new work won't sit flat.
  • Debris hauled from the room but left piled in the corridor or stairwell, blocking the next crew.

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

Submission state

Mandatory items answered6 of 6
Photos attached6 of 9
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 selective demolition final checklist cover?
6 items across 3 sections, covering extent of removal, structure to remain, cleanup and protection. 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 GC's superintendent with the demo foreman and, where structure was touched, the following trade's foreman.
When in the schedule should this walk happen?
After demolition is complete in the area and debris is cleared, before the follow-on trade is released to start new work.
Why does every item ask for a photo?
9 of the 6 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 selective demolition final inspection?
Removal stopped short of the limit line in one corner, leaving the follow-on trade to demo the remainder off the clock. A slab or stud left gouged or cracked from over-aggressive removal, discovered only when the new work won't sit flat. Debris hauled from the room but left piled in the corridor or stairwell, blocking the next crew.
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.