Free checklist
Selective demolitionSelective demolition rough-in inspection checklist
Selective demolition 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 the applicable building code, the project specifications. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 6
- Photos required
- 9
- Built for
- General contractors
Who runs it
The GC's superintendent releasing the area to the demolition crew, walking it with the demo foreman.
When in the schedule
Immediately before demolition starts in each area, after utilities are isolated and the abatement contractor has signed off, so a live line or undisturbed hazard is caught before the first wall is opened.
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.
Utilities isolated
- 2 photos
Affected utilities located, isolated and capped
Power, water, gas and any low-voltage serving the area traced to the source, locked or capped, and marked dead — not just switched off at a local device.
- 1 photo
Lines to remain identified and protected
Any live service passing through the demo zone flagged and protected so the crew works around it rather than into it.
Shoring and protection
- 2 photos
Shoring and bracing in place where loads are affected
Temporary support installed where a wall, slab or beam is being removed or altered, per the engineered shoring plan.
- 2 photos
Adjacent work to remain protected
Floors, finishes, glazing and equipment that stay are covered or hoarded, and dust partitions are sealed at the demo boundary.
Clearance and salvage
- 1 photo
Hazardous-material clearance obtained before disturbance
Written clearance from the abatement contractor covering this specific area is in hand before any material is disturbed.
- 1 photo
Salvage and owner-retained items tagged
Items marked for salvage or reuse tagged and, where fragile, removed and stored before general demolition begins.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- A circuit or branch line assumed dead off the panel schedule, then cut into live because it was never traced and locked out at the source.
- Demolition started in a room the abatement contractor had not yet cleared, disturbing material that then shuts the area down.
- Salvage items the owner asked to keep torn out with the debris because nobody tagged them before the crew arrived.
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
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 rough-in checklist cover?
- 6 items across 3 sections, covering utilities isolated, shoring and protection, clearance and salvage. 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 releasing the area to the demolition crew, walking it with the demo foreman.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- Immediately before demolition starts in each area, after utilities are isolated and the abatement contractor has signed off, so a live line or undisturbed hazard is caught before the first wall is opened.
- 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 rough-in inspection?
- A circuit or branch line assumed dead off the panel schedule, then cut into live because it was never traced and locked out at the source. Demolition started in a room the abatement contractor had not yet cleared, disturbing material that then shuts the area down. Salvage items the owner asked to keep torn out with the debris because nobody tagged them before the crew arrived.
- 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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