Free checklist
Sheet metal flashing and trimSheet metal flashing and trim final inspection checklist
Sheet metal flashing and trim 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 SMACNA architectural sheet metal, NRCA roofing guidance, manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 4
- Photos required
- 7
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The sheet metal foreman with the GC's superintendent, walking completed runs before the work is turned over and before the roof sees a wet season.
When in the schedule
After copings, counterflashing, gutters and downspouts are set and sealed, before turnover and before the first real rain tests the drainage.
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.
Copings and counterflashing
- 2 photos
Coping seated, cleated and joints watertight
Cap seated on the nailer and hooked to the cleats with even overhang and drip both sides, joints covered or interlocked and sealed, expansion joints present in long runs.
- 2 photos
Counterflashing engaged over base flashing
Counterflashing lapped over the base flashing with the hem engaged and the reglet or termination sealed, so water is shed clear of the wall junction.
Gutters and downspouts
- 2 photos
Gutter pitched and draining to downspouts
Gutter hung with positive pitch to the outlets, hangers spaced to hold line under load, outlets and downspouts connected and discharging clear of the wall.
Edges, appearance and sealant
- 1 photo
Edges true, sealant tooled and no oil-canning
Gravel stops and drip edges to line, faces flat without pronounced oil-canning, sealant joints tooled and adhered, wide shot placing the run on the parapet or fascia.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Counterflashing hemmed but never engaged over the base flashing, so it looks tight from the ground while water runs behind the base at the wall line.
- A gutter hung dead level or back-pitched to a low spot so it ponds and overflows at the fascia instead of running to the downspout.
- Expansion joints in long coping runs omitted or sealed hard, so the metal buckles and pops fasteners the first hot afternoon.
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 7 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 sheet metal flashing and trim final checklist cover?
- 4 items across 3 sections, covering copings and counterflashing, gutters and downspouts, edges, appearance and sealant. 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 sheet metal foreman with the GC's superintendent, walking completed runs before the work is turned over and before the roof sees a wet season.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- After copings, counterflashing, gutters and downspouts are set and sealed, before turnover and before the first real rain tests the drainage.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 7 of the 4 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 sheet metal flashing and trim final inspection?
- Counterflashing hemmed but never engaged over the base flashing, so it looks tight from the ground while water runs behind the base at the wall line. A gutter hung dead level or back-pitched to a low spot so it ponds and overflows at the fascia instead of running to the downspout. Expansion joints in long coping runs omitted or sealed hard, so the metal buckles and pops fasteners the first hot afternoon.
- 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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