Free checklist
Siding and cladding inspection checklist
Cladding is a rain screen, not a seal. What keeps water out is the barrier and the flashing behind it — both of which disappear the moment the first board goes up. Photograph the wall before it is covered and the finish work becomes cosmetic instead of critical.
- Items
- 12
- Photos required
- 25
- Built for
- Residential builders
Who runs it
Siding contractor; the builder or GC verifies the barrier and flashing before cladding starts.
When in the schedule
Barrier and flashing before cladding; fastening and clearances as the work progresses; sealant at completion.
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.
Behind the cladding
- 3 photos
Weather-resistive barrier continuous and lapped shingle-style
Horizontal laps with the upper sheet over the lower; tears repaired before cover.
- 2 photos
Drainage plane or rain screen gap as specified
Furring or drainage mat continuous, with the gap open at top and bottom.
- 3 photos
Penetrations flashed and sealed to the barrier
Hose bibs, lights, vents and conduit sealed to the barrier, not to the siding.
Flashing
- 2 photos
Kick-out flashing at every roof-to-wall intersection
Present, correctly sized, and integrated over the barrier below.
- 2 photos
Step flashing lapped with each course
One piece per course, not a continuous strip of sealant.
- 2 photos
Head flashing at openings and horizontal transitions
Metal with an end dam, barrier lapped over it.
Cladding installation
- 2 photos
Fastener type, length and spacing per the manufacturer
Fasteners hitting framing, not just sheathing; no overdriven heads dimpling the face.
- 2 photos
Course exposure consistent and lines straight
Snap lines and consistent reveal; check across openings where drift shows.
- 2 photos
Joints and butt seams detailed per the system
Flashing or joint covers behind butt joints where the system requires them.
Clearances and closeout
- 2 photos
Ground, roof and hard-surface clearances maintained
Measure it — landscaping and paving are the usual culprits later.
- 2 photos
Sealant only where the system calls for it
Butt joints and terminations sealed; drainage paths left open.
- 1 photo
Finish undamaged and touch-up complete
No cut edges left unsealed on products that require it.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Weather barrier lapped upside down at a horizontal joint, hidden the same day.
- Kick-out flashing missing where a roof meets a wall — the most reliable leak in residential construction.
- Ground and roof clearances closed up by later landscaping or roofing work.
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 25 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.
Related checklists
See all 69 checklists — 614 items and 1031 photo requirements in total.