Free checklist
Site utilitiesSite utilities final inspection checklist
Site utilities 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 IPC / UPC plumbing codes, the project specifications. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 5
- Photos required
- 11
- Built for
- General contractors
Who runs it
The GC's superintendent with the utility foreman and the testing party, witnessing the tests and walking the finished lines.
When in the schedule
After backfill and before the surface goes back, with the required tests witnessed rather than taken on a paper result.
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.
Water main
- 3 photos
Pressure and leakage test observed
Hydrostatic pressure and leakage test on the water main witnessed, pressure held for the specified duration, gauge and any make-up water recorded.
Gravity sewer
- 3 photos
Mandrel or deflection and camera on gravity lines observed
Mandrel or deflection test pulled and the CCTV run witnessed on storm and sanitary, video reviewed for bellies, offsets, infiltration and debris.
- 2 photos
Manholes and structures sound and to grade
Structures set plumb, benching and channels shaped, joints sealed, rims and covers adjusted to finish grade.
Backfill and record
- 2 photos
Trench backfill compacted
Backfill placed in lifts and compacted, compaction test results confirmed on the trench line before the surface is restored.
- 1 photo
As-builts recorded before cover
Line locations, inverts, structures and any deviations from the plan recorded on the as-built before the surface closes it off.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- A pressure test 'passed' on a gauge nobody watched hold, so a slow leak is signed off and found after paving.
- Manhole rims and valve boxes left low or high of finish grade, needing a chase and adjustment after the surface is in.
- Trench backfill dropped in without compaction, so the line telegraphs a settlement trough through the new pavement.
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 11 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.
Verified against
Common questions
- What does this site utilities final checklist cover?
- 5 items across 3 sections, covering water main, gravity sewer, backfill and record. 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 utility foreman and the testing party, witnessing the tests and walking the finished lines.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- After backfill and before the surface goes back, with the required tests witnessed rather than taken on a paper result.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 11 of the 5 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 site utilities final inspection?
- A pressure test 'passed' on a gauge nobody watched hold, so a slow leak is signed off and found after paving. Manhole rims and valve boxes left low or high of finish grade, needing a chase and adjustment after the surface is in. Trench backfill dropped in without compaction, so the line telegraphs a settlement trough through the new pavement.
- 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
2642 items and 4211 photo requirements in total.