Free checklist
Sitework rough-in inspection checklist
Sitework 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 project geotechnical report, the applicable building code — confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 8
- Photos required
- 14
- Built for
- General contractors
Who runs it
The site foreman walking each utility run and lift, with the GC's superintendent and the geotechnical tech on compaction testing.
When in the schedule
Per utility run and per lift of fill — every trench and lift inspected before the next one covers it.
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.
Subgrade and grading
- 2 photos
Subgrade proof-rolled and approved before fill
No pumping, rutting or soft spots under a loaded truck; soft areas undercut and bridged per the geotech's direction.
- 2 photos
Rough grades within tolerance of the grading plan
Spot elevations shot at grade breaks, swales and structure perimeters, compared against the plan.
- 1 photo
Compaction results at spec for each lift
Test locations spread across the lift, results at or above the required density before the next lift.
Utility installation
- 2 photos
Bedding material and depth per the utility spec
Trench bottom at the right depth and line, bedding placed and shaped before pipe is laid.
- 2 photos
Pipe slope, joints and connections verified
Slope checked between structures, joints home and gasketed, connections to structures sealed.
- 2 photos
Traced and marked before backfill
Tracer wire or tape in place where required, crossings and offsets photographed with a measurement reference.
Backfill
- 2 photos
Backfill placed and compacted in controlled lifts
Lift thickness within spec, compaction tests per lift over trenches that will carry pavement or structures.
- 1 photo
No debris or oversize material in structural backfill
Trench backfill free of rubble, frozen clods and oversize rock against the pipe.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Compaction tests taken at the easy edge of a lift instead of across the fill area.
- Utility bedding photographed for the first run and assumed for the rest of the project.
- Trench backfilled before the utility's own depth, slope or joint inspection was recorded.
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 14 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 sitework rough-in checklist cover?
- 8 items across 3 sections — subgrade and grading, utility installation, backfill. 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 site foreman walking each utility run and lift, with the GC's superintendent and the geotechnical tech on compaction testing.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- Per utility run and per lift of fill — every trench and lift inspected before the next one covers it.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 14 of the 8 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 sitework rough-in inspection?
- Compaction tests taken at the easy edge of a lift instead of across the fill area. Utility bedding photographed for the first run and assumed for the rest of the project. Trench backfilled before the utility's own depth, slope or joint inspection was recorded.
- 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
See all 101 checklists — 775 items and 1296 photo requirements in total.