Free checklist
Special inspectionStructural masonry special inspection checklist
Grout hides the reinforcement, and finishes hide the grout. The independent inspector confirms the materials and the steel, witnesses the sampling, and records grout placement before the wall closes it in.
The checklist
Every item, and the photo evidence it needs
The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Work the list here and watch the gate hold, or load it into RTI and let it enforce the real thing.
Materials and proportions
Units, mortar and grout materials match the approved submittals
Unit type, mortar type and grout consistent with the specification.
Mortar and grout proportioning verified
Batching or proportions observed against the specified mix.
Method for verifying masonry strength confirmed before laying
Unit-strength or prism-test method, and the submittals behind it, match the approved documents and the statement of special inspections.
No photo
Laying and construction
Bedding, head joints and grouted-cell webs mortared as specified
Face-shell or full bedding as the drawings call for; webs mortared around cells to be grouted; joints filled and tooled.
Anchors, ties and connectors placed at the spacing shown
Wall ties, anchor bolts and connections to the structure placed, embedded and located as the approved drawings show.
Bond beams, lintels and control joints located per the drawings
Bond beams and lintels where shown with reinforcement continuous where detailed; movement joints at the locations drawn.
Cold- or hot-weather procedures followed for laying and grouting
When temperatures fall outside the approved range, materials heated or shaded and new work covered as the approved procedures require; no frozen units or mortar laid.
No photo
Reinforcement and grouting
Reinforcement size, position and lap verified before grouting
Bar placement, spacing and cell alignment checked while cells are still open.
Cleanouts, consolidation and grout lift height observed
Cleanouts present at the base of tall lifts; consolidation and lift height controlled.
Grout placement witnessed at each lift
Grout reaches the specified cells fully; no voids left where it matters.
Sampling and testing
Mortar, grout or prism specimens taken and witnessed
Specimens made at the specified frequency and cured for testing.
Grout slump or flow checked at the point of placement
Consistency measured against the specified range before the grout goes into the wall; reading recorded with the lift.
Discrepancies and reporting
Blocked cells, misplaced bars or missing ties shown to the mason
Deficiencies marked on the wall and shown to the mason while cleanouts are still open, then rechecked before the grout lift goes in.
No photoWalls grouted with open items named on the inspection report
Any wall grouted or covered before a deficiency was corrected listed by wall line and course on the report to the engineer of record and the building official.
No photo
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Reinforcement position and cell alignment approved after cells were already grouted.
- Mortar and grout proportions accepted without witnessing a sample or batch.
- Grout lifts exceeded the height the cleanouts and consolidation could support.
Common questions
6 answers
- What does this structural masonry checklist cover?
- 14 items across 5 sections, covering materials and proportions, laying and construction, reinforcement and grouting, sampling and testing, and more. 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?
- A third-party or owner's-rep special inspector for masonry, with the mason and the testing lab.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- At material delivery, during laying and reinforcement placement, and at each grout lift and sampling.
- Why do these items ask for a photo?
- 10 of the 14 items call for photo evidence, 15 photos in all. 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 structural masonry inspection?
- Reinforcement position and cell alignment approved after cells were already grouted. Mortar and grout proportions accepted without witnessing a sample or batch. Grout lifts exceeded the height the cleanouts and consolidation could support.
- 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
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 15 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident record behind every line.
See all 508 checklists · 6741 items and 5984 photo requirements in total.