Free checklist
Structural steelStructural steel rough-in inspection checklist
Structural steel 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 AISC, AWS D1.1, the applicable building code. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 6
- Photos required
- 11
- Built for
- General contractors
Who runs it
The GC's superintendent walking the erection with the steel foreman, often alongside the special inspector on bolting and welding.
When in the schedule
As each tier or bay is erected and while the crane is still on the connections, before metal deck is laid and long before fireproofing goes on.
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.
Anchorage and base plates
- 2 photos
Anchor bolts, base plates and leveling set correctly
Anchor bolt pattern and projection match the drawings, base plates bearing on the leveling nuts or shims as detailed, no bent or field-cut anchors.
- 2 photos
Grout placed solid under base plates
Non-shrink grout packed full under the plate with no edge-only dams or voids, plates set to the correct elevation.
Plumb and alignment
- 2 photos
Columns plumb and frame aligned before lockup
Columns checked for plumb and the frame surveyed for line and elevation, guys and temporary bracing holding it in position before connections are finalized.
Bolted connections
- 2 photos
Bolted joints installed and tightened per the joint type
Correct bolt, washer and nut assemblies in place, snug-tight joints drawn tight and pretensioned joints tensioned by the specified method, match-marked so completion is visible.
- 1 photo
Faying surfaces and connection material correct
Slip-critical faying surfaces prepared as specified, plies drawn into firm contact, no missing bolts or open holes at the connection.
Welded connections
- 2 photos
Field welds visually inspected before they are covered
Complete welds at the size and length shown, no undercut, porosity or cracks visible, arc strikes ground out, before deck or fireproofing hides the joint.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Base plate grout skipped or packed only at the edges because the erector moved on before the grout crew caught up, leaving voids under the plate.
- Bolted connections left snug-tight where the drawings call them out as pretensioned, and no one can tell later which is which without loosening them.
- A column racked out of plumb early gets chased up the frame, so the misalignment shows up floors later where it is expensive to pull back.
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.
Common questions
- What does this structural steel rough-in checklist cover?
- 6 items across 4 sections, covering anchorage and base plates, plumb and alignment, bolted connections, welded connections. 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 walking the erection with the steel foreman, often alongside the special inspector on bolting and welding.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- As each tier or bay is erected and while the crane is still on the connections, before metal deck is laid and long before fireproofing goes on.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 11 of the 6 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 structural steel rough-in inspection?
- Base plate grout skipped or packed only at the edges because the erector moved on before the grout crew caught up, leaving voids under the plate. Bolted connections left snug-tight where the drawings call them out as pretensioned, and no one can tell later which is which without loosening them. A column racked out of plumb early gets chased up the frame, so the misalignment shows up floors later where it is expensive to pull back.
- 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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