Checklists by trade
3 lists · 9 items · 15 photosCarpet and carpet tile inspection checklists
Carpet and carpet tile inspection checklists for the rough-in, final and punch walks: 3 free lists, 9 items and 15 photo requirements, each item naming what to look for and the photo that proves it.
The carpet and carpet tile walks, in build order
Carpet and carpet tile Rough-in· Carpet and carpet tileCarpet and carpet tile rough-in inspection checklistSubstrate flat, clean, dry and sound so seams stay tight and tile lies flat once carpet covers it3 items5 photosCarpet and carpet tile Final· Carpet and carpet tileCarpet and carpet tile final inspection checklistCarpet installed to layout with flat tight seams, tile lying flat, and transitions and base set clean3 items5 photosCarpet and carpet tile Punch· Carpet and carpet tileCarpet and carpet tile punch checklistCloseout callbacks for peaking seams, lifting or loose tile, telegraphed defects, snags and stains3 items5 photos
Where each walk sits in the schedule
- Carpet and carpet tile rough-in inspection checklistrough-in
- After the space is enclosed, conditioned and the slab is dry, before adhesive or tackless is set and the floor is covered. Run by: The carpet foreman prepping the floor, with the GC's superintendent walking the substrate before the field is covered.
- Carpet and carpet tile final inspection checklistfinal
- After the field is stretched or the tile is laid and seams are finished, and transitions are set, before floor protection goes down. Run by: The carpet foreman with the GC's superintendent, walking the finished floor before it is protected and before the owner's walk.
- Carpet and carpet tile punch checklistpunch
- During closeout, after protection comes up and after other trades and traffic have revealed peaking seams, lifting tile and soiling. Run by: The carpet installer on a repair callback, or the GC's superintendent clearing carpet punch items before turnover.
What most often sends carpet and carpet tile work back
- Adhesive-set carpet tile laid over a slab that was never moisture-checked, so the bond fails and the tiles curl at the corners once vapor drives through.
- Ridges and low spots left unpatched, so glue-down seams telegraph and the seam line shows as a shadow across the field under raking light.
- Old adhesive, dust and curing compound left on the slab, so neither the new adhesive nor the tackless holds and the carpet creeps under traffic.
- Broadloom seams peaked or fuzzing because the seam was not sealed and heat-set correctly, so the join shows as a raised line across the room.
- Pattern or pile direction run inconsistent between drops, so the field reads as mismatched panels under light even though each seam is tight.
- Stretched-in carpet left loose so it ripples and buckles under rolling traffic, passed off as installed because it lies flat on day one.
- A peaking seam trimmed at the surface instead of re-sealing it, closed as repaired while the underlying seam is still open and keeps fraying.
- A lifted tile pressed back down onto failed adhesive so it lifts again, logged as fixed without addressing why the bond let go.
Common questions
- Which carpet and carpet tile inspections do these checklists cover?
- Carpet and carpet tile rough-in inspection checklist (rough-in): After the space is enclosed, conditioned and the slab is dry, before adhesive or tackless is set and the floor is covered. Carpet and carpet tile final inspection checklist (final): After the field is stretched or the tile is laid and seams are finished, and transitions are set, before floor protection goes down. Carpet and carpet tile punch checklist (punch): During closeout, after protection comes up and after other trades and traffic have revealed peaking seams, lifting tile and soiling.
- Who runs a carpet and carpet tile inspection?
- The carpet foreman prepping the floor, with the GC's superintendent walking the substrate before the field is covered. The carpet foreman with the GC's superintendent, walking the finished floor before it is protected and before the owner's walk. The carpet installer on a repair callback, or the GC's superintendent clearing carpet punch items before turnover.
- What most often sends carpet and carpet tile work back?
- Adhesive-set carpet tile laid over a slab that was never moisture-checked, so the bond fails and the tiles curl at the corners once vapor drives through. Ridges and low spots left unpatched, so glue-down seams telegraph and the seam line shows as a shadow across the field under raking light. Old adhesive, dust and curing compound left on the slab, so neither the new adhesive nor the tackless holds and the carpet creeps under traffic. Broadloom seams peaked or fuzzing because the seam was not sealed and heat-set correctly, so the join shows as a raised line across the room.
- Can I run these checklists in RTI?
- Yes. Start a free RTI workspace and load any of the 3 lists (9 items in total). The Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached, and approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident audit trail.