Checklists by trade
3 lists · 15 items · 26 photosFlooring inspection checklists
Flooring inspection checklists for the rough-in, final and punch walks: 3 free lists, 15 items and 26 photo requirements, each item naming what to look for and the photo that proves it.
The flooring walks, in build order
Flooring Rough-in· FlooringFlooring rough-in inspection checklistSubstrate flatness, moisture and prep verified before any material is laid6 items11 photosFlooring Final· FlooringFlooring final inspection checklistFinished floors walked for lippage, bond, seams and transitions6 items11 photosFlooring Punch· FlooringFlooring punch checklistCloseout walk for damaged, hollow or stained finished flooring3 items4 photos
Where each walk sits in the schedule
- Flooring rough-in inspection checklistrough-in
- Before material is staged on an area, with moisture testing early enough that a failed slab can still be remediated without moving the finish date. Run by: The flooring foreman testing and prepping each area, or the GC's superintendent releasing slab or sheathing to the flooring crew.
- Flooring final inspection checklistfinal
- After the floor is complete and cleaned, before base and transition punch and before the area is opened to other trades unprotected. Run by: The GC's superintendent with the flooring foreman, walking finished areas before protection comes off and the owner walks them.
- Flooring punch checklistpunch
- During closeout, after protection comes off and cleaning is done, the moment damage from other trades becomes visible. Run by: The flooring foreman on a callback, or the GC's superintendent closing finish punch items room by room.
What most often sends flooring work back
- Moisture tests run in one corner of a big slab and extrapolated to the whole pour.
- Flatness checked by eye instead of with a straightedge, and the telegraphing starts after the finish is down.
- Adhesive or underlayment installed over a substrate that was never cleaned to the manufacturer's requirement.
- Hollow-sounding tile found by the owner's rep on their first walk, not by the installer on theirs.
- Seams and transitions checked in the middle of the room but not at doorways where everyone looks first.
- Protection removed before adjacent trades finished, and the damage lands on the flooring ticket.
- Damage under the protection discovered at turnover with no record of when the floor was last seen clean.
- A replaced tile or plank photographed so close nobody can tell which room it is in.
Common questions
- Which flooring inspections do these checklists cover?
- Flooring rough-in inspection checklist (rough-in): Before material is staged on an area, with moisture testing early enough that a failed slab can still be remediated without moving the finish date. Flooring final inspection checklist (final): After the floor is complete and cleaned, before base and transition punch and before the area is opened to other trades unprotected. Flooring punch checklist (punch): During closeout, after protection comes off and cleaning is done, the moment damage from other trades becomes visible.
- Who runs a flooring inspection?
- The flooring foreman testing and prepping each area, or the GC's superintendent releasing slab or sheathing to the flooring crew. The GC's superintendent with the flooring foreman, walking finished areas before protection comes off and the owner walks them. The flooring foreman on a callback, or the GC's superintendent closing finish punch items room by room.
- What most often sends flooring work back?
- Moisture tests run in one corner of a big slab and extrapolated to the whole pour. Flatness checked by eye instead of with a straightedge, and the telegraphing starts after the finish is down. Adhesive or underlayment installed over a substrate that was never cleaned to the manufacturer's requirement. Hollow-sounding tile found by the owner's rep on their first walk, not by the installer on theirs.
- Can I run these checklists in RTI?
- Yes. Start a free RTI workspace and load any of the 3 lists (15 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.