Checklists by trade
3 lists · 14 items · 26 photosRetaining walls inspection checklists
Retaining walls inspection checklists for the rough-in, final and punch walks: 3 free lists, 14 items and 26 photo requirements, each item naming what to look for and the photo that proves it.
The retaining walls walks, in build order
Retaining walls Rough-in· Retaining wallsRetaining walls rough-in inspection checklistLeveling pad, base course, reinforcement layers and drainage checked lift by lift as the wall rises, before each lift is buried6 items12 photosRetaining walls Final· Retaining wallsRetaining walls final inspection checklistFinished wall checked for batter and alignment, caps, flowing drainage outlets and overall condition before turnover5 items9 photosRetaining walls Punch· Retaining wallsRetaining walls punch checklistCloseout walk for bulging or out-of-batter sections, loose caps and drainage that won't run3 items5 photos
Where each walk sits in the schedule
- Retaining walls rough-in inspection checklistrough-in
- As the wall is built — the leveling pad and base course before the second course goes on, then each geogrid or reinforcement layer and drainage detail before the lift above it is backfilled and lost. Run by: The GC's superintendent walking the wall with the installing crew's foreman, releasing each lift before backfill covers it.
- Retaining walls final inspection checklistfinal
- After the wall is topped out, capped and the site is graded, before the area is released and any survey or settlement monitoring baseline is closed out. Run by: The GC's superintendent with the wall foreman, and the geotech or surveyor where the design calls for monitoring.
- Retaining walls punch checklistpunch
- During closeout and after the first heavy rains, when a section that moved or a blocked drain first shows itself. Run by: The wall foreman on a callback, or the GC's superintendent closing site-wall punch items.
What most often sends retaining walls work back
- Geogrid or reinforcement embedment length short of the design, hidden the moment backfill goes over it and impossible to prove later.
- Base course set fast to grade instead of level, so every course above steps out of level and the batter walks off.
- Backfill placed in one deep lift and tracked with the loader rather than in the specified lifts, leaving the wall un-compacted behind the units.
- Drainage outlets buried or graded over during site finishing, so the wall drains nowhere and heads pressure up behind it.
- Cap units set dry and never adhered, then walked loose by foot traffic along the top of the wall.
- Alignment eyeballed as straight while a section has crept out of batter under the first backfill and is never surveyed.
- A bulging or leaning section noted on a walk but never reported to the geotech, so nobody decides whether it's cosmetic or moving.
- Cap adhesive skipped on the runs that are hard to reach, leaving loose caps that get lifted off later.
Common questions
- Which retaining walls inspections do these checklists cover?
- Retaining walls rough-in inspection checklist (rough-in): As the wall is built — the leveling pad and base course before the second course goes on, then each geogrid or reinforcement layer and drainage detail before the lift above it is backfilled and lost. Retaining walls final inspection checklist (final): After the wall is topped out, capped and the site is graded, before the area is released and any survey or settlement monitoring baseline is closed out. Retaining walls punch checklist (punch): During closeout and after the first heavy rains, when a section that moved or a blocked drain first shows itself.
- Who runs a retaining walls inspection?
- The GC's superintendent walking the wall with the installing crew's foreman, releasing each lift before backfill covers it. The GC's superintendent with the wall foreman, and the geotech or surveyor where the design calls for monitoring. The wall foreman on a callback, or the GC's superintendent closing site-wall punch items.
- What most often sends retaining walls work back?
- Geogrid or reinforcement embedment length short of the design, hidden the moment backfill goes over it and impossible to prove later. Base course set fast to grade instead of level, so every course above steps out of level and the batter walks off. Backfill placed in one deep lift and tracked with the loader rather than in the specified lifts, leaving the wall un-compacted behind the units. Drainage outlets buried or graded over during site finishing, so the wall drains nowhere and heads pressure up behind it.
- Can I run these checklists in RTI?
- Yes. Start a free RTI workspace and load any of the 3 lists (14 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.