What does this waterproofing checklist cover?

12 items across 4 sections, covering substrate, detailing before the field coat, membrane and termination, testing. 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?

Waterproofing applicator with the GC; a manufacturer's representative where the warranty requires one.

When in the schedule should this walk happen?

Before backfill below grade, before topping or protection board on decks, and before tile or finish in wet areas.

Why does every item ask for a photo?

All 12 items call for photo evidence, 26 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 waterproofing inspection?

Flood test signed off with no photo of standing water and no recorded start and end time. Terminations at pipe penetrations detailed but never photographed individually. Backfill placed before the protection board walk, damaging the membrane invisibly.

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.

Free checklist

Waterproofing inspection checklist

Waterproofing is the definition of concealed work: the moment it is doing its job, nobody can see it. The record made during installation is the only thing that will ever explain a leak, so build the walk around the details, not the field.

Start free with this checklist Download as PDF

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.

Substrate

Surface sound, clean, dry and cured to the required age
No laitance, no form release, no honeycomb left unpatched.
Cracks, tie holes and voids repaired
Each repair photographed before it is covered.
Cove and fillet formed at inside corners
Continuous, correctly sized, no gaps at the wall-to-slab joint.

Detailing before the field coat

Reinforcement at corners, joints and transitions
Detail work done first, photographed before the field membrane covers it.
Every penetration detailed individually
One photo per pipe, sleeve, drain and anchor: collars sealed and reinforced.
Drains set at the low point and clamped correctly
Membrane carried into the clamping ring; weep holes clear.

Membrane and termination

Applied at the specified thickness or lap width
Wet mil readings for liquid systems, lap width for sheet systems: record the number.
Terminations sealed and mechanically secured where required
Reglet, bar or counter-flash at the top; nothing left with an open edge.
Protection board or drainage layer installed before backfill
Full coverage, no punctures, no exposed membrane left in the sun.

Testing

Flood test held for the required duration
Photograph the water in place, the depth marker, and the clock at start and end.
Underside inspected during and after the test
Walk the space below during the hold, not only afterwards.
Repairs re-tested and documented
A second test record for any area that failed the first.

What usually sends this back

The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work

Flood test signed off with no photo of standing water and no recorded start and end time.
Terminations at pipe penetrations detailed but never photographed individually.
Backfill placed before the protection board walk, damaging the membrane invisibly.

Common questions

6 answers

What does this waterproofing checklist cover?: 12 items across 4 sections, covering substrate, detailing before the field coat, membrane and termination, testing. 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?: Waterproofing applicator with the GC; a manufacturer's representative where the warranty requires one.
When in the schedule should this walk happen?: Before backfill below grade, before topping or protection board on decks, and before tile or finish in wet areas.
Why does every item ask for a photo?: All 12 items call for photo evidence, 26 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 waterproofing inspection?: Flood test signed off with no photo of standing water and no recorded start and end time. Terminations at pipe penetrations detailed but never photographed individually. Backfill placed before the protection board walk, damaging the membrane invisibly.
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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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 26 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident record behind every line.