What does this windows checklist cover?

12 items across 4 sections, covering rough opening, setting and fastening, flashing sequence, operation and closeout. 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?

Window installer on their own work; the GC or builder verifies before the wall is wrapped and clad.

When in the schedule should this walk happen?

Per opening, as the units are set, before the weather-resistive barrier is lapped over the head flashing.

Why does every item ask for a photo?

All 12 items call for photo evidence, 18 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 windows inspection?

Sill pan photographed after the unit was set, so the pan itself is invisible. Head flashing lapped under the barrier instead of over it, discovered after siding. Shims and fasteners hidden behind trim with no record of spacing or type.

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

Window installation inspection checklist

Nearly every window leak is a flashing-sequence problem, and the sequence is only visible for about an hour per opening. Photograph each layer as it goes on and a callback three winters from now becomes a five-minute question instead of an exploratory demolition.

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.

Rough opening

Opening sized, square and plumb
Correct shim space on all four sides; measure both diagonals and photograph the tape.
Sill sloped or a sloped pan installed
Water leaving the opening toward the exterior, not sitting on a flat sill.
Sill pan continuous with sealed corners and back dam
Corners sealed or preformed, back dam present, pan turned up at the jambs.

Setting and fastening

Unit set plumb, level and square with even reveals
Check operation before fastening; a racked frame will never seal.
Shims at the specified locations, not bearing on the pan
Shims under load points only, and never blocking the drainage path.
Fastener type, length and spacing per the manufacturer
Photograph a fastened jamb before trim covers it.

Flashing sequence

Jamb flashing lapped over the sill flashing
Bottom layer first, then jambs over it, shingle-style, every time.
Head flashing installed and lapped by the barrier above
Barrier over head flashing, not under. This is the single most common defect.
Sealant applied where required and omitted at the sill
Perimeter sealed except the drainage path at the sill, which stays open.

Operation and closeout

Sash operates, locks and weatherstrips seal
Open, close and lock every operable unit; check the seal compresses evenly.
Insulation or foam at the perimeter without bowing the frame
Low-expansion product, frame still square after curing.
Glass undamaged and labels intact until handover
No scratches or edge chips; protective film left on through the dirty trades.

What usually sends this back

The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work

Sill pan photographed after the unit was set, so the pan itself is invisible.
Head flashing lapped under the barrier instead of over it, discovered after siding.
Shims and fasteners hidden behind trim with no record of spacing or type.

Common questions

6 answers

What does this windows checklist cover?: 12 items across 4 sections, covering rough opening, setting and fastening, flashing sequence, operation and closeout. 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?: Window installer on their own work; the GC or builder verifies before the wall is wrapped and clad.
When in the schedule should this walk happen?: Per opening, as the units are set, before the weather-resistive barrier is lapped over the head flashing.
Why does every item ask for a photo?: All 12 items call for photo evidence, 18 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 windows inspection?: Sill pan photographed after the unit was set, so the pan itself is invisible. Head flashing lapped under the barrier instead of over it, discovered after siding. Shims and fasteners hidden behind trim with no record of spacing or type.
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 18 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident record behind every line.