Inspection process
Hold point
A hold point is a hard stop written into the inspection and test plan. When the work reaches it, the crew has to stop and cannot proceed to the next step until the named party (the owner's rep, the engineer of record, the AHJ, or QC) has inspected the work and released it in writing. Unlike a witness point, silence is not permission: no signoff means no advance.
Run it with the Photo Gate
Inspection and test plan (ITP)
11 items · 8 photos required
Why it matters
Hold points sit in front of the steps you can't undo cheaply: closing a wall, pouring concrete, energizing a feeder. Putting the stop before the point of no return is what keeps a defect visible and correctable instead of buried.
How it shows up on site
The ITP lists each hold point, who releases it, and the notice the crew owes that party. The super schedules around it: request the inspection, hold the work, and don't let the next trade start until the release is recorded.
In RTI the hold point is a checklist on its tag: it can't be submitted until its required photos are attached, and the release is a reviewer's approval, recorded with its time. A skipped hold leaves the tag with no approved inspection, so it can't quietly close.
Guides that use it
- How to run a construction inspectionRun a construction inspection end to end: know what you're inspecting against, walk the work in order, document what you see, and disposition every finding.
- How to write an inspection checklist that holds upWrite an inspection checklist crews actually use: tie every item to a real acceptance criterion, make each line a clear pass or fail, and build the photo proof into it.
- How to inspect a concrete pourRun the pre-pour inspection, watch the pour, and check the finish (formwork, rebar, embeds, mix, and curing), because concrete only gets inspected once.
- How to inspect structural steelInspect steel erection in order (anchor bolts, plumb and level, bolted and welded connections) against the erection drawings and the inspection plan.
Checklists that put hold point to work
Free, field-ready checklists, each with the photo every item needs before it can be submitted.
Related terms
- Witness pointA step where a party is invited to observe the work, but the crew may proceed if that party doesn't attend within the agreed notice.
- Inspection and test plan (ITP)A document that lays out, activity by activity, what gets inspected or tested, who does it, against which standard, and what record it produces.
- Quality control planThe project-specific document that defines how a contractor will control quality: who inspects what, to which standards, and how it's recorded.
- Rough-in inspectionVerification of concealed MEP work (piping, wiring, and ductwork in the framing) before insulation and finishes cover it.
- Pre-cover inspectionThe last inspection of an assembly before it is concealed by drywall, insulation, backfill, or a slab pour that hides the work underneath.
- SignoffA named party's recorded approval that a step, inspection, or feature meets its criteria and the work is released to proceed.
Knowing the term is step one. Proving it is the job.
RTI holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and the photos are attached, then chains the record so it can be proven untouched later.
30-day trial · No card required