Inspection process
Punch walk
Also called: punch list walk, snag walk
A punch walk is the physical walk through a finished or near-finished space where the owner's rep, the GC, and often the architect go room by room tagging what still isn't right. Every scratch, missing trim piece, unfinished paint edge, and dead outlet gets written up as a punch item with a location and a responsible trade. It is how the abstract idea of "almost done" becomes a concrete, assignable list.
How it shows up on site
The team walks with the drawings and a way to log items on the spot — tagging locations, describing the defect, and naming the trade that owns the fix. A good punch walk is systematic, not a wander: same direction every time, nothing skipped, each item pinned to where it actually is.
In RTI each punch item carries the photo that proves it, so the trade coming back to fix it sees exactly what and where, and the back-check has a before shot to close against.
Common mistakes
Walking too early — before a trade has finished — buries real defects under items that were never done yet, and the list loses credibility. The other trap is a vague write-up: "paint" with no location or description is an argument waiting to happen.
Checklists that put punch walk to work
Free, field-ready checklists, each with the photo every item needs before it can be submitted.
Related terms
- Punch listThe running list of incomplete or defective work a contractor has to fix before an area is accepted and closed out.
- Back-checkThe return visit that confirms a punch or deficiency item was actually corrected before it is closed off the list.
- Final walkthroughThe end-of-project walk where the owner and contractor inspect the completed work together and generate or verify the punch list.
- Substantial completionThe milestone where the work is usable for its intended purpose, even with minor punch items still open.
- Hold pointA stop in the inspection and test plan where work cannot continue until a required party inspects and signs off the release.
- 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.
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.