Openings and preparation for joinery
Before windows and doors are installed, check opening dimensions, plumb, level, diagonals, substrate condition and order details. Each opening should fit the actual product, installation method and future insulation, not only the general drawing.
Confirm thresholds, extension profiles, sills, blinds, trickle vents, airtight installation and future floor build-ups. Errors here later become thermal bridges, leaks or difficult finishing details.
Window, door and garage door installation
During acceptance, check fixing, support, foam or tapes, continuity of seals, adjustment, glazing, scratches and warranty documents. Every window should open and close smoothly, and frames should not be distorted.
External doors and the garage door must match floor levels, falls, insulation and future facade. Incorrect threshold levels often return as problems during screeds or external insulation.
Roof, gutters and flashings
Closing the building requires checking roofing, membranes, flashings, valleys, chimneys, roof windows, gutters and downpipes. Water needs a safe drainage path before services and plastering begin inside.
Pay special attention to difficult details: chimneys, dormers, roof windows, ventilation penetrations, roof edges and connections with the future facade. These are common leak points.
Moisture and readiness for services
After the building is closed, control moisture, ventilation and material storage. A closed house without ventilation can trap construction moisture and make plastering, screeds and drywall harder later.
Before services start, confirm that the building is secure, reasonably dry for the stage and accessible for contractors. Also check routes for cables, pipes, drains, ventilation and distribution boards.
Acceptance before services
Closed shell acceptance should include a defect list, installation photos, warranty documents, roof notes and confirmation of sensitive airtightness and weatherproofing details. Only then should service contractors start.
In BuildIQ, each note can be assigned to a specific window, door, roof area or room. That makes it easier to return to issues found after rain or during finishing.
before the closed shell stage
- check opening dimensions, plumb, level and diagonals before installation
- compare joinery with the order: size, color, glazing, hardware and opening direction
- confirm thresholds, extensions, sills, blinds and trickle vents
- inspect fixing, support, sealing and window adjustment
- check external doors and garage door against floor and facade levels
- inspect roof covering, membranes, flashings, valleys, chimneys and roof windows
- check gutters, downpipes and water drainage away from the building
- record scratches, damage, missing items and warranty documents
- control moisture, ventilation and material protection after closing
- close the defect list before service contractors enter
Verify a continuous weather-tight enclosure
- **What to verify:** roof covering and underlayment, flashings, rough openings, window and door support, thresholds, drainage paths, air-sealing continuity and insulation details.
- **When:** during installation and after a rain event where practical, before rough-in begins.
- **Why it matters:** a roof or window can look complete while a discontinuity at a connection still admits water or air.
- **Document:** installation photos, product records, locations of defects and their correction date.
- **Close the item when:** water-control and air-control details are continuous at roof-to-wall, window-to-wall, door-threshold and penetration connections.
Inspect flashing at roofs, windows, doors and penetrations, not only the visible cladding. Confirm that water is directed out and that rough openings, sills and thresholds align with future floor and facade layers. Understanding the building envelope explains why these layers work as one system; common envelope mistakes provides a focused risk view.
FAQ
Does installed window glass mean the building is weather-tight?
Not by itself. Support, flashing, drainage, air sealing and connections to adjacent layers must work together.
When can systems rough-in begin?
When the structure is protected from weather sufficiently for the planned work and routes, penetrations and access are coordinated.
What should be recorded at acceptance?
Photos of connection details, warranties, a defect list and confirmation of corrections before interior work conceals the details.