How to Build an ITP for Window & Facade Installation
Last updated
An inspection and test plan for window and facade installation is the document that proves each opening was installed to spec, checked at the right points, and signed off by the right person — not just “installed,” but installed and verified, with a record to back it up.
If you haven’t built one before, or you’re tired of reworking a template every time a builder rejects yours, here’s how to put one together that actually survives handover.
What Should a Window Installation ITP Include?
At minimum, an ITP needs four things for every checkpoint: what’s being checked, how it’s checked, what evidence gets kept, and who signs. Miss one and the ITP is just a checklist with a fancier name — it won’t hold up when a builder or certifier asks for proof months later.
Most window and facade ITPs are built around a small number of installation stages, each with its own checks. Below is an example structure — not the only way to do it, and not gospel. Your ITP has to match what the spec actually asks for.
Match the ITP to the Project Spec First
Before you build or borrow a template, read the spec’s inspection and test plan requirements and the window/glazing schedule. Two identical-looking jobs can have different sign-off requirements, different hold points, and different installation tolerances.
Things to pull out of the spec before you start:
- Which stages are hold points (work stops until someone specific inspects and releases it) versus witness points (the inspector is notified but work can continue if they don’t show).
- Who’s authorised to sign each stage — installer, foreman, site supervisor, building certifier, or the builder’s rep.
- What test or compliance evidence is required for the window and glazing products themselves — test reports, compliance certificates, manufacturer installation instructions — separate from your on-site checks.
- Tolerances for plumb, level, diagonal, and gap sizes, since these are usually spelled out per project rather than assumed.
Build the ITP around those answers. A generic template you fill in after the fact is exactly what gets bounced back by a builder’s document controller.
Example ITP Stage Breakdown for Windows & Facades
Treat this as a starting structure to adapt, not a fixed list. Some jobs collapse stages together; others split glazing and hardware into separate sign-offs, or add a stage for structural sealant cure time on curtain wall.
On a small package — a shopfront, a single townhouse, a handful of openings — six separate signature stages is overkill. Collapse it to two or three checkpoints: set-out and frame together, flashings and glazing together, final QA on its own. A six-signature chain per opening is tower discipline, not small-job discipline.
1. Set-out & survey
What’s checked: Opening dimensions against the window schedule, level and plumb of the rough opening, packer positions, and that the opening matches the approved shop drawings before anything gets fixed in place.
Record to keep: A photo of the opening with a tape or level visible, plus the measured dimensions noted against the schedule reference.
Who signs: Installer or leading hand, typically witnessed rather than held — but check the spec if it’s a repeat detail that failed before.
2. Frame installation
What’s checked: Frame fixed per the manufacturer’s installation instructions and the specified fixing pattern, correct packers and shims, plumb and level within tolerance, and frame square (diagonals checked).
Record to keep: Photos of fixing points before they’re covered by flashing or reveal, and the diagonal/level readings.
Who signs: Installer signs at the point of fixing; supervisor counter-signs before the frame is covered up. This is a common hold point on multi-storey jobs, because once flashings go on, the fixings are gone from view.
3. Flashings & seals
What’s checked: Flashing laps in the right direction and sequence, sill flashing dressed and sealed, membrane or tape continuity around the opening, and that the drainage path (weep holes, cavity flashing) is clear and functioning.
Record to keep: Photos taken before and after flashing installation — this stage gets covered up fast, and “we did it” isn’t evidence once the cladding’s on.
Who signs: Installer, with a supervisor sign-off if the spec nominates this as a hold point (common where waterproofing failures are a known risk on the building type).
4. Glazing
What’s checked: Glass unit matches the schedule (type, thickness, coating), correct setting blocks and edge clearances, glazing gaskets or sealant per the system manufacturer’s detail, and no damage to the glass or coating.
Record to keep: Photo of the glazing label or batch reference where visible, plus the completed glazed unit in situ.
Who signs: Installer, witnessed by supervisor. Some specs require the glazing sub’s own compliance sign-off here if a different trade is doing the glazing.
5. Hardware & operation
What’s checked: Hardware fitted per spec (locks, hinges, restrictors, handles), and the unit operates correctly — opens, closes, locks, and seals without binding or excessive force.
Record to keep: A short note or photo confirming operational check, plus any adjustment made.
Who signs: Installer. This stage rarely needs a hold point unless the hardware is life-safety related (fire-rated doors within a facade system, for example).
6. Final QA & clean
What’s checked: Visual condition of frame, glass, and hardware, protective film or tape removed, silicone/sealant finish tidy, and the opening matches the “complete” definition in the spec.
Record to keep: Final photo set per opening — this is usually the set that goes straight into the handover package, so make it the clean version, not a work-in-progress shot.
Who signs: Supervisor or foreman, often with the builder’s rep co-signing if final QA is a hold point before the level is called complete.
Example ITP Structure, All Six Stages at a Glance
Here’s the same six stages as a single table — an example structure to adapt to your spec, not a template to fill in blind.
| Stage | What’s checked | Inspection type | Records kept | Who signs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Set-out & survey | Opening dimensions vs schedule, level and plumb of rough opening, packer positions | Witness (check spec if repeat detail failed before) | Photo with tape/level visible, measured dimensions against schedule | Installer or leading hand |
| 2. Frame installation | Fixing per manufacturer instructions and fixing pattern, packers/shims, plumb and level, frame square | Hold on multi-storey (fixings covered by flashing) | Photos of fixing points before covering, diagonal/level readings | Installer signs; supervisor counter-signs |
| 3. Flashings & seals | Flashing lap direction/sequence, sill flashing dressed and sealed, membrane continuity, drainage path clear | Hold where waterproofing failure is a known risk | Before-and-after photos of flashing installation | Installer, supervisor if nominated hold point |
| 4. Glazing | Glass unit vs schedule (type, thickness, coating), setting blocks and edge clearances, gaskets/sealant, no damage | Witness (surveillance if glazing sub is a different trade) | Photo of glazing label/batch reference, completed unit in situ | Installer, witnessed by supervisor |
| 5. Hardware & operation | Hardware fitted per spec, unit opens/closes/locks/seals without binding | Surveillance (hold only if life-safety related) | Note or photo of operational check, any adjustment made | Installer |
| 6. Final QA & clean | Visual condition, protective film removed, sealant finish tidy, matches “complete” definition | Hold if final QA gates level completion | Final photo set per opening | Supervisor or foreman, builder’s rep co-signs if hold point |
Specifications for windows and glazing commonly call up AS 2047 (windows and external glazed doors in buildings) and AS 1288 (glass in buildings — selection and installation) for the products and installation methods behind these checks — they’re commonly referenced, but your spec decides what actually applies to your job.
Per-Level vs Per-Elevation: Structuring ITPs on a Tower
This section applies to multi-storey work — a house or small package rarely needs the level/elevation split, and one ITP covering all the openings is usually fine. On a tower, decide early whether you’re structuring records per level or per elevation — it changes how you report and how fast you can produce evidence when asked.
Per level works well when the builder is chasing floor-by-floor handover or progress claims are tied to level completion. You can tell a builder “Level 12 is 100% signed off” and back it up instantly.
Per elevation suits jobs where different facades have different systems or different subcontractors — a curtain wall elevation versus a punched window elevation, say — and where quality issues tend to be elevation-specific (wind-driven rain on one face, for instance).
Some jobs need both: level as the primary reporting unit, elevation as a filter within it. Whatever you choose, pick it before the first fix goes in, not after the builder asks for a level-by-level report and you’re reverse-engineering it from folders of loose photos.
Hold Points, Witness Points, and Keeping the ITP Honest
Not every stage needs the same weight of sign-off. Hold points stop work until the nominated person inspects; witness points let work continue if the inspector doesn’t turn up in time, provided they were given notice. Getting this distinction wrong is one of the most common reasons ITPs get rejected by builders or certifiers. For a full breakdown of the difference and who’s actually meant to sign at each type, see Hold Points vs Witness Points: Who Signs Off and When.
If you’re still working out what an ITP is meant to achieve before you build one, start with What is an ITP in Construction? A Plain-English Guide.
Keeping Records the Builder Will Accept at Handover
The ITP that gets accepted at handover is the one that matches what the builder’s document controller expects to see, not the one that’s technically most thorough. A few habits that save rework:
- Use the builder’s numbering for levels, elevations, and openings if they’ve given you one — don’t force a cross-reference between two systems.
- Timestamp everything. A photo with no date attached is worth less than one with a clear timestamp overlay, especially on a hold point that’s disputed later.
- Don’t batch sign-offs at the end of the job. An ITP where every stage was “signed” the same week reads as exactly what it is.
- Keep the finalised version locked. Once a level or elevation is signed off, the record shouldn’t be editable — that’s the whole point of a hold point actually holding.
- Hand over a PDF, not a spreadsheet link. Builders archive ITPs as documents. A live spreadsheet that changes after handover creates more questions than it answers.
None of this needs software. It needs discipline about what gets recorded, when, and by whom — the same discipline whether you’re running it on paper, in a spreadsheet, or on site.
Where WNDW Fits
Building that table by hand every job gets old fast — re-typing the same stages into a new spreadsheet for every level or elevation. WNDW builds the ITP stage-by-stage as your crew works on mobile, each stage tapped off with a timestamped photo, no re-typing later. When the level closes, the record locks and the ITP generates as a PDF ready to sign. Details on the ITP report generation page.
Want to see what a finished one looks like? Here’s an example signed ITP, and what to look for in ITP software if you’re moving off paper.
FAQ
What's the difference between an ITP and a checklist?
A checklist just confirms a task was done. An ITP ties each check to a method, an acceptance criterion, a record, and a named person who signed off — so it stands up when someone questions the work months later.
Does every window ITP need the same stages?
No. The stages in this guide are a common structure, not a standard. Your ITP has to match the inspection and test plan called up in the project specification, which varies by builder and by job.
Who should sign each stage of a window ITP?
Usually the installer or leading hand signs at the point of work, and a supervisor or foreman counter-signs before the stage is called complete. Hold points nominated in the spec may need the builder or a certifier to sign as well.
How many photos does an ITP stage actually need?
Enough to prove the checked condition, not a phone full of duplicates. One or two clear, timestamped photos per opening per stage is normal — more if the spec calls up a hold point or the detail is unusual.
Do window ITPs need to reference Australian Standards?
Specifications for windows and glazing commonly reference relevant Australian Standards for products and installation. Your ITP should follow whatever the spec and the window schedule call up for that job, rather than a generic list.