Need a clean RFIA form? Here’s a free excel sheet every engineer should have on site

If you’ve ever had to chase down a consultant for inspection—or worse, redo work because someone didn’t sign off—you already know how important proper documentation is on a construction site.

One of the most useful tools in your daily workflow? The good old Request for Inspection and Approval form, better known as the RFIA.

I’ve worked on enough projects to say this with confidence: if you're not using a proper RFIA Excel Sheet, you're just making life harder for yourself—and risking delays you don’t need.

So in this post, I’m going to walk you through what an RFIA is, why it’s a must-have, and I’ll even share a free, downloadable RFIA template you can start using today.

What Exactly Is an RFIA?

In simple terms, an RFIA is a formal way to say:

“The work is ready—please come inspect and approve it before we continue.”

Whether you're a site engineer, QA/QC inspector, or consultant, this document keeps everyone on the same page. It’s part of the quality control process and helps you document inspections at critical stages of construction.

And let’s be honest—verbal approvals or WhatsApp messages might seem convenient, but they won't help you much if something goes wrong and you need to prove the work was approved.

When Do You Use It?

Pretty much any time you’re about to close up or move forward with the next phase of work. Here are just a few common examples from my own experience:

• After rebar is fixed, before concrete pouring

• Before covering up waterproofing layers

• Post-blockwork, before plastering

• During final finishes like tile works, handrails, or ceiling grids

Basically, any time the consultant needs to take a look before something gets buried or finished, you submit an RFIA. It’s a core part of QA/QC inspection for construction.

Why It Actually Makes Your Life Easier

Look, I get it—paperwork isn’t fun. But skipping the RFIA process is asking for trouble.

Here’s why filling out an RFIA (and keeping it organized) is worth your time:

• You get written proof that the consultant saw and approved the work

• It avoids arguments later about “who said what”

• It keeps your team accountable—no shortcuts or half-finished work

• Helps in closing work smoothly during handovers

• Makes life easier during audits, client visits, and consultant reviews

And when you’ve got dozens of activities running across different zones or buildings, a simple, organized RFIA Excel format helps you track all of it without going crazy.

What Should Be in a Good RFIA Template?

I’ve seen all kinds of RFIA formats—some are overly complicated, others are missing basic fields. Here's what I always make sure is in the form I use:

• Project name & contractor info

• Work/activity description (e.g., “Rebar fixing for Slab 3B”)

• Location of inspection (e.g., Tower A, 5th Floor, Grid A1-B3)

• Requested date and time for inspection

• Reference drawings or submittals

• Inspector or engineer’s name

• Consultant’s remarks and final status (Approved, Rejected, Comments)

• Space for signatures from both parties

This kind of structure ensures your request is clear, professional, and ready to be processed without back-and-forth.

Why Excel? Why Not Just WhatsApp or Word?

Trust me, I've tried everything. At first, we were sending messages and PDFs through email or WhatsApp. But when you’re dealing with 30+ inspection requests a week, that system collapses quickly.

Here’s why a standardized RFIA Excel Sheet is a better idea:

• ✅ Easy to edit, reuse, and update

• ✅ Uniform format keeps your reports neat

• ✅ Filter or sort by status, date, area—super helpful when tracking progress

• ✅ Saves time—just copy the last form, change the fields, and you’re done

• ✅ Helps maintain a digital record that’s searchable and printable

It’s one of those simple tools that makes your day smoother. I’ve been using a personal version of this form for years across all types of projects—residential towers, commercial blocks, even infrastructure.

Quick Story from the Site

On one job, we had a huge concrete pour planned for 7 AM. Rebar was done, formwork checked, but the consultant hadn’t approved the area yet. One of the new engineers said, “He saw it yesterday, it’s fine.”

Luckily, I asked to see the RFIA. Nothing submitted. We paused the pour, filed the request properly, and the consultant actually found some rebar missing in the edge beam.

That little piece of documentation saved us from pouring over non-compliant work—and tearing it out the next day.

Lesson: the RFIA isn’t just a form, it’s protection.

Want the Form? Download It Free

I’ve cleaned up my RFIA Excel Sheet and made it available for download so you can use it on your site right away.

(It’s simple, editable, and you can duplicate it for each activity)

Or go to www.thecengineer.com and search “RFIA” in the top right corner. You’ll find this post and plenty of other free QA/QC forms for construction projects, including:

• Material Inspection Reports (MIR)

• Concrete Cube Test Logs

• Work Inspection Requests (WIR)

• RFIs and more

Final Thoughts

If you’re serious about delivering quality work and avoiding rework, you need to document your inspections properly. A clear, well-prepared RFIA form is one of the easiest and most effective ways to do that.

Use the form, keep it organized, and save yourself time, headaches, and costly mistakes.

And if you’ve got any feedback or ideas for improving the sheet, I’d love to hear from you—drop me a message through the blog.