These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of dashwood.net and services provided by Dashwood, operated by Ryan Stefan. By hiring Dashwood or using this website, you agree to these Terms. Project-specific terms in a signed proposal, statement of work, or other written agreement control if they conflict with these Terms.
Services and scope
Dashwood provides project, consulting, systems-engineering, automation, and software-development services. The scope, deliverables, schedule, assumptions, fees, and acceptance criteria for an engagement are agreed separately in writing. Website descriptions are general information and are not a promise that a particular service, result, or timeline applies to your project.
Requests outside the agreed scope may require a written change order, revised estimate, additional fees, or a revised delivery schedule.
Proposals and estimates
A proposal or estimate is valid for the period stated in it. Estimates are based on the information available when prepared. New requirements, incomplete information, third-party limitations, or requested changes may affect cost and timing. No engagement begins until both parties agree to the applicable scope and payment arrangements.
Payment terms
Fees, deposits, milestones, and invoice due dates are stated in the applicable written agreement or invoice. All amounts are in USD unless explicitly stated otherwise. You are responsible for applicable taxes, excluding taxes on Dashwood's income. Dashwood may pause work or withhold delivery when an undisputed payment is overdue.
Payment and refund eligibility are also subject to the Refund & Cancellation Policy.
Client responsibilities
You agree to:
- provide timely, accurate information, decisions, and feedback;
- provide lawful access to the systems, accounts, content, and personnel reasonably needed for the work;
- confirm that you have the right to provide all materials and data you supply;
- maintain appropriate backups and review deliverables before production use; and
- use deliverables and services lawfully and in accordance with relevant third-party terms.
Delays in access, content, approvals, or feedback may extend the schedule and may require rescheduling reserved work.
Ownership and intellectual property
Unless the written project agreement says otherwise, and after all amounts due for the engagement are paid, you own the final custom deliverables specifically created for you. Drafts, rejected concepts, and unpaid deliverables do not transfer.
Dashwood retains ownership of pre-existing materials, reusable tools, templates, libraries, methods, generalized know-how, and improvements that are not uniquely created for you. To the extent those materials are embedded in a paid deliverable, Dashwood grants you a perpetual, non-exclusive license to use them as part of that deliverable. Open-source software and other third-party materials remain subject to their own licenses and terms.
Confidentiality
Each party will use reasonable care to protect non-public information identified as confidential or that should reasonably be understood to be confidential. This obligation does not apply to information that is public through no breach, already lawfully known, independently developed, or lawfully received from another source. Disclosure may be made when required by law.
Third-party services
Deliverables may interact with hosting platforms, APIs, payment processors, open-source packages, or other third-party products. Those services are controlled by their providers and may change, become unavailable, or impose separate fees and terms. Dashwood is not responsible for third-party services outside its reasonable control.
Termination
Either party may terminate an engagement as permitted by the applicable written agreement. If no termination terms are stated there, either party may terminate by written notice. Dashwood may suspend or terminate work immediately for nonpayment, unlawful use, security risk, or a material breach that is not promptly corrected.
On termination, you must pay for work performed and approved costs incurred through the effective termination date. Dashwood will provide paid-for work in its then-current state. Terms concerning payment, ownership, confidentiality, disclaimers, and liability survive termination.
Warranties and disclaimers
Dashwood will perform services in a professional and workmanlike manner. Except for that commitment and any express warranty in a written project agreement, the website, services, and deliverables are provided "as is" to the fullest extent permitted by law. Dashwood does not guarantee uninterrupted operation, compatibility with every system, or any particular business, revenue, search, or performance result.
Limitation of liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, neither party will be liable for indirect, incidental, special, exemplary, or consequential damages, or for lost profits, revenue, data, or business opportunities, arising from an engagement. Dashwood's total liability arising from a project will not exceed the fees you paid to Dashwood for the specific services giving rise to the claim during the six months before the event giving rise to liability. These limits do not apply where applicable law does not permit them.
Governing law
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Texas, without regard to conflict-of-law rules. Any dispute not resolved informally will be brought in a court with jurisdiction in Harris County, Texas, unless applicable law requires otherwise.
Changes and severability
Dashwood may update these Terms for future website use or engagements by posting a revised version with a new effective date. Changes do not alter an existing signed agreement unless both parties agree. If any provision is unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in effect.
Contact
Questions about these Terms may be sent to [email protected] or discussed by phone at (737) 205-9226. Dashwood is based in Houston, Texas.