50% to begin. The remaining 50% before launch.
Custom website projects require a 50% non-refundable first payment to reserve production time and begin work. The remaining 50% is due before launch, source-file transfer, or final handoff. Except where required by law or expressly agreed in writing, payments are final and non-refundable.
Agreement to these terms
These Terms of Service govern purchases from and work performed by Blotling LLC (“Blotling,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). By approving a quote, paying an invoice, authorizing work, or using a delivered service, you agree to these Terms and any project-specific quote, statement of work, or written amendment. If you act for an organization, you represent that you have authority to bind it. You must be at least 18 years old and legally able to enter a contract.
If a signed project agreement conflicts with these Terms, the signed project agreement controls for that conflict.
Services, quotes, and scope
Blotling provides custom website strategy, design, development, deployment, maintenance, technical support, digital products, and related creative services. Customer-facing pricing is provided in a written quote after the inquiry and project scope are reviewed.
- A quote covers only the deliverables, pages, features, revision allowance, and services expressly listed.
- Domains, hosting, premium software, licenses, paid media, copywriting, photography, taxes, and third-party fees are separate unless included in writing.
- Quotes may be withdrawn or revised before payment and expire on the date shown or, if none is shown, 14 days after issue.
- A schedule is an estimate until the required payment clears and Blotling confirms a start date.
Payment terms
Ongoing website care, existing-site work, larger custom builds, third-party costs, and other quoted services follow the payment schedule and service period written in the approved quote.
Blotling currently accepts PayPal payments directed to the verified business account at blotlingllc@gmail.com or another payment method expressly shown on the invoice. Customers should use only the private payment instructions supplied by Blotling and contact us before paying if any recipient information appears different.
- Work and scheduling begin only after cleared payment.
- Failure to pay by the invoice deadline may void the invoice, release the reserved production window, or delay the schedule.
- Blotling may pause work, withhold launch or deliverables, and suspend maintenance while an amount is overdue.
- The client is responsible for taxes, processor charges, currency conversion, chargeback fees caused by an improper dispute, and approved third-party expenses to the extent permitted by law.
- A receipt or payment confirmation is provided after payment is verified.
Refund and cancellation policy
Blotling provides customized services and reserves limited production capacity when payment is received. The initial 50% payment compensates Blotling for onboarding, discovery, administrative preparation, initial creative work, and the opportunity cost of reserving the project window. For that reason, the deposit is non-refundable once paid, subject to non-waivable legal rights.
If the client cancels, delays, abandons, or materially changes a project, Blotling may retain amounts already paid and invoice for approved work performed, committed third-party costs, and out-of-scope work through the cancellation date. Maintenance and recurring service cancellations stop future renewal; the current paid period is not prorated unless required by law.
This policy does not limit remedies that cannot legally be waived, including rights arising from fraud, unauthorized payment, Blotling’s uncured material breach, or services that Blotling fails to provide. If Blotling cancels a project without client breach, Blotling will return any amount paid for work not performed, less completed work and nonrecoverable approved costs, as permitted by law.
Before initiating a payment dispute, please contact blotlingllc@gmail.com so the parties can review the project record and attempt a prompt resolution. Nothing here waives lawful chargeback or consumer-protection rights.
Client responsibilities
The client must provide timely, accurate content, approvals, credentials, access, feedback, and one authorized decision-maker. The client represents that it owns or has permission to use all names, trademarks, text, images, video, software, data, and other material it supplies.
Delays in content, access, feedback, payment, or approval may move the delivery date and require rescheduling. The client is responsible for reviewing factual claims, legal notices, accessibility requirements specific to its business, regulated-industry requirements, and the accuracy of final content.
Revisions and scope changes
Included revisions are limited to the amount stated in the quote and must remain within the approved direction and scope. New pages, features, redesigns, integrations, content production, or requests made after approval may require a change order, added fee, and revised schedule. Corrections of Blotling’s implementation errors are not counted as client-requested revisions.
Review, delivery, and acceptance
The client must review staged work and report material errors within the review period stated in the project documents or, if none is stated, within 14 days. A deliverable is accepted when the client approves it, uses it publicly, directs launch, or does not report a material issue during the review period.
Launch, source files, transferable credentials, and final deliverables are withheld until all project invoices and approved expenses are paid. After acceptance, new work is billable unless covered by an active maintenance plan or written warranty.
Ownership and licenses
After full payment, the client receives the rights expressly described in the quote to the final custom deliverables. Blotling retains ownership of pre-existing materials, reusable code, frameworks, tools, workflows, know-how, rejected concepts, internal systems, and general design or development techniques. To the extent retained material is embedded in a final deliverable, Blotling grants the client a non-exclusive license necessary to use that deliverable.
Third-party assets remain subject to their own licenses. Unless a written confidentiality or portfolio restriction says otherwise, Blotling may identify the client and display non-confidential finished work for portfolio and promotional purposes.
Third-party services
Projects may rely on hosting providers, registrars, content systems, email services, analytics, payment processors, APIs, plugins, fonts, stock assets, or other third parties. Their availability, pricing, terms, security, and continued compatibility are outside Blotling’s control. The client is responsible for third-party accounts and recurring fees unless the quote states otherwise.
Warranties and disclaimers
Blotling will perform services in a professional manner consistent with the agreed scope. If the client timely identifies a reproducible material defect caused by Blotling, the contractual remedy is reasonable correction of that defect. Except for this limited commitment and warranties that cannot be excluded by law, services and deliverables are provided “as is.”
Blotling does not guarantee specific search rankings, sales, traffic, conversion rates, uninterrupted third-party services, universal browser behavior, legal compliance of client-supplied content, or business results. Accessibility, privacy, tax, healthcare, financial, and other regulated requirements must be expressly scoped and may require qualified third-party review.
Limitation of liability
To the maximum extent permitted by law, neither party is liable for indirect, incidental, special, punitive, exemplary, or consequential damages, including lost profits, lost data, lost opportunity, or business interruption. Blotling’s aggregate liability arising from a project will not exceed the amount the client paid Blotling for the specific service giving rise to the claim.
These limitations do not apply where prohibited by law or to liability that cannot lawfully be limited, including liability for fraud, willful misconduct, or gross negligence where applicable.
The client will defend and indemnify Blotling from third-party claims arising from client-supplied materials, unlawful client instructions, or the client’s violation of another party’s rights, except to the extent caused by Blotling’s own wrongful conduct.
Disputes and governing law
The parties will first attempt in good faith to resolve a dispute through written notice and direct discussion. These Terms are governed by Illinois law, without regard to conflict-of-law rules. Subject to any non-waivable consumer right to bring a claim elsewhere, state and federal courts located in Cook County, Illinois will have exclusive jurisdiction.
General terms
Neither party is responsible for delay caused by events beyond reasonable control. The client may not assign a project agreement without Blotling’s written consent; Blotling may use qualified subcontractors while remaining responsible for its obligations. If a provision is unenforceable, it will be limited to the minimum extent necessary and the remaining terms continue. A waiver must be in writing and applies only to that instance.
Blotling may update these Terms prospectively. The version accepted with an existing paid project continues to govern that project unless both parties agree otherwise. Questions may be sent to blotlingllc@gmail.com.