Engage with CurioArch

Terms of Engagement

1. The first conversation costs nothing. Every engagement starts with discovery — no fee, no obligation. We use that time to understand the problem, test for alignment, and decide together whether CurioArch is the right fit. If it's not, I'll say so directly.
2. Nothing starts without clarity. Before any billable work begins, you'll have a written scope agreement — what's being built, how it's priced, and when to expect it. Fixed-deliverable or hourly, shaped by what the work actually requires. No ambiguity going in means no friction coming out.
3. Payment reflects progress. Fixed-scope projects require a 50% deposit to begin, with the balance due on delivery. Hourly work is invoiced bi-weekly or monthly, due within 14 days. Work pauses on overdue invoices — not out of rigidity, but because sustainable engagements require mutual follow-through.
4. Timelines are living agreements. Good work needs room to breathe. I build in time for discovery, exploration, and iteration because rushing past the interesting questions leads to shallow output. I'll always communicate where things stand, and I expect the same — timely feedback, access to what I need, and honest check-ins. If the timeline needs to shift for either side, we talk about it and adjust together. Rigidity kills good work; transparency keeps it moving.
5. Scope shifts happen in the open. Reasonable revisions within the original scope are included. When direction changes meaningfully or new requirements emerge, we re-scope together before moving forward. You won't receive a surprise invoice. I won't quietly absorb work that deserves its own agreement.
6. Communication is structured, not excessive. We'll set a channel and a cadence at kickoff. Expect replies within one business day. Check-ins happen when the work calls for them — not to fill a calendar. You shouldn't have to chase updates; I shouldn't have to chase approvals.
7. You own the output. Upon full payment, the final deliverables belong to you entirely. Reusable frameworks, internal tools, and work-in-progress materials built by CurioArch remain with CurioArch unless we agree otherwise in writing. Clear ownership means clean collaboration.
8. What you share stays private. Strategy, data, internal processes — everything shared during an engagement is treated as confidential. I won't reference or showcase client work publicly without your written permission. Your edge stays yours.
9. Either side can walk away. If I end the engagement, you're refunded for any undelivered work. If you end it, payment is due for work completed to date. Clean exits protect both sides — no lock-in, no leverage.
10. Submitting this form starts a conversation. This isn't a contract or a commitment. It's a signal that you're interested. If there's a fit, we'll build the formal scope together before anything begins.