Terms & Conditions

1. Acceptance of Terms

By engaging the services of Joel B. Gacho (trading as Digital Solutions), submitting a project enquiry, or proceeding with any paid work, you ("the Client") agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions.

These terms constitute the entire agreement between Joel B. Gacho and the Client for the delivery of web design and SEO services. If you do not agree with any part of these terms, please do not proceed with engaging these services.

2. Services Offered

Joel B. Gacho provides the following professional freelance services:

• WordPress Web Design — custom website design and development using WordPress and Elementor Pro, including responsive layouts, theme customisation, and plugin configuration.
• SEO Services — on-page SEO optimisation, keyword research, meta tag implementation, site speed optimisation, and technical SEO audits.
• Elementor Pro Development — advanced page building, custom widget configuration, and landing page design using Elementor Pro.
• WooCommerce Stores — setup and design of e-commerce stores including product pages, cart configuration, and checkout optimisation.
• Website Maintenance — ongoing updates, plugin management, backups, and general site upkeep.
• Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) — layout improvements, call-to-action optimisation, and user experience enhancements to improve lead generation.

The specific deliverables for any engagement will be agreed upon in writing (via email or a project proposal) before work commences.

3. Project Process & Scope

All projects follow an agreed scope of work, defined prior to the start of any engagement. The scope includes:

• A description of the deliverables (e.g. number of pages, features, or SEO tasks).
• The estimated timeline for completion.
• The agreed price and payment schedule.

Any work that falls outside the agreed scope is considered a change request and will be quoted separately. Joel B. Gacho reserves the right to decline scope changes that are incompatible with the original agreement or timeline.

4. Payment Terms

The following payment terms apply to all projects unless otherwise agreed in writing:

• Deposit: A non-refundable deposit of 50% of the total project fee is required before any work begins. This secures your spot in the project schedule.
• Balance: The remaining 50% is due upon project completion, prior to the website going live or final files being delivered.
• Ongoing retainers: Monthly SEO or maintenance retainers are invoiced at the start of each billing period and are due within 7 days.
• Late payments: Invoices unpaid after 14 days may result in suspension of work or access to deliverables until payment is received.

Accepted payment methods include bank transfer, PayPal, and Wise (TransferWise). All prices are quoted in USD unless otherwise agreed.

5. Revisions & Change Requests

Each project includes a defined number of revision rounds as stated in the project proposal. Revisions are defined as minor adjustments to the agreed design or content — not a change in direction or new requirements.

• Revision requests must be submitted in a single consolidated list per round, not incrementally.
• Additional revision rounds beyond those included will be billed at the hourly rate agreed at the start of the project.
• Major scope changes — including redesigns, additional pages, or new features — will be quoted as a separate add-on.

6. Timelines & Delays

Project timelines are estimates and depend on timely communication and content delivery from the Client. Joel B. Gacho will communicate any expected delays as early as possible.

The Client agrees to provide all required materials (text, images, logos, credentials, and feedback) within the timeframes agreed during onboarding. Delays caused by the Client may push back the project delivery date accordingly.

If a project is inactive for more than 30 days due to lack of client response or content delivery, it may be moved to the end of the project queue and a re-activation fee may apply.

7. Client Responsibilities

To ensure smooth project delivery, the Client agrees to:

• Provide accurate, complete, and timely content, branding assets, and access credentials.
• Designate a single point of contact for feedback and approvals to avoid conflicting instructions.
• Ensure that any content, images, or materials supplied do not infringe third-party intellectual property rights. The Client assumes full responsibility for licensed content they supply.
• Review and approve deliverables in a timely manner as outlined in the project timeline.
• Maintain their own website backups once the project is handed over.

8. Intellectual Property

Client ownership: Upon receipt of full payment, the Client owns the final website design, custom graphics, and written content created specifically for their project.

Third-party assets: Any premium plugins, themes, stock images, or licensed fonts used in the project remain subject to their respective third-party licences. The Client is responsible for maintaining active licences for these assets after project handover.

Portfolio rights: Joel B. Gacho reserves the right to display completed work in a professional portfolio (this website), case studies, or social media, unless the Client requests confidentiality in writing prior to project commencement.

Pre-existing assets: Tools, code snippets, and frameworks used in the build that were developed prior to or independently of this project remain the intellectual property of Joel B. Gacho or their respective owners.

9. Confidentiality

Joel B. Gacho agrees to keep all non-public information shared by the Client — including business strategies, login credentials, customer data, and project details — strictly confidential.

This confidentiality obligation does not apply to information that is publicly available, independently developed, or required to be disclosed by law.

Access credentials (hosting, WordPress admin, domain registrar) provided for project delivery will not be stored beyond the project scope and will be deleted or returned upon request.

10. Warranties & Liability

Joel B. Gacho warrants that all work will be completed with professional skill and care, and will function as described at the time of delivery.

Limitation of liability: Joel B. Gacho's total liability for any claim arising out of or related to these services shall not exceed the total fees paid by the Client for the specific project in question.

Joel B. Gacho is not liable for:

• Loss of revenue, profits, or business resulting from website downtime or errors after project handover.
• Changes to third-party platforms (e.g. WordPress core updates, Google algorithm changes) that affect site functionality or search rankings after delivery.
• SEO outcomes — while best practices will be applied, no specific ranking positions or traffic increases are guaranteed, as search engine algorithms are beyond our control.
• Data loss caused by hosting failures, hacking, or the Client's failure to maintain backups.

11. Termination

By the Client: The Client may terminate the agreement at any time by written notice. The non-refundable deposit will be retained. Any work completed beyond the deposit value will be invoiced at a pro-rated rate based on hours worked.

By Joel B. Gacho: Joel B. Gacho reserves the right to terminate an engagement if the Client behaves abusively, fails to pay invoices, or requests work that is illegal, unethical, or in violation of these terms. In such cases, payment for all completed work to date will still be owed.

Upon termination, all completed deliverables paid for in full will be transferred to the Client. Incomplete work for which full payment has not been received will not be transferred.

12. Governing Law

These Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of the Republic of the Philippines. Any disputes arising from these terms shall first be attempted to be resolved through good-faith negotiation between the parties.

If a resolution cannot be reached, disputes shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines.

13. Contact

If you have questions about these Terms & Conditions, please contact:

• Name: Joel B. Gacho
• Business: Digital Solutions
• Email: joelgacho.ffseo@gmail.com
• Location: Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines