Donefy Services - Client Terms of Service
Effective date: [date] · Version: client-terms-2026-10-draft
These Client Terms of Service ("Client Terms") are a binding agreement between you and [Donefy legal entity name], a [state] [entity type] ("Donefy", "we", "us"). They govern your use of the Donefy Services app and website (the "Platform") to find, hire and pay independent service providers.
Please read Section 17 (Arbitration and class action waiver) carefully. It requires most disputes between you and Donefy to be resolved by individual binding arbitration, not in court or as a class, unless you opt out within 30 days.
By creating an account, posting a project or accepting a bid, you agree to these Client Terms, the Donefy Payment Protection Terms and the Privacy Policy, which are part of these Client Terms.
1. What Donefy is, and what it is not
1.1 A marketplace. Donefy is an online marketplace. Clients post projects; independent providers ("Providers") review them and submit bids; a client may accept one bid. Donefy provides the software, messaging, e-signature, payment collection, review and dispute tools.
1.2 Donefy does not do the work. Donefy is not a contractor, home improvement contractor, tutor or professional services firm. Donefy does not perform, direct, supervise, inspect or guarantee any Provider's work. When you accept a bid, your contract for the work is with the Provider alone, through a Project Agreement you both sign on the Platform (the "Project Agreement"). Donefy is not a party to the Project Agreement except for the payment and release terms that name Donefy.
1.3 Providers are independent businesses. Providers are not Donefy employees, agents, partners or joint venturers. They set their own prices, schedules, methods and tools, and may work for anyone, on or off the Platform.
1.4 Payments. Donefy collects your payment as the Provider's limited payment collection agent and releases it to the Provider milestone by milestone, as described in the Donefy Payment Protection Terms. Donefy is not an escrow agent, bank, insurer or guarantor.
2. Eligibility and accounts
2.1 You must be at least 18 years old and able to form a binding contract. If you use the Platform for a business, you confirm you are authorized to bind that business.
2.2 You may post projects only for property you own or are authorized to arrange work on (for example, as a tenant with the owner's permission, or as an authorized property manager). You are responsible for any landlord, HOA, co-op or condo board approvals.
2.3 Keep your account information accurate and your credentials secure. You are responsible for activity on your account. Tell us promptly at [support email] if you suspect unauthorized use.
2.4 We may verify your identity or payment method and may decline, suspend or close accounts as described in Section 14.
3. Launch markets and categories
The Platform is currently available for projects located in: Dallas, Houston and Austin, Texas; Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area, California; Atlanta, Georgia; and New York City, New York. Available categories vary by market. We may add, pause or remove markets and categories at any time. A project outside a live market cannot be posted.
4. Posting a project
4.1 Accurate descriptions. Describe the work honestly and completely, including known hazards (for example, suspected asbestos, lead paint in pre-1978 housing, mold, structural damage, pets, or access limits). Photos and measurements you upload, including measurements captured with your device camera or augmented-reality tools, are estimates for bidding purposes only. Providers should confirm measurements before starting, and neither Donefy nor the Provider is bound by inaccurate measurements you supplied.
4.2 Permitted projects. Do not post projects that are illegal, require work you know to be unpermitted where a permit is required, or seek to avoid licensing or safety rules. Do not post a project to collect quotes with no intention of hiring, to collect Provider contact details, or for market research.
4.3 Your address and privacy. Before a bid is accepted, Providers see only your city, ZIP code and an approximate location (about 1 km). Your full address is shared with the hired Provider after you accept a bid.
4.4 Content license. You keep ownership of photos, descriptions and other content you upload ("Your Content"). You grant Donefy a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to host, copy, display, adapt (for example, resize or crop) and share Your Content as needed to operate, secure and improve the Platform, and to show Providers your project. We will not use photos of the inside of your home in advertising without your separate permission. You confirm you have the right to upload Your Content and that it does not show other people without their consent.
5. Bids, hiring and the Project Agreement
5.1 Bids. A bid states the Provider's price, milestones (each a percentage of the price), start date, estimated duration, whether materials are included, and a message. Bids are offers by the Provider, not by Donefy.
5.2 Choosing a Provider. You are responsible for choosing a Provider. Badges such as "vetted", "licensed", "insured" and "top rated" mean only what Section 7 says they mean. Review the Provider's profile, reviews and documents, ask questions, and confirm any license yourself with the state or city licensing agency (Section 7.4).
5.3 Accepting a bid. When you accept a bid, the project is awarded, other bids are declined, and a Project Agreement is generated from the bid, your project and Donefy's standard terms. You and the Provider each sign it electronically. You agree that your electronic signature is legally binding, under the federal E-SIGN Act and applicable state law, and you consent to receive the agreement and related notices electronically. You may request a paper copy at [support email].
5.4 State-required terms. Depending on the project address and type, the Project Agreement may include notices that state or city law requires for home improvement contracts (for example, a right to cancel). Those notices control over anything inconsistent in these Client Terms.
6. Payment, fees and taxes
6.1 Price. The price is set by the Provider in its bid. Donefy does not set or recommend prices.
6.2 Client service fee. For each hired project you pay Donefy a client service fee equal to 5% of the project price, shown before you pay. The fee pays for the Platform, payment protection, messaging, e-signature and dispute support.
6.3 When you pay. After both parties sign the Project Agreement, you pay the project price plus the client service fee (the "Total") through the Platform. Payment is processed by our payment processor. Card and bank details are entered directly into the processor's secure form and are not stored by Donefy.
6.4 Payment releases. Your payment is released to the Provider one milestone at a time, as described in Section 8 and the Payment Protection Terms. The Provider receives each milestone amount minus Donefy's provider fee. Donefy's fees on each side are disclosed to the party paying them.
6.5 Taxes. Prices include any sales or use tax the Provider is required to charge only if the bid says so. The Provider is responsible for its own taxes. If Donefy is required by law to collect tax on the client service fee or as a marketplace facilitator, we will show it before you pay.
6.6 No other charges. Donefy will not charge you anything beyond the Total without your express authorization. Change orders that increase the price must be agreed in writing in the Platform and paid through the Platform (Section 9).
7. Trust and safety: what our checks mean
7.1 Vetting. Before a Provider can bid, Donefy asks for identity information and, with the Provider's written consent, obtains a background check through a consumer reporting agency. "Vetted" means the Provider's identity check and background check were completed and reviewed under Donefy's criteria at the time of approval. Background checks are limited by the records available and the law; they do not guarantee a Provider's honesty, quality or safety, and they are not continuous unless we say so.
7.2 Licenses. Providers enter their license numbers and upload license documents. Donefy's software blocks bids on certain categories and price levels in certain places unless the Provider has entered a license for that state. "Licensed" means the Provider uploaded a license document for the project's state. Donefy does not certify that a license is valid, current, in the right classification, or sufficient for your project.
7.3 Insurance. "Insured" means the Provider uploaded an insurance document with an expiry date that has not passed. Donefy does not review policy terms, limits or exclusions, and does not provide insurance for your project.
7.4 Verify for yourself. We strongly encourage you to confirm licenses with the issuing agency before you sign:
- California: Contractors State License Board, cslb.ca.gov, 800-321-CSLB (2752)
- Texas: Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (electricians, air conditioning and refrigeration), tdlr.texas.gov; Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners, tsbpe.texas.gov
- Georgia: State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors and the Construction Industry Licensing Board, sos.ga.gov
- New York City: Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (home improvement contractors), nyc.gov/dcwp; Department of Buildings (licensed electricians and plumbers), nyc.gov/buildings
7.5 Safety. Use your judgment when someone visits your property. Keep valuables secured, supervise children and pets, and contact 911 in an emergency. Report safety concerns to Donefy at [trust email].
8. Milestones, review and automatic acceptance
8.1 Submitting a milestone. When a Provider finishes a milestone, it submits it with a note and at least one photo.
8.2 Your 5-day review window. You then have 5 calendar days to (a) accept the milestone, (b) request changes, with a short explanation, or (c) open a dispute. We send reminders on day 2 and day 4.
8.3 Automatic acceptance. If you do not respond within 5 days, the milestone is accepted automatically and its amount is released to the Provider. Automatic acceptance means the milestone payment is released; it does not waive your rights against the Provider under the Project Agreement or the law for defects discovered later (for example, warranty claims), except your right to have Donefy hold or refund that milestone payment.
8.4 Change requests. The first change request on a milestone sends it back to the Provider. A second change request on the same milestone automatically opens a dispute.
8.5 Sequential milestones. Milestones are reviewed in order. Accepting a milestone is your confirmation that the milestone's work was performed to your satisfaction as far as you can reasonably tell, so please inspect before you accept.
9. Changes to scope
Changes to scope, price or schedule must be agreed in writing in the Platform's messages (or a change order feature when available) by both you and the Provider. Additional amounts must be paid through the Platform. Work that state law requires to be documented in a signed change order (for example, in California) must be documented that way.
10. Disputes about the work
10.1 Donefy mediation. If you open a dispute, or a second change request opens one, payment for that milestone is paused. Donefy reviews the Project Agreement, messages, photos and any other evidence either party submits and decides how the paused milestone amount is handled: released to the Provider, refunded to you, or split. Disputed milestones never auto-release.
10.2 Effect of Donefy's decision. Donefy's decision is final only as to the milestone funds Donefy is holding. It is not a court judgment or binding arbitration of your claims against the Provider. You and the Provider each keep any other rights you have against each other under the Project Agreement and the law, including small claims court, licensing board complaints and lien rights.
10.3 Cooperation. You agree to respond to Donefy's requests for information within the time we set (normally 5 business days) and to provide reasonable access for the Provider to inspect or fix the work, unless safety or the law prevents it. If you do not respond, Donefy may decide on the information it has.
11. Cancellation and refunds
11.1 Before payment. You may cancel a project at no charge while it is open or awarded and before you pay.
11.2 After payment, before any milestone is submitted. You may cancel through the Platform. You receive a refund of the project price. The client service fee is not refunded, except as stated in 11.3 or where the cancellation is caused by the Provider (for example, the Provider withdraws or fails to start within the agreed window), in which case we refund the fee as well.
11.3 Statutory right to cancel. If the law gives you a right to cancel the Project Agreement (for example, a three-business-day right to cancel for certain home improvement contracts in California or New York, or a longer period for some older homeowners), and you cancel within that period using the method in the notice, you receive a full refund, including the client service fee, within the time the law requires.
11.4 After a milestone is submitted. Once work has started, cancellation is handled through the dispute process in Section 10 for the remaining funds. Released milestones are not refundable by Donefy.
11.5 Refund method and timing. Refunds go back to your original payment method. Card refunds usually appear within 5 to 10 business days after we process them; timing depends on your bank.
12. Communications and contact details
12.1 Masking. Before you hire a Provider, the Platform hides phone numbers and email addresses in messages (shown as "[hidden until hired]"). Do not try to defeat masking (for example, by spelling out numbers).
12.2 Pay only through Donefy. For any project you found through the Platform, you agree to pay the Provider only through the Platform, including for change orders and follow-on work arising from it, for 12 months after you first connect with that Provider on the Platform. Payment Protection, dispute support and review records apply only to payments made through the Platform. This Section does not stop you from hiring anyone you knew before Donefy introduced you.
12.3 Messages and notifications. You consent to receive transactional messages (in-app, push, email and, if you opt in, SMS) about your account and projects. Marketing messages are optional and you can unsubscribe at any time. Message and data rates may apply to SMS. We may monitor and review messages for safety, fraud prevention, masking and dispute resolution.
13. Reviews
13.1 After a project is completed, you and the Provider may each leave one review. Reviews must be honest, based on your own experience with that project, and free of personal data, threats, hate speech or profanity.
13.2 Donefy does not edit reviews for tone and does not remove reviews because they are negative. We may remove a review that violates these rules, is fraudulent, was paid for, or that we are legally required to remove. We follow the FTC rule on consumer reviews and testimonials (16 CFR Part 465) and the Consumer Review Fairness Act. Nothing in these Client Terms limits your right to post an honest review anywhere.
14. Prohibited conduct and enforcement
You may not: misrepresent yourself or your project; harass, discriminate against or threaten anyone (including on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, familial status or any other protected characteristic); request work that violates law; attempt to pay or be paid off-platform for a project found through Donefy; post fake bids, projects or reviews; scrape, reverse engineer or overload the Platform; or use the Platform to send spam. We may remove content, limit features, suspend or close your account, or cancel unpaid projects if we reasonably believe you broke these Client Terms or the law, or to protect users. Where practical we will tell you why and give you a chance to respond.
15. Disclaimers
15.1 The Platform is provided "as is" and "as available." To the fullest extent permitted by law, Donefy disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title and non-infringement, and any warranty about the quality, safety, legality, timeliness or results of any Provider's work.
15.2 Donefy is not responsible for the acts or omissions of Providers or other users, including property damage, personal injury, theft, code violations, delay or defective work. Your remedies for the work are against the Provider.
15.3 Some states do not allow certain disclaimers, so some of the above may not apply to you.
16. Limitation of liability
16.1 To the fullest extent permitted by law, Donefy and its officers, employees and agents will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary or punitive damages, or lost profits, data or goodwill, arising from the Platform or any project.
16.2 Donefy's total liability for all claims relating to the Platform or a project is limited to the greater of (a) the client service fees you paid Donefy for the project giving rise to the claim, or (b) $100. This limit does not apply to Donefy's obligation to hold and handle your payment as stated in the Payment Protection Terms, or to liability that cannot be limited by law (for example, for gross negligence, fraud, or personal injury caused by Donefy's own negligence where state law forbids limiting it).
16.3 You agree to indemnify Donefy for third-party claims arising from your breach of these Client Terms, your content, or your violation of law, except to the extent caused by Donefy.
17. Arbitration and class action waiver
17.1 Informal resolution first. Before starting arbitration, you or Donefy must send a written notice describing the dispute and the relief sought, and try in good faith to resolve it for 60 days. Notices to Donefy go to [legal address / email].
17.2 Binding individual arbitration. Any dispute between you and Donefy relating to the Platform or these Client Terms will be resolved by binding individual arbitration administered by [AAA / JAMS] under its consumer rules, under the Federal Arbitration Act. The arbitrator may award any individual relief a court could. Donefy will pay the filing and arbitrator fees above what you would pay to file in court, unless the arbitrator finds your claim frivolous.
17.3 Exceptions. Either of us may bring an individual claim in small claims court, and either of us may seek an injunction in court for intellectual property misuse. Claims for public injunctive relief available under California law may be brought in court after the individual arbitration ends.
17.4 Class action waiver. Claims may be brought only individually, not as a plaintiff or class member in any class, collective or representative proceeding.
17.5 Mass arbitration. If 25 or more similar demands are filed by or with the help of the same counsel, they will be administered in batches under the [AAA mass arbitration supplementary rules / process bracketed for counsel].
17.6 Opt out. You may opt out of this Section 17 by emailing [opt-out email] within 30 days after you first accept these Client Terms, with your name, account email and a statement that you opt out.
17.7 Disputes with Providers. This Section 17 covers disputes with Donefy only. It does not require you and a Provider to arbitrate your disputes with each other.
18. Governing law and venue
These Client Terms are governed by the Federal Arbitration Act and the laws of [State], without regard to conflict-of-law rules, except that the consumer protection laws of the state where your project is located apply to the extent they cannot be waived. Subject to Section 17, courts in [county, state] have exclusive jurisdiction, except that you may bring an individual claim in the courts of the county where you live or where your project is located.
19. Changes to these Client Terms
We may update these Client Terms. We will give at least 30 days' notice of material changes by email or in the app, except where a change is required by law or addresses safety. Changes do not apply to a Project Agreement already signed, or to disputes already notified to us. If you keep using the Platform after the effective date, you accept the update.
20. General
These Client Terms (with the documents they incorporate) are the entire agreement between you and Donefy about the Platform. If any part is unenforceable, the rest remains in effect. Our failure to enforce a term is not a waiver. You may not assign these Client Terms; we may assign them in a merger, acquisition or sale of assets. Notices to you may be given in the app or by email to your account address.
California users. Under California Civil Code Section 1789.3, you may contact the Complaint Assistance Unit of the Division of Consumer Services of the California Department of Consumer Affairs in writing at 1625 North Market Blvd., Suite N 112, Sacramento, CA 95834, or by telephone at (800) 952-5210. verify: https://www.dca.ca.gov/
Contact: [Donefy legal entity name], [mailing address], [support email], [phone].