If you have ever created an Instagram account, you probably noticed a long list of terms and conditions that you may or may not have read but agreed to anyway. In a somewhat technical language, it outlines what you can and cannot do on the platform, what kind of personal information the platform collects, etc. In engineering and architecture, a similar document should be added to a proposal. Unlike Instagram, however, your terms and conditions should be concise and easy to understand.

Terms and conditions are the legal section of a proposal. This is where you set ground rules regarding your services. A terms and conditions agreement outlines the requirements and the expectations of both parties during the project. It is designed to prevent abuse from either party and create trust between you and your client.

Your terms and conditions can also be a deciding factor for your client when reviewing your proposal. For this reason, you need to make sure that your terms and conditions are clear, concise and they take into account not only your interests but your client’s.

PASconcept facilitates this process a lot because it allows you to store different terms and conditions for each type of project. It works like a word document where you can edit and customize your document as you like. An interesting feature of PASconcept documents is that you can customize your page breaks to your preference.

Your Rights and Your Client’s Rights

In any business deal, all parties involved have different rights and responsibilities. For example, you, as the architectural or engineering firm, have the responsibility to perform the agreed upon work and the right to collect fees for your services. Similarly, your client has a right to receive all deliverables in a timely manner and the responsibility to pay for your services on time. It is important for both parties to understand their rights and responsibilities to avoid potential conflict.

Writing Your Terms and Conditions Agreement

When writing your terms and conditions, you need to consider various factors. First, is it fair? You must be reasonable with your terms. If you are not, your client might just not do business with you. There must be a balance between your rights and your client’s. Next, is it clear? Your client needs to be able to understand your terms. This will minimize conflict in the future. Finally, is it legal and enforceable? There is no point in stating terms and conditions if they are not enforceable by law.

Every proposal is different, and the terms and conditions should be tailored to each situation. Nevertheless, your terms should contain the following: Price and payment, privacy policy, intellectual property policy, and cancellation policy.

Price and Payment

This is the most important section of the agreement. Here, you will outline the amount and due dates for payments. You can also state if any penalties will apply for missed or late payments. This will help your client understand how to meet their financial obligations.

Privacy

Most people value their privacy and do not want their data shared with others. In this section you can state how you use their information, and how it is stored. If you use your clients’ information for marketing purposes, be sure to specify it in your agreement and maybe give them the option to opt out.

Intellectual Property

Intellectual property is the property of an idea, invention, or artistic work. It is protected by law and can earn a country money and glory. However, intellectual property can also be misused and create more problems than benefits. Therefore, it’s important to protect and use intellectual property wisely. Protecting your intellectual property is essential for running a successful business. Therefore, you should specify how your intellectual property can be used and by who.

Cancellations

Unfortunately, cancellations can occur due to various reasons. Whether it is due to poor planning or unforeseen circumstances, cancelling a project represents a financial loss. Here you can outline when you or the client can cancel the project and if there are any associated fees.

Why should you get a lawyer?

Peace of Mind

The ultimate goal of a terms and conditions agreement is to give you and your client peace of mind. Both parties can rest assured that the other will keep their end of the deal. A good terms and conditions agreement takes into consideration the interests of both parties. If your terms are one sided towards your firm, you might miss out on potential business. Not many people will agree to terms that are not beneficial to them. On the other hand, if you don’t look after your interests, you might get taken advantage of.

How We Can Help

PASconcept can help you streamline the proposal creation process by entering your terms and conditions just once. You can save unlimited templates and amend your terms and conditions for each project. Furthermore, the terms and conditions can be automatically populated when selecting the proposal template for a specific job.

Learn more about our Smart Proposals feature here, or request a demo today!

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