Privacy Policy

Look, we get it - privacy policies can be a total snooze-fest. But since we're asking you to trust us with your info when you reach out about your dream project, we figured you deserve to know exactly what we do with it. No corporate speak, just straight talk.

We've been designing spaces around Vancouver for years now, and honestly, protecting client information is just part of how we operate. Whether you're inquiring about a heritage restoration or just browsing our portfolio, here's the deal on how we handle your data.

When you fill out our contact form or shoot us an email, we're gonna collect the basics - your name, email address, phone number if you share it, and whatever details you tell us about your project. Makes sense, right? Can't really help design your space if we don't know who you are or what you're after.

We also grab some technical stuff automatically through our website - things like your IP address, browser type, and which pages you checked out. This helps us understand if our site's actually working properly and which projects people are most interested in.

Here's where your info goes - and where it doesn't. We use what you share to respond to your inquiries, prepare proposals, manage projects, and keep you updated on progress. Pretty straightforward stuff.

• Getting back to you about project inquiries and consultations
• Sending proposals, contracts, and project documentation
• Managing ongoing projects and keeping communication flowing
• Improving our website and understanding what services people are looking for
• Occasionally sharing updates about our studio (but only if you've said that's cool)

We're not in the business of selling data or spamming your inbox. If we ever want to add you to our newsletter about new projects or sustainable building trends, we'll ask first. Promise.

Your information stays within our team at Xylonare Forge. That means our architects, designers, and admin staff who need access to work on your project or respond to your inquiry.

Sometimes we've gotta share limited info with third parties - like our hosting provider for the website, email service, or project management tools we use. But these folks are bound by their own privacy agreements and can only use your data for the specific services they're providing us.

Oh, and if you end up working with us on a project, we might share relevant details with contractors, engineers, or consultants involved in bringing your design to life. But that's always project-specific and necessary for the work.

Yeah, our website uses cookies - not the chocolate chip kind, unfortunately. These are tiny files that help our site remember your preferences and let us see how people are using the site.

We use them to keep the site functioning smoothly, remember if you've visited before, and understand which portfolio projects get the most attention. Standard website stuff, really.

You can disable cookies through your browser settings if you want, though it might make some parts of the site a bit clunky. Most browsers also let you delete cookies after you've visited.

This is your data we're talking about, so you've got rights. Under Canadian privacy law (we're based in Vancouver, BC), you can:

• Ask to see what personal information we have about you
• Request corrections if something's wrong or outdated
• Ask us to delete your information (with some exceptions for stuff we legally need to keep)
• Opt out of marketing communications anytime
• Withdraw consent for how we use your data

Just reach out to us at studio@xylonarethforgequint.info or give us a call at (604) 555-0147. We'll sort it out, usually within a few days.

Security's important to us. We use industry-standard measures to protect your information - encrypted connections (that's the little lock icon in your browser), secure servers, and limited access within our team.

Our website hosting and email services are with reputable Canadian providers who maintain their own security protocols. Project files are stored on secure, password-protected systems.

That said, nothing online is 100% bulletproof. We do our best, but can't guarantee absolute security. If there's ever a data breach that affects you, we'll let you know right away and tell you what steps we're taking.

We don't hang onto your information longer than we need to. Here's roughly how it breaks down:

• Initial inquiries: If we don't end up working together, we'll typically keep your contact info for about a year in case you reach back out. After that, it's deleted unless you've asked to stay on our updates list.
• Active projects: All project-related information is kept throughout the project and for several years after completion. This is partly for warranty purposes and partly because architects are required to maintain project records.
• Financial records: Tax law requires us to keep invoices and financial documents for seven years. Standard business stuff.
• Portfolio images: If we feature your completed project in our portfolio (always with permission), those images and basic project details stick around as part of our body of work.

Our website might include links to other sites - maybe our social media, suppliers we work with, or articles we find interesting. Once you click those links and leave our site, we're not responsible for their privacy practices. Each site has its own policy, so you'll want to check those out separately.

We might update this privacy policy from time to time - maybe privacy laws change, or we add new services, or we realize something could be clearer. When we make changes, we'll update the date at the top and post the new version here.

For major changes, we'll probably send an email to folks we're actively working with or who've subscribed to updates. But it's worth checking back here occasionally if you're curious.

Honestly, if anything here is confusing or you've got questions about how we handle your information, just reach out. We're real people, not a faceless corporation.

We're here Monday through Friday, usually between 9am and 5pm. Coffee's always on.