Terms of Service
Effective Date: [PENDING — effective upon attorney approval]
Please read these Terms carefully. They govern both your use of the Platform and the terms of each individual Job you book, and include important provisions on the independent-provider relationship (Section 4), the terms of an individual Job (Sections 6–14), pre-existing and hidden conditions (Section 14), limitation of liability (Section 25), and binding arbitration with a class-action waiver (Section 28).
1. Agreement to These Terms
These Terms of Service ("Terms") are a binding agreement between you and NorTech ("NorTech", the "Platform", "we", "us", or "our"). They govern your access to and use of the NorTech website, booking tools, client portal, and related services (collectively, the "Services"). By creating an account, booking a job, or otherwise using the Services, you agree to these Terms and to our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, do not use the Services.
2. Eligibility
You must be at least 18 years old and able to form a binding contract to use the Services. If you use the Services on behalf of a household, business, or other entity, you represent that you are authorized to bind that party, and "you" refers to that party.
3. Definitions
"Client" means a person who books or receives Services. "Provider" means an independent service professional who performs home-service work booked through the Platform. "Booking" means a confirmed request for services. "Job" means the work performed under a Booking. "Workmanship Warranty" means the limited warranty described in Section 15 and on our Satisfaction Guarantee page. "Content" means text, photos, reviews, ratings, and other materials submitted through the Services.
4. The NorTech Platform & Independent Providers
NorTech operates a technology platform that connects Clients with independent, vetted, background-checked home-service Providers, and handles booking, scheduling, flat-rate pricing, payment, documentation, and warranty administration. NorTech facilitates the relationship between Client and Provider; it does not itself perform the work. NorTech is a small-job home-services platform: it focuses on tasks priced under $1,000 and does not provide construction work that requires a contractor's license. Providers are independent contractors — they are not employees, partners, or agents of NorTech. NorTech does not control the manner or means by which a Provider performs work; Providers determine their own methods, tools, and sequence of work and are responsible for the work they perform. Each Provider is responsible for holding any license, registration, or exemption required for the work they accept (see Section 16). When you book a Job through the Platform, these Terms — together with your Booking and any approved change orders — form the agreement governing that individual Job between you and the matched Provider.
5. Accounts & Security
Some features require an account. You agree to provide accurate information, keep it current, and keep your credentials confidential. You are responsible for activity under your account. Notify us promptly of any unauthorized use. We may suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms or are used unlawfully.
6. Bookings, Estimates & Flat-Rate Pricing
Prices are quoted on a flat-rate basis and disclosed before you authorize payment. Estimates generated online or by our assistant ("Nova") are good-faith approximations based on the information provided and may change after on-site assessment; any change is disclosed and requires your approval before work proceeds (see Section 8). A Booking is confirmed when you receive confirmation from the Platform. Scheduling windows are estimates and are not guaranteed.
7. Deposits, Payment & Taxes
A deposit of 30% of the job total is required at booking; the remaining 70% is authorized as a hold and charged on completion. Payments are processed by our third-party processor (Stripe); NorTech does not store full card numbers. You authorize us to charge your selected payment method for the deposit, balance, approved change orders, and any applicable taxes, fees, or surcharges. Prices exclude taxes unless stated. Please raise any disputed charge with us through the warranty-claim process before initiating a chargeback so we can resolve it.
8. Scope of Work & Change Orders
A Job covers only the specific tasks described in your Booking and any approved change orders; anything not described in the Booking is outside the scope of the Job and is not authorized until approved. If a Job requires work beyond the original scope, a written change order describing the additional work and its price will be provided for your approval. Work on the additional scope does not begin until you give digital approval (for example, by approving it in your client portal or by electronic signature); no verbal change order is binding. The cumulative scope of a Job, including every approved change order, must remain within the $999 cap described in Section 16.
9. Materials
Unless your Booking states otherwise, the Provider supplies the standard materials reasonably necessary for the Job, and their cost is included within the flat rate. Special-order, premium, or Client-requested materials may be quoted separately as a change order. Materials supplied by the Client are used at the Client's risk and are not covered by the Workmanship Warranty. Title to materials installed passes to the Client on payment for the Job.
10. Cancellations, Rescheduling & Refunds
Cancellations made 24 hours or more before the scheduled start receive a full refund. Cancellations within 24 hours are subject to a late-cancellation fee of 30% of the job total; a no-show, lockout, or service refused after the technician has traveled to the site is subject to a fee of 50% of the job total (minimum $50). In each case the fee is retained from what you prepaid and the rest is refunded to your original payment method. If a job is stopped 30 or more minutes after the technician starts, the full job price applies (a stop within the first 30 minutes is treated as the 50% no-show rate). You may reschedule free with 24+ hours' notice (up to three times); a reschedule within 24 hours makes the 30% deposit non-refundable instead of charging a separate fee. NorTech may cancel or reschedule a Booking due to unsafe conditions, weather, Provider unavailability, or suspected fraud, with a full refund of amounts paid for the cancelled Job. See the Cancellation Policy for full details.
11. Client Responsibilities & Site Access
You agree to: provide safe, lawful access to the work area at the scheduled time; provide accurate information about the Job and the property; disclose known hazards (e.g., asbestos, lead paint, mold, pests, electrical, plumbing, or structural issues); secure pets and children away from the work area; remove or secure valuables and fragile items near the work area; obtain any landlord, HOA, or owner authorization required; and obtain permits where required unless separately contracted. If access is denied, delayed, or unsafe, the Provider may decline to begin or may pause the Job, and is not responsible for delays caused by lack of access. Delays, damage, or extra work caused by undisclosed conditions, inaccurate information, or denied access may affect pricing, scheduling, or the warranty.
12. Permits
Where the work you book requires a permit, obtaining that permit is the property owner's responsibility unless your Booking expressly states otherwise. Work that requires a permit generally requires a licensed contractor and is not offered through the Platform; such work may be referred to a licensed contractor. The Provider is not responsible for performing or inspecting permitted work outside the scope of the Job.
13. Safety & Work Conditions
The Provider may pause or decline work if conditions at the property are unsafe, unsanitary, or present a risk to people or property, including the presence of suspected hazardous or regulated materials such as asbestos, lead paint, or mold. The Provider is not required to perform work that cannot be done safely or lawfully. You agree to maintain a reasonably safe environment for the Job. Testing, abatement, and remediation of regulated materials are not performed through the Platform and must be handled by a qualified, appropriately licensed specialist you arrange.
14. Pre-Existing & Hidden Conditions
Neither NorTech nor the Provider is responsible for pre-existing conditions, or for hidden, latent, or concealed conditions that were not disclosed and could not reasonably have been discovered before the Job — including hidden water damage, mold, asbestos, lead paint, knob-and-tube or other concealed wiring, concealed structural defects, and pest infestation. If such a condition is encountered, the Provider may pause the Job, and any additional or remediation work — if possible within scope — requires a change order under Section 8. To the extent permitted by law, the risk of undisclosed or concealed conditions is allocated to the Client. These risks are described in further detail in our separate Waiver & Assumption of Risk.
15. Workmanship Warranty
Completed Jobs are backed by a limited workmanship warranty of 30, 60, or 90 days by service type, as published on the Satisfaction Guarantee page. This warranty is provided by the Provider who performed the Job — NorTech does not itself warrant or guarantee the work; it administers the claim process. The warranty covers defects in workmanship only. If covered work is not right within the warranty window, the Provider makes it right at no additional charge by re-performing or correcting the work, through the warranty-claim process NorTech facilitates; where the original Provider is unavailable, NorTech can arrange another Provider to complete the remedy. The warranty does not cover misuse, modification, accidents, normal wear and tear, pre-existing conditions, materials supplied by the Client, or work declined at the final walkthrough. To the extent permitted by law, this warranty is the exclusive remedy for workmanship issues and is in lieu of all other warranties.
16. Licensing & the California Handyman Exemption
NorTech is a small-job platform. To keep work within the California handyman exemption (B&P Code §7048, as amended by AB 2622 effective Jan 1, 2025), all Jobs are capped at $999 total (labor and materials), and the Platform enforces this limit automatically. The exemption applies to non-permit handyman work under $1,000; work that requires a CSLB-licensed contractor (including permit, structural, electrical-panel, gas-line, and main-line plumbing work) is not offered through the Platform and may be referred to a licensed contractor. Each independent Provider is responsible for operating within this exemption or holding any license required for the work they accept. See our License Disclosure for details.
17. Photos & Documentation
Before-and-after photos are taken on every Job for quality assurance, warranty, and dispute resolution, and are stored in your portal. With your consent given at booking, de-identified photos may be used in marketing. See our Privacy Policy for details.
18. Reviews & User Content
You may submit reviews, ratings, photos, and other Content. You are responsible for your Content and represent that you have the rights to submit it and that it is accurate and lawful. You grant NorTech a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, sublicensable license to use, host, reproduce, and display your Content in connection with the Services and NorTech's marketing. We may moderate, decline, or remove Content but are not obligated to monitor it.
19. Acceptable Use
You agree not to: use the Services unlawfully or for non-permitted work; harass, threaten, or discriminate against any person; misrepresent your identity or a Job; attempt to circumvent the Platform's pricing, payment, or the $999 cap; interfere with or attempt to breach the security of the Services; scrape, reverse-engineer, or copy the Platform; or post false, infringing, or harmful Content.
20. Intellectual Property
The Platform, including its software, design, text, graphics, and the NorTech name and logo, is owned by NorTech or its licensors and protected by law. We grant you a limited, revocable, non-transferable license to use the Services for their intended purpose. All rights not expressly granted are reserved.
21. Background Checks & Vetting
Independent Providers are background-checked and identity-verified before performing work. Vetting reduces but does not eliminate risk, and NorTech does not guarantee the future conduct of any person. Where consumer reports are used, they are handled in accordance with applicable law, including the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) where it applies.
22. Promotions, Referrals & Loyalty
From time to time we offer promotions, referral rewards, and loyalty benefits (for example, a first-booking discount). These are subject to additional posted terms, may be modified or withdrawn, have no cash value unless required by law, and may not be combined unless stated. Rewards obtained through fraud or abuse may be revoked.
23. Third-Party Services
The Services rely on third parties, including Stripe (payments), Telnyx (SMS/voice), Resend (email), Supabase (database), and Cloudflare R2 (media). Your use of those features may be subject to their terms, and NorTech is not responsible for third-party services. Links to third-party sites are provided for convenience and are not endorsements.
24. Disclaimers
Except for the express Workmanship Warranty in Section 15, the Services and the Platform are provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, whether express, implied, or statutory, including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement, to the fullest extent permitted by law. We do not warrant that the Services will be uninterrupted, error-free, or secure.
25. Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, NorTech and its owners, officers, and affiliates, and the Provider, will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages, or for lost profits, data, or goodwill, arising out of or relating to the Services or a Job. NorTech's total aggregate liability for any claim relating to a Job is limited to the amount you paid for that Job. Nothing in these Terms excludes liability that cannot be excluded under applicable law, including liability for gross negligence or willful misconduct.
26. Indemnification
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless NorTech and its owners, officers, and affiliates, and the Provider, from claims, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of your breach of these Terms, your Content, your inaccurate information, your violation of law or the rights of others, or conditions at your property that you failed to disclose. NorTech and the Provider will be responsible to you to the extent required by applicable law for their gross negligence or willful misconduct.
27. Insurance
NorTech maintains general liability insurance with a minimum of $1,000,000 per occurrence. A Certificate of Insurance is available on request and is issued automatically for premium estate (Zone A) clients and Jobs valued at $500 or more. Insurance coverage is subject to its own terms, conditions, and exclusions. Coverage details are summarized on the License Disclosure page.
28. Dispute Resolution & Binding Arbitration
Please read this section carefully — it affects how disputes are resolved. First, contact us so we can try to resolve the issue informally, beginning with the warranty-claim process. If unresolved within 30 days, any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms, the Services, or a Job will be resolved by binding arbitration administered by JAMS under its applicable consumer rules, in Santa Clara County, California, rather than in court — except that either party may bring an individual claim in small-claims court. Arbitration is on an individual basis only: you and NorTech waive any right to a jury trial and to participate in a class, collective, or representative action. You may opt out of arbitration by emailing legal@nortech.site within 30 days of first accepting these Terms; opting out does not affect the other provisions. Allocation of arbitration fees is governed by the JAMS consumer rules.
29. Billing Disputes, Warranty-First Resolution & Chargebacks
Every completed Job is backed by a 30-, 60-, or 90-day Workmanship Warranty (Section 15), and these policies are designed so you should never need to dispute a charge with your bank: if covered work is not right within the warranty window, the Provider makes it right at no additional charge through the warranty-claim process. If you are unhappy with a charge or a Job for any reason, you agree to contact NorTech FIRST — through the warranty-claim process, your client portal, or legal@nortech.site — so the matter can be resolved at the platform level, and to allow a reasonable opportunity (at least 15 days) for it to be resolved. Because the Workmanship Warranty and the platform's dispute-resolution process are the fastest and most complete path to a resolution — covered work is re-performed or corrected under the Provider's warranty, and where the original Provider is unavailable NorTech can arrange another Provider to complete the remedy — you agree NOT to initiate a chargeback, payment dispute, or reversal with your bank or card issuer before first contacting NorTech and allowing that opportunity. Initiating a chargeback without first seeking resolution is a breach of these Terms; if you do, you authorize NorTech to share with the card network and your card issuer the Booking record, before-and-after photos, completion confirmation, your communications, and these Terms as evidence that the Services were authorized and performed. Nothing in this Section limits or waives any right you may have that cannot be waived under applicable law; it sets the order of resolution you agree to follow first.
30. Governing Law & Venue
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to conflict-of-laws rules. Subject to Section 28, the exclusive venue for any permitted court action is Santa Clara County, California.
31. Electronic Communications & E-SIGN Consent
NorTech — 2570 N First St, San Jose, CA 95131 · legal@nortech.site
32. Force Majeure
NorTech is not liable for any delay or failure to perform caused by events beyond its reasonable control, including acts of God, natural disasters, fire, severe weather, power or network outages, labor disputes, supply-chain failures, government action, or public-health emergencies.
33. Changes to These Terms
We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be posted here with an updated effective date and, where appropriate, notified to you. Your continued use of the Services after changes take effect constitutes acceptance. If you do not agree to the updated Terms, stop using the Services.
34. Termination
You may stop using the Services at any time. We may suspend or terminate your access for violation of these Terms, suspected fraud or unlawful use, or to protect the Services or other users. Sections that by their nature should survive termination (including payment obligations, warranty, disclaimers, limitation of liability, indemnification, and dispute resolution) will survive.
35. General
These Terms, together with your Booking, any approved change orders, the Privacy Policy, the Satisfaction Guarantee, the Cancellation Policy, the Waiver & Assumption of Risk, and any posted program terms, are the entire agreement between you and NorTech regarding the Services and any Job. If any provision is unenforceable, the rest remains in effect. Our failure to enforce a provision is not a waiver. You may not assign these Terms without our consent; we may assign them in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets. There are no third-party beneficiaries except that the Provider is an intended beneficiary of the provisions that protect the Provider. Notices to you may be sent to the contact information on your account; notices to us go to legal@nortech.site.
36. Contact
NorTech — 2570 N First St, San Jose, CA 95131 · legal@nortech.site