Web Design Policies
To ensure that your web design project goes smoothly and we remain friends, we need you to be aware of your responsibilities and ours and certain limitations, including a few things we can’t promise.
Updated August 2025
Privacy Policy
We hate spam just as much as you do. We will never share your information with third parties unless required by law or requested by you. The information we collect from you will only be used to maintain your services with us and represent the quality of our work to others, such as in our online portfolio.
You can learn more about how we handle website information on our Terms of Service.
Ownership of Website Design
Upon completion of any website design and payment of web design and development fees, the client owns the commissioned website. The client may continue to use the commissioned website to promote their company or organization, regardless of whether they choose to continue further services with Studio Five.
The client does not have the right to resell the design or development to other companies. However, the client has the right to add pages to the existing site or to have another company add pages to the existing site using the commissioned website design/development.
Ownership of Website Domain Name
Website domain names are leased from domain name registration companies. When Studio Five registers a domain name for a client, that registration will be made in the clientʼs name. Upon payment of any outstanding fees, the client can use that domain name regardless of whether he/she choose to continue further services with Studio Five. Domain name renewal and renewal fees are the client’s responsibility.
If the client chooses to have Studio Five renew the domain name on their behalf, an additional service fee will apply. Clients are advised to closely monitor the renewal date of a registered domain name and verify that the renewal has been completed. Studio Five is not responsible for expired domain names.
Ownership and Copyright
All text, photos, videos, and graphics used as content in a commissioned website must be provided by the client (unless the client has hired Studio Five for content development). The client must own or have written permission to use all content he/she provide. It is up to each client to ensure his/her design and/or content does not infringe on trademark, service mark, or copyright laws.
Studio Five is not responsible for intellectual property infringements on behalf of clients or for submitted content. Clients should not mail irreplaceable photos or documents or send content that must be returned through Japanese, US, or International mail.
Project Initiation
The initiation of a web design or development project requires a signed or electronically submitted estimate or contract form, payment of 40% of the initial web design/development fees for custom website design, or the entire setup fee for blogs or templates, plus the client’s logo or any other element or content that is required to be used in the design.
Project Timeliness Incentives and Penalties
Studio Five cannot complete a website if the client does not provide content (the text and photos, videos, or other media to use) or other required elements (pre-existing logo or account login information, etc.) Therefore, we require all of our clients to understand that without adhering to the project timeline, their project could be delayed and face other consequences.
Studio Five will provide clients with a timeline for client-sourced content and will work with the client to ensure all client-provided content meets our guidelines. If Studio Five waits for content or other information, the client will be notified.
(Professional graphic design, SEO, and brand development services are available for a surcharge if the client needs assistance with that part of their project.)
It is the clientʼs responsibility to inform Studio Five of any potential delays ahead of time. We will work with the client as much as possible to revise timelines, but we may not always be able to do so.
If the client fails to handle the requests promptly, their website project will be placed on hold, and the client will be billed for the applicable hours to date.
We are always happy to help clients get their projects back on track. However, if client-driven delays persist, Studio Five will complete as much of the project as possible without the missing elements and provide the client with a final notice.
If the client fails to respond to the final notice within five business days, their website project will be terminated, and the client will be billed for the remaining balance of the stated project cost.
Studio Five reserves the right to consider the project complete and invoice the client for all future work.
How Content May Be Submitted
We require content to be submitted via Dropbox or Google Drive and will provide a project folder on our Dropbox for client use. We also accept some content via email; please check with us first.
The text must be selectable as actual text rather than as flattened images. Images should be hi-res and fully editable. We accept Adobe Photoshop PSD, JPEG, TIFF files, Adobe Illustrator AI, EPS, PNG files, and Microsoft Word files. All text and photos/graphics must be clearly labeled with the page name on which they will be displayed.
Content may not be submitted via mail, fax, or as paper copies. Exceptions to this policy must be approved in advance and will incur a surcharge. Any files that do not meet our minimum requirements will be rejected. Additional graphics and image preparation fees may apply to client-provided files.
How Revisions to a Website Design Are Handled
We take pride in providing attractive designs, and most of our clients are highly pleased with the designs we create for them. However, design is subjective, and not everyoneʼs tastes are the same. While we will gladly make initial minor modifications for no additional charge, it is essential to be clear on how revisions to the look of a website design are handled.
All web design projects include discovery questionnaires that describe the look of the commissioned web design project. Completing them helps our team focus on the client’s design elements.
Design preferences, such as the site’s look, color scheme, functionality, monitor resolution preferences, etc., should be specified during the discovery phase. If any design preferences stated in the discovery phase were not met, the adjustments would be made free of charge. If the client develops preferences or changes their mind after completing the work, adjustments will be made by the hour at rates ranging from $125.00 to $175.00 per hour.
Designs for Sub-Pages
Unless otherwise specified in the design contract, sub-pages of any website will use the same overall design as the home page. Specific pages, such as contact, blog, and product pages, may include additional design and functionality features.
Formatting requests for subpages will be considered, but not guaranteed. If the client requires specific looks or formatting for subpages, this request should be made during the initial contract and may incur additional fees.
How Website Maintenance Requests are Handled
Clients who sign up for a regular maintenance plan receive discounts on our hourly rates for website updates. Clients on a Studio Five web maintenance plan may send update requests via email ([email protected]). Routine maintenance that fits into the allotted time specified in the client’s maintenance plan is typically completed in about three to four business days.
If a client on a website maintenance plan requests more than the scheduled amount of maintenance, he/she will be given an estimate. If approved, the additional work will be completed at a discounted rate of US $95.00 per hour, and the turnaround time will be based on workload issues. Clients not on any maintenance plan may request website updates at the US $125.00 hourly rate, and the turnaround time will be based on our workload.
Monthly and quarterly maintenance plan fees are separate from hosting fees and may be canceled at any time. (See details under the Termination of Services section.)
How Technical Support is Handled
Clients whose websites are hosted by Studio Five have access to emergency technical support 24 hours a day. In the event of a website hosting outage, clients can submit an email message, and a technician will respond within 6-24 hours, depending on the nature of the request. You can also request support from Studio Five by emailing [email protected].
Please note that technical support cannot be provided for clients’ computer issues or third-party products or services.
Billing and Payment Policies
Our web design contracts include a payment plan worked out with the client in advance. This includes the required deposit amount, hourly or progress payments as applicable, and any remaining balance upon completion.
Once the remaining balance is paid in full, the completed website will be moved from the staging server to the client’s server so it can go live. Studio Five will then register the client’s website with Google, Yahoo, and Bing search engines.
Payment for ongoing services such as website hosting and maintenance, SEO, or e-commerce support is billed in 3, 6, or 12-month cycles. Invoices are prepared via Stripe and delivered via email. Payment can be made via credit card, Google Pay, Apple Pay, PayPal, or bank transfer.
Clients experiencing financial hardship should contact Studio Five to discuss payment options.
For more information, please visit our Billing Policies page.
Search Engine Guarantee
Every client would like his/her website to rank high in search engine results for selected keywords, yet search engine results are determined by many constantly changing factors, third-party search engines, and the amount and quality of competition on the internet.
Studio Five guarantees specific search engine-friendly techniques will be used in creating each client website, including appropriate use of title and meta tags. A list of appropriate keywords or phrases is beneficial at the beginning of the project.
If the client cannot provide the appropriate keywords or phrases, we are happy to help. An initial SEO discovery can be included in your project. Additional search engine optimization (SEO) services are available at an additional fee and billed by the hour or as ongoing service contracts.
Please note that Studio Five is neither responsible for nor can be held responsible for actual search engine results.
Monthly Service Plans
We offer support and maintenance plans for various services, including website updates, page speed optimization, and search engine optimization campaigns. Depending on the service plans are available for periods ranging from 30 days to 12 months, depending on the service.
Search Engine Optimization plans require an initial minimum of three months since it takes time to ramp up the effectiveness of these campaigns.
After the initial contract period, our service plans automatically renew for the same period. Clients can convert to month-to-month plans, which may be canceled at any time with 30 days’ written notice. Service plans can be tailored to meet each clientʼs needs.
No service or standard of service is implied unless expressly stated in the agreement, and clients must be sure to include any specific request in writing.
Quality Guarantee
We take pride in offering high-quality services and professional customer service. While we strive to ensure every aspect of our service meets the client’s liking, we cannot control every variable. To ensure everything works as desired, it is up to each client to regularly test the functionality of their website, email, and any other product or service.
If any problem is discovered or an error has been made, please report the issue to us immediately so we may take appropriate action. We cannot be responsible for the perceived loss of revenue. Content changes resulting from client error or problems with third-party vendors or technology, such as hosting servers or browser software, may incur additional charges.
Mobile-Friendly Functionality
Studio Five fully understands the value of a mobile-first, responsive website, as required by Google’s Mobile-First Indexing, announced in November 2016 and fully implemented in 2018. We will do everything to make client websites as attractive and user-friendly as possible, regardless of the user’s device. However, not every functionality is fully supported on every currently available mobile device.
Termination of Services
If the client changes their mind about working with Studio Five during the initial web design or development phase, they will be billed 50% of the total project cost. They will be responsible for any applicable hours completed to date.
Depending on the amount of work completed at the time of cancellation and any payments received to date, this may mean receiving a partial refund, no refund, or owing additional fees.
To protect clients from unintentional service interruptions, clients wishing to terminate any services must request termination in writing.
Third-Party Vendors
Third-party vendors may have separate terms of service agreements. Studio Five cannot be held liable for disputes with third-party vendors or for any lack of functionality or other issues with third-party services.
Refusal of Service
Studio Five reserves the right to decline to do business with any client for any reason.
Changes to Web Design Policies
Studio Five reserves the right to change these web design policies and terms of service for any reason.