Terms of Use

1. Acceptance of These Terms

These Terms of Use ("Terms") are an agreement between you and Blue Trade Alliance ("BTA," "we," "us") governing your use of our websites and services, including our main site, alliance Member business sites we host, the project marketplace, and the member dashboard (together, the "Platform"). By using the Platform — browsing, booking, posting a project, quoting, or applying for membership — you accept these Terms and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, do not use the Platform. Member businesses are additionally bound by their separate Membership Agreement with BTA; if these Terms conflict with a Membership Agreement, the Membership Agreement controls for that Member.

2. What the Platform Is

The Platform connects homeowners and customers ("Customers") with independently owned local service businesses that belong to the Blue Trade Alliance ("Members"). Customers can book a Member directly through that Member's site, or post a project to the marketplace and receive quotes ("bids") from eligible Members. Job descriptions are automatically screened so work that requires a licensed trade (for example plumbing, electrical, or HVAC work) is directed only to Members of the appropriate licensed trade.

3. BTA's Role — Independent Member Businesses

BTA is a network and technology platform. BTA does not itself perform home services.Each Member is an independently owned and operated business. Members are not employees, agents, joint venturers, or partners of BTA, and BTA does not supervise, direct, or control a Member's work.

BTA provides marketing, administrative, and technology services to its Members — a management-services role. BTA is not a party to, and has no liability under, any contract between a Customer and a Member.When you book a Member or accept a Member's quote, the resulting contract for the work is formed directly between you and that Member alone, and the Member alone is responsible for performing it.

BTA vets Members before admission (including insurance verification, and license verification for licensed trades) and requires Members to keep those credentials current — but the contract for any job is between you and the Member business that performs it, and that Member is solely responsible for the services it provides. "Verified BTA Member" and similar badges reflect our membership standards; they are not a guarantee or warranty of any particular job's outcome. You are responsible for your own decisions in selecting a Member, and nothing prevents you from independently confirming a Member's license status (Florida licenses can be checked at myfloridalicense.com).

The "Verified BTA Member" badge functions as a certification seal: like an accreditation mark, it signifies that a Member has met BTA's membership standards. It is not a trade name or brand under which Members operate — every Member does business under its own business name, which appears on your booking, your contract, and your receipt.

4. Eligibility & Accounts

• You must be at least 18 years old and able to form a binding contract to use the Platform.
• Customers do not create accounts.When you post a project, we email you a private, signed link that controls your project — anyone with that link can view your quotes and choose your pro, so keep it confidential and don't forward it. You are responsible for activity that occurs through your link, and for the accuracy of the contact information you provide.
• Members sign in with one-time email links sent to the business email on file. Members are responsible for maintaining control of that email account and for all activity under their sign-in.
• You must provide accurate, current information and keep it updated.

5. Customer Terms: Bookings, Projects & Quotes

• Direct bookings are requests to the specific Member business whose site you booked through. The Member will contact you to confirm scope and schedule; a booking is not a guarantee of availability until confirmed.
• Marketplace projects:posting is free, receiving quotes is free, and you are never obligated to choose one. Quotes come from Members, not from BTA, and each quote is that Member's own estimate based on what you posted — the final price may be adjusted by written agreement between you and the Member if the actual work differs from your description.
• Members quoting your project see your ZIP code, description, budget hint, and photos — not your contact information. Your name, email, and phone are shared only with the Member you choose. Quotes are sealed: Members do not see each other's pricing.
• Describe your project honestly and completely. Do not post projects for work you do not intend to have performed, and do not use the marketplace to harvest pricing or contact information.
• Accepting a quote forms a contract with the Member — not with BTA.When you choose a Member's quote (or confirm a direct booking), you form a direct contract with that Member for the quoted work on the terms of the quote and the Service Agreementpresented at that moment. The Service Agreement — between you and the Member — carries the work contract's terms, including price, deposits, and cancellation; these Terms continue to govern your use of the Platform. You will be asked to confirm your agreement to both at that moment. BTA is not a party to the work contract (Section 3).
• Scheduling, performance, workmanship, permits, and any warranties on the work are between you and the Member, subject to the Member's own terms and applicable law.

6. Your Content (Photos, Descriptions, Reviews)

You retain ownership of the content you submit — project descriptions, photos, and reviews ("Content"). You grant BTA a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to host, store, reproduce, and display your Content solely to operate the Platform: showing your project to eligible Members, displaying your review, and the like. Reviews may remain displayed (in the redacted form described in Section 7) after a booking ends because they are part of the Platform's record for other Customers. We will not use your project photos in marketing without your separate permission.

You represent that your Content:

• is yours to share and accurate to the best of your knowledge;
• does not include other people's personal information, or images of people, without their consent;
• is not unlawful, defamatory, obscene, or infringing.

We may remove Content that violates these Terms.

7. Reviews

• Reviews can only be submitted for completed bookings — every review on the Platform comes from a real job.
• Reviews display your first name and last initial only.
• Reviews must reflect your genuine experience. Fake, incentivized, or retaliatory reviews are prohibited, consistent with federal law (the FTC's Rule on Consumer Reviews and Testimonials) — this applies to Members and Customers alike, and Members may not offer anything of value in exchange for a positive review.
• We may remove reviews that violate these Terms, but we do not remove reviews merely for being negative.

8. Member Terms

In addition to the Membership Agreement, Members agree to:

• maintain in force all licenses, registrations, and insurance required for their trade and jurisdiction, and only accept work within the scope their licensing allows;
• never claim to be "licensed" for a trade they are not licensed in; unlicensed trades (such as handyman and housekeeping services) are marketed as insured and vetted, not licensed;
• quote honestly and perform work in a professional, workmanlike manner in accordance with applicable law and code;
• use Customer contact information solely to perform the job it was shared for — never for unrelated marketing, resale, or disclosure;
• keep quotes confidential (quotes are sealed) and not attempt to discover other Members' pricing;
• not circumvent the Platform on jobs originated through it, as detailed in the Membership Agreement;
• pay the alliance fees set out in their individual Membership Agreement (posting and quoting in the marketplace are free — fees apply only to won work, as agreed in writing).

9. Payments

Online payments are not yet enabled on the Platform. Until they are, payment for work is arranged directly between the Customer and the Member. The terms below describe how Platform payments will work when they launch; any additional payment terms will be presented at checkout.

• Payment methods.You are encouraged to pay through the Platform by credit/debit card or ACH bank transfer, processed by Stripe, Inc. as payment processor — your card or bank details are provided directly to Stripe, and Platform payments give you an electronic record, a receipt, and access to the Platform's refund process. A Member may also accept cash or a check paid directly to the Member; payments made outside the Platform are between you and the Member, and the Platform's payment records and refund process do not apply to them. BTA is not a bank and does not hold customer funds.
• Deposits on larger jobs. Jobs with a total price over $1,000 require a deposit — 50% of the quoted price unless the accepted quote states otherwise — paid when you accept the quote or confirm the booking. The deposit lets the Member secure materials and scheduling for your job. The remaining balance is due when the work is completed and confirmed.
• Saved payment method. When you pay a deposit, you authorize the same payment method to be charged for the remaining balance upon completion, as described at checkout.
• Bank transfer timing. ACH bank transfers take several business days to clear. A Member is not required to begin work or purchase materials until your deposit has cleared.
• Cancellation after a deposit — liquidated damages.Materials for a job are often purchased, cut, or custom-configured shortly after acceptance and cannot be returned. If you cancel a job after paying a deposit, the deposit is forfeited to the Member as liquidated damages — the parties agree this is a genuine pre-estimate of the Member's losses on materials, scheduling, and turned-away work, and not a penalty — and you acquire no ownership of or right to any materials purchased for the job, which remain the Member's property. Nothing in this section limits any rights you have under applicable law that cannot be waived by contract.

10. Prohibited Conduct

You agree not to:

• use the Platform for any unlawful purpose, or in violation of any building, licensing, or consumer-protection law;
• misrepresent your identity, licensing, insurance, or affiliation;
• attempt to access another person's project link, account, data, quotes, or contact information;
• probe, scrape, disassemble, overload, or interfere with the Platform or its security measures;
• post false projects, fake quotes, or fraudulent reviews;
• harass, threaten, or discriminate against any Customer or Member;
• upload malware or content you have no right to share.

11. Intellectual Property & Copyright Complaints

The Platform — including its software, design, text, graphics, and trademarks ("Blue Trade Alliance," the BTA mark, and the Verified BTA Member badge) — belongs to BTA or its licensors. Member business names and marks belong to the respective Members. You may not copy, modify, or create derivative works from the Platform except as these Terms allow.

We respond to copyright complaints under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). If you believe content on the Platform infringes your copyright, send a notice containing the elements required by 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3) to legal@bluetradealliance.com. We may remove allegedly infringing content and, for repeat infringers, terminate access.

12. Disclaimers

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW: THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE," WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. BTA DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE PLATFORM WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, ERROR-FREE, OR SECURE. SERVICES BOOKED OR QUOTED THROUGH THE PLATFORM ARE PROVIDED BY INDEPENDENT MEMBER BUSINESSES, AND BTA MAKES NO WARRANTY AS TO THE QUALITY, TIMELINESS, SAFETY, OR OUTCOME OF ANY MEMBER'S WORK. MEMBERSHIP SCREENING AND BADGES DO NOT CONSTITUTE AN ENDORSEMENT OR GUARANTEE OF ANY MEMBER. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN WARRANTIES, SO SOME OF THE ABOVE MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

No professional advice. Information and assistance BTA provides — including start guides, playbooks, checklists, walkthroughs, and specialist consultations — is general information about starting and running a trade business. It is not legal, financial, tax, accounting, insurance, or licensing advice, and BTA is not a law firm, accounting firm, or financial advisor. You remain solely responsible for your own business decisions; for advice about your specific situation, consult your own attorney, CPA, or other licensed professional.

13. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW: BTA WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR FOR LOST PROFITS, DATA, OR GOODWILL, ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO THE PLATFORM OR SERVICES PERFORMED BY MEMBERS — WHETHER BASED IN CONTRACT, TORT, STATUTE, OR OTHERWISE — EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY. BTA'S TOTAL AGGREGATE LIABILITY ARISING FROM OR RELATING TO THE PLATFORM WILL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF (A) ONE HUNDRED U.S. DOLLARS ($100) OR (B) THE AMOUNTS YOU PAID TO BTA IN THE TWELVE MONTHS BEFORE THE CLAIM AROSE. THESE LIMITS DO NOT APPLY WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW, AND DO NOT LIMIT A MEMBER'S OWN RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS WORK.

14. Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless BTA and its officers, employees, and agents from claims, damages, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from your Content, your use of the Platform in violation of these Terms, your violation of law, or — for Members — the services you perform.

15. Dispute Resolution — Arbitration & Class Waiver

Summary: before suing, we talk (60 days). If that fails, disputes go to binding individual arbitration instead of court — except small-claims cases and injunctive relief for IP or data misuse. No class actions. You can opt out of arbitration within 30 days of first accepting these Terms.

• Informal resolution first. Before starting arbitration or litigation, the party with a dispute must send a written description to the other (for BTA: legal@bluetradealliance.com) and allow 60 days to resolve it in good faith.
• Binding arbitration. Any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Platform that is not resolved informally will be settled by binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association under its Consumer Arbitration Rules, before a single arbitrator. Arbitration will take place in the county where you reside, in Florida, or remotely by videoconference. The Federal Arbitration Act governs this section.
• Exceptions. Either party may (a) bring an individual claim in small claims court, or (b) seek injunctive relief in court for infringement or misuse of intellectual property or for unauthorized access to Platform data. Claims between a Customer and a Member about the work itself are between those parties and are not governed by this section.
• Class action waiver. DISPUTES WILL BE RESOLVED ONLY ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS. YOU AND BTA EACH WAIVE THE RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL AND THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS, COLLECTIVE, OR REPRESENTATIVE ACTION. If this waiver is found unenforceable as to a particular claim, that claim (and only that claim) proceeds in court.
• 30-day opt-out. You may opt out of this arbitration agreement by emailing legal@bluetradealliance.com within 30 days of first accepting these Terms, stating your name, contact information, and intent to opt out. Opting out does not affect any other section of these Terms.

16. Governing Law & Venue

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Florida and applicable federal law, without regard to conflict-of-laws rules. For any dispute not subject to arbitration, you and BTA consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Hillsborough County, Florida. If you use the Platform from another state, you remain responsible for compliance with your local law, and any consumer rights granted by the law of your state of residence that cannot be waived by contract are preserved.

17. Suspension & Termination

We may suspend or terminate access to the Platform (including Member dashboards and project links) for violation of these Terms, fraud or safety risk, legal requirement, or discontinuation of the Platform. Member accounts may also be paused or terminated for extended inactivity (dormancy) as set out in the Membership Agreement, so that every business shown on the Platform is one that is actively serving customers. Members' termination rights and obligations are further described in the Membership Agreement. Sections that by their nature should survive termination (including 6, 7, and 11–16) survive.

18. General Provisions

• Changes. We may update these Terms; material changes will be signaled by the date above and, where appropriate, notice on the Platform or by email. Continued use after the effective date is acceptance.
• Entire agreement. These Terms plus the Privacy Policy (and, for Members, the Membership Agreement) are the entire agreement about the Platform.
• Severability. If a provision is unenforceable, the rest remains in effect.
• No waiver. Not enforcing a provision is not a waiver of it.
• Assignment. You may not assign these Terms; BTA may assign them in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets.
• Force majeure. Neither party is liable for delays caused by events beyond its reasonable control.

19. Contact

Blue Trade Alliance — Legal
Email: legal@bluetradealliance.com
Tampa Bay, Florida