Privacy Policy

Hey There

Look, we get it - nobody really wants to read through pages of legal jargon. But your privacy matters to us, so we've tried to keep this straightforward and honest. At Dusk Reth Quinthal Architects, we're not in the business of selling your data or doing anything shady with your information. We're architects, not data brokers.

This policy explains what info we collect when you reach out to us or visit our site, and more importantly, what we actually do with it (spoiler: not much beyond what's needed to work with you).

What Information We Collect

When you contact us: Pretty basic stuff - your name, email, phone number, and whatever details you share about your project. Sometimes you'll send us photos of your property or site measurements. We need this to actually respond to your inquiry and understand what you're looking for.

Website visitors: Like most websites, we collect some technical data - IP addresses, browser type, pages you visit, how long you stick around. It's anonymous and helps us figure out if our site's working properly or if something's broken.

Project clients: Once we're working together, we'll obviously need more detailed info - property details, budget parameters, design preferences, legal documentation for permits. It's all part of the architectural process and we keep it secure.

How We Actually Use Your Info

We're gonna be real with you - we use your information to do our job. That means:

Responding to your emails and calls (usually within a day or two)
Preparing proposals and design concepts for your project
Managing ongoing projects and keeping you updated
Handling invoicing and payment processing
Filing necessary permits and working with contractors on your behalf
Occasionally sending updates about our studio or relevant industry changes - but only if you've said it's cool

We won't randomly add you to marketing lists or spam you with newsletters unless you specifically opt in. Our email list is pretty small anyway - we prefer quality over quantity.

Who Sees Your Data

We don't sell or rent your personal information. Period. However, there are some situations where we need to share specific details:

Project collaborators: Engineers, contractors, consultants who're working on your project need relevant information to do their part
Legal requirements: Municipal offices, permitting authorities - it's part of the architectural approval process in Canada
Service providers: Our email hosting, cloud storage, accounting software - these companies have access but they're bound by their own privacy policies
Legal obligations: If we're legally required to disclose information (court orders, regulatory requirements), we'll comply but we'll let you know when possible

Everyone we work with signs confidentiality agreements. Your project details and personal info stay protected.

Cookies & Tracking Stuff

Our website uses some basic cookies - mostly just to remember if you've visited before and to keep track of which pages are popular. We don't use invasive tracking or third-party advertising cookies. If you wanna block cookies entirely, that's your call - the site'll still work fine, though you might need to re-enter some info.

Your Rights (The Important Bit)

Under Canadian privacy law (PIPEDA), you've got some solid rights regarding your personal information:

Access: You can ask to see what information we have about you
Correction: If something's wrong or outdated, let us know and we'll fix it
Deletion: Want us to delete your data? We'll do it, unless we're legally required to keep it (like for tax records or completed project documentation)
Portability: You can request a copy of your data in a usable format
Opt-out: Unsubscribe from our communications anytime - there's always an unsubscribe link at the bottom

Just shoot us an email at info@duskrethquinthal.info and we'll handle your request within 30 days. Usually faster.

Data Security

We take reasonable precautions to protect your information - encrypted communications, secure cloud storage with reputable providers, password-protected systems, limited access within our team. But let's be honest, no system is 100% hack-proof. We do our best and stay up-to-date with security practices, but we can't guarantee absolute security (and anyone who promises that is lying).

All physical documents are stored in locked cabinets at our Toronto office. Digital files are backed up regularly and protected with encryption.

How Long We Keep Your Info

For project inquiries that don't move forward, we typically keep your contact info for about a year - just in case you change your mind or want to revisit things later. After that, we delete it.

For completed projects, we're required to keep architectural drawings and related documentation for at least 7 years (professional liability and building code requirements). After that retention period, we'll securely dispose of unnecessary personal information while keeping the architectural work for our portfolio records (anonymized when possible).

Third-Party Links

Sometimes we'll link to other websites - supplier sites, material manufacturers, project partners. Once you click away from our site, their privacy policies apply, not ours. We try to only link to reputable sources, but we can't control what they do with your data.

Changes to This Policy

We might update this privacy policy from time to time - usually if laws change or we add new services. We'll post the updated version here with a new date at the top. For major changes, we'll try to notify active clients directly. Checking back occasionally isn't a bad idea.