Terms of Business

How I work

How I Work

I want every project to run smoothly, feel straightforward, and deliver results. Below you’ll find an overview of how I work, what to expect, and how we’ll keep things clear and enjoyable from start to finish.

Who I Am

I’m David Charles Cliff, a freelance graphic designer in York. I work from The Catalyst on the University of York’s Campus East and live locally in Huntington. You can always reach me at 07595 218 652 or davidcharlescliff@gmail.com. I am a sole trader and not registered for VAT.

What I Do

I’m a general-purpose graphic designer with a broad set of skills. Projects often involve:

  • Branding and visual identity

  • Packaging design

  • Website design and Squarespace customisation

  • Print design, brochures and stationery

  • Large format graphics and signage

  • Interior graphics

  • Photography

  • Copywriting and content support

  • Strategy and consultancy sessions

If it’s visual communication, I can usually help. If I can’t, I’ll tell you honestly.

Pricing and Payment

My day rate is £400 and my hourly rate is £60. For projects over £1,000 I ask for a 50% deposit before starting. I bill monthly for all work carried out in that month, whether the project is complete or not. I don’t impose my own payment terms, I’ll work to your organisation’s standard terms. I don’t charge late payment fees and prefer to work on trust. Expenses such as stock imagery, specialist fonts or printing are recharged at cost.

Estimates and Scope

Every job begins with a clear estimate for you to review and approve online. Approving the estimate confirms we’re working at the agreed rates. I include a reasonable number of amends as part of the process. If the brief changes and results in a different deliverable, we’ll treat that as a new piece of work. Strategy or discovery sessions are billed as separate jobs. First meetings are free. Detailed brief-taking sessions are chargeable.

Your Responsibilities

To keep the project on track, I ask that you: Supply content, assets and approvals on time. Confirm who is responsible for approvals, supplying content and handling invoices. Provide logos as vector files and images in high resolution. Delays in supplying materials will delay the project. If timelines slip, I may need to reschedule.

Timelines and Communication

I don’t say yes to everything, so I can often start quickly. I’ll confirm my availability at the point of commissioning. I work weekdays 9am–5pm. I don’t take on work outside these hours. Communication is mainly by email, but I’m happy to use WhatsApp for quick updates. I usually respond within one working day.

Deliverables

You’ll receive files in the format you need: print-ready PDFs, PNGs, SVGs and so on. If you’d like packaged native files (such as InDesign), let me know at the start so the right fees can be included. Files are delivered via Google Drive or email.

Ownership and Credit

Ownership of final deliverables transfers once full payment is made. Fonts, stock images and other third-party assets remain under their original licences. I keep the right to show the work in my portfolio unless we agree otherwise. I may add a small credit link on websites I design.

Websites and Squarespace

For Squarespace projects, here’s what you can expect: Hosting and uptime are managed by Squarespace under your account. You’ll own your site once payment is complete, though I’ll retain admin access if I’m providing maintenance. You’ll need to supply registrar login details so I can connect your domain. I test on the latest two versions of major browsers and on modern mobiles and tablets.

Accessibility: I follow reasonable efforts towards WCAG 2.1 AA.

SEO: I apply technical best practice, on-page optimisation and suggest link-building opportunities. Rankings can never be guaranteed.

GDPR and cookies: I can install standard tools and provide a default privacy policy, which you are free to adapt.

I may install third-party or custom scripts if required by the brief.

Print, Large Format and Signage

I’ll ensure artwork is technically correct for production. Colour matching is subject to print tolerances. Approval of content rests with you as the client. Hard proofs can be supplied at cost. I can manage print production on your behalf if required.

Packaging and Compliance

It’s your responsibility to ensure legal copy, barcodes and safety or nutritional information are correct. I can design, but I don’t give legal advice on compliance.

Confidentiality and File Retention

All client material is treated as confidential. NDAs can be signed if required. I retain project files for 12 months.

Cancellations and Pauses

Deposits are non-refundable once work has begun. If you cancel mid-project, I’ll invoice for work done to date. If a project is paused for any reason, I may need to reschedule when you’re ready to restart.

Liability

I guarantee my work is original and that I have the right to licence it. I can’t guarantee specific business results. My liability is limited to the fees paid for the project.

In Short

I aim to keep things clear, fair and enjoyable. If anything here doesn’t suit the way you work, let’s talk before we begin. Good design comes from good communication, and I want the process to feel as straightforward as the end result.