Refund Policy

1. Overview

This Refund Policy explains how DREOS STUDIO LLC ("DREOS STUDIO," "we," "us," or "our") handles payments, cancellations, and refunds in connection with our software engineering, artificial intelligence, and consulting Services. This Policy should be read alongside our Terms of Service. By engaging our Services, the Client agrees to the terms set out below.

Because each project we deliver involves dedicated planning, engineering time, and resource allocation from the moment work begins, our refund practices are structured to reflect the real costs incurred once a project is underway. Unlike off-the-shelf products, custom software and AI engagements require us to reserve developer time, turn away other work, and begin architecture and planning as soon as a deposit is received — costs that are incurred regardless of whether a Client later decides not to proceed.

2. Upfront Deposit (30%)

The minimum 30% upfront payment required before development begins secures the Client's place in our project schedule and covers initial discovery, planning, architecture design, and resource allocation. This deposit is non-refundable once work has begun. If a Client requests to cancel a project after the deposit has been paid and work has commenced, no portion of the deposit will be refunded, as it reflects time and resources already committed to the engagement.

If a Client cancels before any work has actually commenced — for example, immediately after payment and before any discovery, planning, or development activity has taken place — DREOS STUDIO will review the request in good faith, but such refunds remain discretionary rather than guaranteed, given that the deposit reserves committed capacity from the moment it is received.

3. Completed Milestones

For projects billed on a milestone or phased basis, payments made formilestones that have been completed and delivered are non-refundable, regardless of whether the Client chooses to continue with subsequent phases of the project. Completion of a milestone is defined as delivery of the agreed Deliverable(s) for that phase, as outlined in the applicable Project Agreement. A milestone is considered complete once it has been delivered to the Client for review, even if the Client has not yet formally signed off on it, provided the delivered work reasonably conforms to the specifications agreed for that phase.

4. In-Progress Work

If a project is cancelled or terminated while a milestone is partially complete, DREOS STUDIO will assess the value of work performed up to the point of cancellation. Fees corresponding to work already performed are non-refundable. Any portion of an advance payment that corresponds to work not yet started may, at DREOS STUDIO's discretion, be credited toward future Services, but is not guaranteed as a cash refund. DREOS STUDIO will provide a good-faith breakdown of completed versus remaining work upon request to support this assessment.

5. Monthly Maintenance

Maintenance fees are billed monthly in advance and cover the current billing period's availability, monitoring, and support. Maintenance fees are non-refundable for the current billing period, even if the Client cancels partway through that period. Clients who wish to discontinue maintenance must provide 15 days' written notice, as described in our Terms of Service. Maintenance will continue, and continue to be billed, until the notice period has elapsed. If notice is given partway through a billing cycle, the current cycle's fee remains payable in full and is not prorated.

6. Duplicate Payments

In the event that a duplicate payment is made in error — for example, the same invoice is paid twice, or a payment is processed more than once due to a technical error — DREOS STUDIO will refund the duplicate amount promptly upon verification. Clients who believe they have made a duplicate payment should contact us immediately using the details in Section 11, providing relevant transaction details (such as payment confirmation numbers or dates) to help us verify and process the refund quickly.

7. Non-Refundable Circumstances

Except as expressly stated in Section 6 (Duplicate Payments), refunds will generally not be issued in the following circumstances:

• Change of mind after work has begun.
• Delays caused by the Client's failure to provide timely feedback, content, or access.
• Dissatisfaction with a Deliverable that meets the specifications agreed to in the Project Agreement.
• Third-party service issues, outages, or policy changes outside of DREOS STUDIO's control.
• Cancellation of maintenance mid-billing-cycle.
• Business or budgetary changes on the Client's side unrelated to the quality of Services delivered.
• Requests made after the applicable review or acceptance period specified in the Project Agreement has closed.

8. Disputes Over Deliverables

If a Client believes a delivered milestone does not meet the specifications agreed to in the Project Agreement, the Client should raise the concern in writing, with specific reference to the relevant specification, within the review period specified for that milestone. DREOS STUDIO will work in good faith to address legitimate discrepancies between agreed specifications and delivered work through revisions, rather than through a refund, except where a refund is otherwise required by applicable law. Where the parties disagree about whether a Deliverable conforms to the agreed specification, both parties agree to first attempt resolution through direct discussion before pursuing any other remedy, consistent with the dispute resolution process described in our Terms of Service.

9. Chargebacks

Initiating a chargeback or payment dispute with a bank or card issuer without first contacting DREOS STUDIO to resolve the issue directly is considered a breach of the applicable Project Agreement and may result in suspension of Services, revocation of access to Deliverables not yet fully paid for, and pursuit of the amount owed through applicable legal channels. We ask that Clients raise any billing concern with us directly first, as most issues can be resolved faster through direct communication than through a formal chargeback process.

10. How Refund Requests Are Reviewed

While most payments described in this Policy are non-refundable by design, we understand that exceptional circumstances can arise, such as a documented service failure clearly attributable to DREOS STUDIO. When such a request is submitted, we will:

1. Review the specific circumstances against the applicable Project Agreement and the terms of this Policy.
2. Assess whether the request falls within an exception described above (such as a duplicate payment) or constitutes an exceptional circumstance warranting discretionary consideration.
3. Respond in writing with our determination within a reasonable time frame, generally within ten (10) business days of receiving a complete request.

Approval of any exception to this Policy is at the sole discretion of DREOS STUDIO and does not create an obligation to grant similar exceptions in the future or set a precedent for other Clients.

11. How to Request Consideration

Clients who wish to raise a billing concern should contact us in writing at:

12. Changes to This Policy

DREOS STUDIO may update this Refund Policy from time to time. The version in effect at the time a Project Agreement is signed will govern that engagement, unless otherwise agreed in writing.