Terms of Service

About Our Services

Archive House ("we," "us," or "our") is a visual documentation service based in Dallas, Texas. We create Systems Maps™ — detailed visual records of a home's visible rough-in systems captured before drywall closes — for delivery to builders and homeowners.

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of our services, website (archivehouse.co), and all documentation records we produce. These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Texas. These Terms operate alongside any specific service agreement, invoice, or delivery acknowledgment executed between Archive House and the engaging party. In the event of a conflict, the specific service agreement controls.

Different portions of these Terms apply depending on how you interact with Archive House. Browsing our website constitutes acceptance of the general terms of use described here. Engaging our services as a builder is governed by the applicable service agreement and the Builder Terms below. Accessing a documentation archive as a homeowner is subject to the Homeowner Terms below and the click-wrap acknowledgment completed at the time of access. Each layer of engagement may carry its own separate terms and acknowledgments.

Scope of Services

Archive House provides visual documentation of residential construction at a specific point in time. Our scope of services for each engagement is defined by a written Scope of Services document attached to every delivery, which includes:

• The date and time of capture
• The specific areas that were documented
• A statement that documentation reflects only what was visually accessible at the time of capture
• A clear statement that no representation is made about conditions within walls, above ceilings, below slabs, or in any area not in the direct field of imaging equipment

All site visits require written authorization from the builder, identifying the job site address, the date and scope of the authorized visit, and a statement that the builder has authority to grant access to the property.

Archive House does not guarantee that every visible condition, system, room, cavity, obstruction, angle, or detail present at the time of a site visit will be captured. Documentation reflects what was accessible and within the field of capture under actual site conditions. Obstructions, lighting, site access limitations, and equipment constraints may affect the completeness of any given record.

What We Do Not Do

This section is the most important part of these Terms. Please read it carefully.

Archive House is a documentation service, not an inspection service. We capture what exists at a specific moment in time. We do not evaluate, analyze, certify, or make representations about what we capture. Specifically:

• We do not inspect construction work for quality, safety, or code compliance
• We do not certify, verify, or validate that any element of construction meets any standard
• We do not guarantee or warrant that construction work is complete, correct, or defect-free
• We do not identify, diagnose, or report construction defects to any party
• We do not provide opinions on construction quality
• We do not serve as a substitute for any municipal inspection, licensed home inspection, or professional engineering assessment
• We do not represent that documentation will capture every condition present at the time of capture — only conditions that were visually accessible within the direct field of imaging equipment

A Systems Map™ is a historical reference record. It is a visual archive of what was visible on a specific date. Nothing in a Systems Map™ constitutes a professional opinion, certification, endorsement, or representation about construction quality.

Archive House does not undertake any duty to discover, identify, report, warn of, or communicate construction defects, unsafe conditions, code issues, incomplete work, or workmanship concerns — whether or not any such condition may be visible in a documentation record. The existence of a condition within a Systems Map™ does not create any obligation on the part of Archive House to act on, disclose, or follow up on that condition with any party.

Builder Terms

Builders who engage Archive House to document a project agree to the following:

• Site access authorization. The builder represents that they have authority to permit Archive House entry to the job site and grants that permission in writing prior to each visit.
• Accuracy of project information. The builder is responsible for providing accurate project details, including address, permitted scope, and access instructions.
• Delivery acknowledgment. Upon delivery of the completed documentation record, the builder acknowledges in writing that the Systems Map™ is provided for reference purposes only, that it does not constitute an inspection, and that Archive House's liability is limited to the fees paid for the specific engagement.
• No resale or marketing use. The builder may not use Systems Map™ content in MLS listings, real estate marketing materials, or any representation to prospective buyers without Archive House's prior written consent.
• Homeowner delivery. Archive House delivers the full archive to the homeowner following closing, subject to a click-wrap acknowledgment. Builders do not have the authority to expand or modify the homeowner's terms of access.

Homeowner Terms

Homeowners who access a Systems Map™ through our delivery platform agree to the following at the time of access via click-wrap acknowledgment:

• Non-reliance. The homeowner acknowledges that the Systems Map™ is provided as a post-closing homeowner reference and is not intended to be used as a basis for any purchase decision, inspection objection, repair demand, or construction-defect claim. The Systems Map™ is a visual reference record only.
• Documentation scope. The homeowner acknowledges that the archive captures only what was visually accessible at the time of documentation and does not represent conditions within walls, above ceilings, below slabs, or in any area outside the field of capture. Archive House does not guarantee that every visible condition, system, or detail was captured.
• No inspection substitute. The homeowner acknowledges that the Systems Map™ does not replace or supplement a licensed home inspection, municipal inspection, or any other professional assessment.
• Permitted use and access restrictions. The homeowner's access to the archive is personal and non-transferable except as described below. The homeowner may not share login credentials, bypass or circumvent access controls, scrape or systematically copy archive content, publicly distribute or display archive content, or use the archive outside the permitted personal residential reference purpose. Any unauthorized use terminates the homeowner's access rights.
• Transferability. If the homeowner subsequently transfers or resells the property, any Systems Map™ archive access transferred to a new owner is subject to the same terms. Subsequent owners must complete a separate click-wrap acknowledgment before archive access is granted.
• No marketing use. The homeowner may not use Systems Map™ content in MLS listings, real estate marketing materials, or any representation to prospective buyers without Archive House's prior written consent.

Intellectual Property

All documentation records produced by Archive House — including 360-degree imagery, photographic captures, visual documentation records, Systems Maps™, viewer files, and associated digital materials — are and remain the intellectual property of Archive House.

Upon full payment, Archive House grants the engaging builder a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to use the delivered documentation record for internal reference purposes. Archive House grants the homeowner a limited, non-exclusive license to access and use the archive for personal residential reference purposes, subject to the restrictions described in these Terms.

Neither builders nor homeowners acquire ownership rights in any documentation record. Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, public display, or commercial use of any Archive House documentation record is prohibited without prior written consent.

IMPORTANT — Limitation of Liability

Archive House shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages — including lost profits, loss of use, or property damage — arising out of or in connection with the documentation services provided, regardless of the theory of liability and even if Archive House has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

This limitation reflects the fundamental nature of our service: we are a documentation service, not an inspection service. We capture visible conditions; we do not evaluate them. Our engagement does not create a duty to identify, diagnose, report, or warn about any construction condition, defect, or safety issue.

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain damages. In those jurisdictions, our liability is limited to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law.

Dispute Resolution

All disputes arising out of or related to these Terms or Archive House's services shall be subject to the following resolution process:

• Notice. The party asserting a claim must provide written notice to Archive House at matt@archivehouse.co, describing the nature of the claim in reasonable detail.
• Mandatory mediation. The parties shall attempt in good faith to resolve the dispute through mediation before initiating any litigation. Mediation shall be conducted in Dallas County, Texas, before a mutually agreed mediator.
• Texas law preserved. Nothing in these Terms alters, waives, or modifies any rights, obligations, or procedures established under applicable Texas law, including Texas Property Code Chapter 27 where applicable. Each party retains all rights afforded under applicable Texas law.
• Litigation. If mediation does not resolve the dispute, either party may pursue available remedies in the courts of Dallas County, Texas.

No Third-Party Beneficiaries

These Terms are entered into solely for the benefit of Archive House and the authorized party engaging our services — the builder under a service agreement, or the homeowner under an access acknowledgment. No other person or entity is a third-party beneficiary of these Terms or any documentation record produced under them.

Without limiting the foregoing, these Terms confer no rights, claims, or benefits on any prospective buyer, subsequent property owner, real estate agent, home inspector, lender, insurer, plaintiff, claimant, or any other outside party. No party other than Archive House and the authorized user may rely on any documentation record or invoke any provision of these Terms for any purpose.

Governing Law and Venue

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas, without regard to its conflict of law principles. Exclusive venue for any litigation arising under these Terms shall be in Dallas County, Texas.

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.