Build Margin Pty Ltd ("Build Margin", "we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting the privacy of our customers and visitors. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, disclose, and protect your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).
1. Who we are
Build Margin is an Australian company providing construction estimating and project management software to residential builders, estimators, suppliers, and trades. Our registered office is in Melbourne, Victoria.
2. Information we collect
We collect the following categories of personal information:
- Account information — name, email address, phone number, company name, ABN, and password (hashed).
- Billing information — billing address and payment details. Card data is processed by our payment provider (Stripe) and is never stored on our servers.
- Project data — construction plans (PDFs), estimates, supplier quotes, client and tradie details, photos, and messages you create within the platform.
- Usage data — pages visited, features used, IP address, browser type, device information, and timestamps. We use this to improve the product and diagnose issues.
- Communications — emails and support messages you send us.
3. How we use your information
We use personal information to:
- provide, maintain, and improve the Build Margin platform;
- process payments and manage subscriptions;
- send transactional emails (invoices, password resets, claim notifications);
- send service updates and, with your consent, marketing communications;
- operate AI features such as PDF takeoffs, quote comparison, and schedule intelligence;
- provide customer support and respond to enquiries;
- comply with our legal obligations and protect against fraud or misuse.
4. AI processing
Build Margin uses third-party AI services (currently Anthropic Claude) to process construction plans, analyse supplier quotes, and generate suggestions. When you upload a plan or trigger an AI feature, the relevant content is sent to the AI provider for processing.
Anthropic does not train its models on customer data submitted through the API. We do not sell, share, or use your construction plans to train third-party models.
5. Sharing your information
We share personal information only with:
- Service providers who help us run the platform — including payment processors (Stripe), email delivery (Brevo), AI providers (Anthropic), cloud hosting, and analytics. Each is bound by contractual confidentiality and data protection obligations.
- Other parties on your project — when you invite a supplier, tradie, or client to a project, the relevant project information is shared with them via the platform. You control what is shared.
- Authorities when required by Australian law, court order, or to protect our legal rights.
We do not sell your personal information.
6. Data storage and security
Personal information is stored on servers located in Australia and Singapore. We use industry-standard security measures including encryption in transit (TLS), encryption at rest, role-based access control, and regular backups.
No system is completely secure. If we become aware of a data breach that is likely to cause serious harm, we will notify affected users and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) in line with the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme.
7. Data retention
We retain personal information for as long as your account is active. When you close your account, project data is retained for 30 days (to allow for recovery), then deleted. Some information may be retained longer where required by law (e.g. tax records for 7 years).
Free AI Takeoff demo uploads are deleted from our system after 7 days.
8. Cookies and analytics
We use essential cookies to keep you signed in and remember your preferences. With your consent, we also use analytics cookies (Google Analytics 4, Meta) to understand how visitors use our marketing site. You can disable non-essential cookies in your browser at any time.
9. Your rights
Under the Australian Privacy Principles, you have the right to:
- access the personal information we hold about you;
- request correction of inaccurate information;
- request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal exceptions);
- opt out of marketing communications at any time;
- complain about how we handle your information.
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days.
10. Complaints
If you are not satisfied with our response, you can lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at oaic.gov.au or call 1300 363 992.
11. Children
Build Margin is a business product and is not intended for use by anyone under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
12. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be notified to account holders by email at least 14 days before they take effect.
13. Contact us
Questions about this policy or your personal information? Email [email protected] or write to:
Build Margin Pty Ltd
Attn: Privacy Officer
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia