Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

BuildEstimate is operated by Alpha IT Solutions Ltd, registered in England and Wales, company number 15837037, registered office Tallow Close, Dagenham, RM9 6EF (contact: hello@build-estimate.app). We are the data controller for your account data. When you store your own customers' details in the app, you are their controller and we process them on your behalf, as set out in our terms of service. We provide AI-powered construction estimating software for tradespeople and contractors in the UK and internationally.

This policy explains what personal data we collect, why we collect it, and how we handle it in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

2. Data we collect

Account information

• Full name and email address (collected when you register)
• Password (stored as a one-way hash — we never store plain-text passwords)
• Company name and contact details you add to your profile

Business data you create

• Projects, estimates, and line items you enter into the app
• Client names, email addresses, and contact details
• Uploaded photos and construction drawings
• Expense records and VAT information
• Certificates and supplier details

Payment information

Subscription payments are processed by Stripe. We do not store your card number, CVV, or full payment details on our servers. We receive only a tokenised customer ID and subscription status from Stripe.

Usage data

• Browser type, device type, and operating system
• Pages visited and features used within the app
• IP address and approximate location (country/city level)
• Timestamps of logins and key actions

3. How we use your data

4. AI features and your drawings

When you use the Drawing AI feature, uploaded construction drawings are sent to Anthropic's Claude API for analysis. Drawings are transmitted securely over HTTPS and are not stored by Anthropic beyond the duration of a single API request. We do not use your business data to train AI models.

5. Third-party services

• Stripe — payment processing. Stripe Privacy Policy
• Anthropic Claude — AI-powered drawing analysis. Anthropic Privacy Policy
• Meta Pixel — advertising analytics on the BuildEstimate website (build-estimate.app) only, and only if you choose Allow in the cookie banner. It does not run inside the iOS or Android apps. You can also manage Meta ads through Facebook Ad Preferences

We do not sell your personal data to any third party.

6. Data storage and security

Your data is stored on servers located in the European Union. We use HTTPS encryption for all data in transit and encrypt passwords using industry-standard hashing (bcrypt). We perform regular backups and restrict access to production data to authorised personnel only.

7. Data retention

• Active accounts: data is retained for as long as your account is active.
• Closed accounts: we delete your data within 90 days of account closure, unless we are required to retain it for legal or tax purposes (typically 6 years under UK tax law).
• Uploaded photos and drawings: deleted within 30 days of project deletion.

8. Your rights (UK GDPR)

You have the right to:

• Access — request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Rectification — ask us to correct inaccurate data
• Erasure — ask us to delete your account and data
• Restriction — ask us to limit how we use your data
• Portability — receive your data in a machine-readable format
• Object — object to processing based on legitimate interest
• Withdraw consent — at any time for marketing emails

To exercise any of these rights, email us at hello@build-estimate.app. We will respond within 30 days. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

9. Cookies

We use the following cookies:

• Authentication token (essential) — keeps you logged in. Expires after 30 days of inactivity.
• Meta Pixel (advertising, optional) — only on the BuildEstimate website, never in the iOS or Android apps. Nothing loads until you choose Allow in the cookie banner. To change your mind later, clear this site's cookies and stored data in your browser and we'll ask again.

We do not use any third-party tracking inside the iOS or Android apps.

10. Children

BuildEstimate is a professional business tool intended for adults aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13. If you believe a child has registered, please contact us immediately.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. We will notify you by email and update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the new policy.

12. Contact us

For any privacy-related queries: