Privacy Policy

Ghar Ustad respects the privacy of every homeowner who contacts us. This policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how we protect it, and what control you have over it. It applies to this website, to enquiries made by phone, WhatsApp, email or in person, and to clients whose projects we deliver in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Who we are

Ghar Ustad is a construction and home improvement company registered in Pakistan, operating from [registered office address, Islamabad]. For anything relating to this policy, you can reach us at ask@gharustad.com or [+92 XXX XXXXXXX].

What information we collect

Information you give us

• Name, phone number, WhatsApp number and email address
• Project address or plot location
• Details you share about your project: plot size, covered area, budget range, preferred timeline, drawings, BOQs, inspiration images
• Messages, voice notes and documents you send us during an enquiry or a live project
• Payment details recorded against invoices, such as bank transfer references and cheque numbers

Information collected automatically

• IP address, browser type, device type and operating system
• Pages viewed, time on page, and the site or search that referred you
• Cookie identifiers set by our website and by analytics tools

Information from other sources

• Referrals, where an existing client or architect passes on your contact details with your knowledge
• Publicly available information about a property, such as sector or society records, where it is needed to prepare a quotation

We do not deliberately collect sensitive personal information such as CNIC copies unless a specific contract, bank requirement or authority approval makes it necessary. Where it is necessary, we tell you why before we ask.

Why we use your information

We use your information for these purposes only:

1. To respond to your enquiry. Calling you back, arranging a site visit, and answering questions about scope or cost.
2. To prepare quotations. Producing a written scope, measured BOQ and a stage-wise payment schedule for your project.
3. To deliver your project. Ordering materials, scheduling teams, coordinating with your architect or society office, and keeping you updated.
4. To handle payments. Raising invoices, recording receipts, and maintaining accounts as required by law.
5. To meet legal and regulatory duties. Tax records, approvals from the relevant development authority, and any statutory reporting.
6. To improve the website. Understanding which pages are useful so we can write better guidance.
7. To stay in touch, with your permission. Sending occasional updates about our work. Every message includes a way to stop receiving them.

We do not sell your data. We do not rent, trade or share your contact list with advertisers, lead brokers or any other builder.

Photographs of your project

Construction photography is part of how we work. We photograph progress on every project for quality records, internal training and warranty documentation. These photographs stay private by default.

We publish a project on our website, portfolio or social channels only with your written permission. If you agree, you can ask us at any time to keep the address, sector and your name out of the caption, or to remove the project from public view entirely. Just write to us and we will take it down.

Who we share information with

We share only what is needed, only with those who need it:

• Our site teams and supervisors: your address, access instructions and approved scope
• Suppliers and specialist subcontractors: delivery address and technical specifications, not your financial details
• Your architect, designer or consultant: where you have asked us to coordinate with them
• Banks and payment processors: to receive and reconcile payments
• Development authorities and society offices: where an approval, NOC or gate pass requires it
• Professional advisors: accountants and lawyers, under confidentiality
• Service providers who run our systems: website hosting, email, analytics and cloud storage

Some of these providers, such as email and hosting services, store data on servers outside Pakistan. We choose established providers with recognised security standards.

We may also disclose information where the law, a court order or a regulatory authority requires it.

Cookies and analytics

Our website uses cookies: small files stored on your device.

• Essential cookies keep the site working, remember your form entries and protect against spam. These cannot be switched off.
• Analytics cookies tell us how many people visited a page and how they found it. The data is aggregated and does not identify you personally.
• Marketing cookies, if enabled, measure whether an advertisement led to an enquiry.

You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. Blocking essential cookies may stop parts of the site from working, including the enquiry form.

How long we keep your information

• Enquiries that do not become projects: up to 24 months, then deleted
• Client project records, contracts and drawings: 7 years after handover, to support warranty claims and defect liability
• Financial and tax records: as required by Pakistani tax law, currently 6 years
• Marketing consent records: until you withdraw consent, plus a minimum record of the withdrawal itself

How we protect your information

We use password-protected accounts, restricted access on a need to know basis, encrypted connections on our website, and cloud storage with reputable providers. Site teams receive only the information required to do their work.

No system is completely secure. If a breach ever affects your personal information in a way likely to cause you harm, we will inform you and the relevant authority promptly.

Your choices and rights

You can ask us to:

• Tell you what information we hold about you
• Correct anything that is wrong or out of date
• Delete information we no longer need to keep
• Stop sending you marketing messages
• Stop using your project photographs publicly
• Provide a copy of the documents you have shared with us

Write to ask@gharustad.com with your request. We respond within 30 days. There is no charge. We may ask you to confirm your identity before releasing project or financial records.

Overseas clients

Many of our clients live abroad and build in Islamabad and Rawalpindi through a family member or representative. If you appoint someone to act on your behalf, we will share project information with them as instructed. Please tell us in writing who is authorised, and tell us promptly if that changes.

Children

This website is not directed at children. We do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 18. If you believe a child has provided us information, contact us and we will delete it.

Links to other websites

Our site may link to suppliers, manufacturers or authority websites. We do not control those sites and are not responsible for their privacy practices. Read their policies before sharing information with them.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as our services or the law change. The revised version will appear on this page with a new date. Material changes affecting current clients will be notified by email.

Contact us

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may raise the matter with the relevant data protection or consumer authority in Pakistan.

See also our Terms and Conditions.