Terms

Terms and refund policy

Last updated November 11, 2026

These terms cover websites and care plans sold by The Host Builder, run by Mike and Leora Merrell ("we", "us"). By paying or sending your intake form, you ("you", the host) agree to them. Questions are welcome at hello@thehostbuilder.com.

What you get

• A website for your vacation rental properties, as described on the plan you bought (Host website up to 3 properties, Portfolio by tier).
• One preview and one round of changes. Send all your changes together and we make them in one pass. More rounds can be quoted.
• 30 days of fixes after launch for anything that isn't working as built.
• Hosting on our Cloudflare account at no monthly charge. Your domain is registered in your name and paid by you, about $11 a year.

Timing

Most previews are ready within 10 days of a complete intake form. Missing answers, photos or booking details can delay it. Rush previews (3 days) are an add-on. Dates are estimates, not guarantees.

Your part

• Send accurate information and only photos, reviews and text you own or have permission to use.
• Don't ask us to publish door codes, Wi-Fi passwords, lockbox details or your street address. Guide pages are public.
• You are responsible for following the rules of any booking platform you list on (such as Airbnb or Vrbo), local short-term rental laws, taxes and permits. We build the website; we don't give legal or tax advice.
• Booking software, payment processing and email tools you choose are between you and those companies, including their fees.

Who owns what

You own your content: photos, text, reviews, logo and your domain. Once paid in full, you get a permanent license to use your site's design and code for your own properties. If you ever want to move it, we send you the files. Our templates, tools and code stay ours, and we may reuse them for other hosts. We may show your finished site as an example of our work unless you ask us not to.

Refunds

• Before we send your preview: full refund, for any reason.
• After the preview, before launch: if you aren't happy after your round of changes, full refund.
• After your site is live: no refunds. We still fix anything broken for 30 days.
• Add-ons are refundable only before work on them starts.

To ask for a refund, email hello@thehostbuilder.com. Refunds go back to the original card, usually within 5 to 10 business days.

Care plans

Care plans are optional and billed monthly until you cancel. You can cancel anytime from the link in your receipt; it stops at the end of the month you've paid for, and partial months aren't refunded. Small edits are limited to what the plan lists. If you cancel, your site stays online and stays yours.

Referrals

When a host you refer buys a site with your code, they get $50 off and you get $100 after their site launches. Paid as a refund on your order or a credit toward your care plan. One payout per new host; you can't refer yourself.

Hosting and changes

We keep your site online on Cloudflare and aim for it to be available all the time, but outages outside our control can happen. If we ever stop offering free hosting, we give you at least 60 days' notice and help you move the site to your own account at no charge.

Limits

We aren't affiliated with Airbnb, Vrbo or any booking platform. We don't promise any number of bookings, rankings or revenue. To the extent the law allows, our total liability for any claim is limited to what you paid us for the plan involved. Neither of us is liable for indirect or lost-profit damages.

General

These terms are governed by the laws of Tennessee. If we update them, the new version applies to purchases after the update date shown above. If any part is found unenforceable, the rest still applies.