1. Purpose and application

This policy explains how ARK Project Limited manages payment milestones, overdue amounts, suspension, cancellation and refunds for ARK Kitchen and applicable ARK Renovation projects.

The exact payment schedule for each project is stated in the accepted quotation or contract and takes priority over any general example.

2. Payment milestones

Payments may be divided into stages such as acceptance or deposit, material or production commencement, pre-delivery, installation, specialist benchtop work and final completion.

The customer must pay each amount by the due date stated in the accepted project documents.

3. Deposit and initial payment

The deposit or initial payment confirms the customer's commitment and may allow ARK to activate the project record, reserve production capacity, order materials and begin design or planning work.

A deposit does not expand the accepted scope and is not automatically refundable after costs have been incurred.

4. Progress payments

Progress payments become due when the relevant milestone stated in the accepted project documents is reached.

Minor outstanding adjustments that do not prevent substantial use of the completed work do not automatically delay a milestone unless the contract states otherwise.

5. Final payment

The final payment is due at the stage stated in the accepted quotation or contract.

ARK remains responsible for completing agreed outstanding work and addressing covered defects, regardless of whether the final payment has been made.

Outstanding amounts may delay non-urgent additional services, discretionary record release, ownership transfer processing or work outside ARK's legal and contractual defect obligations.

6. Invoices and payment methods

Invoices may be issued electronically. The customer must use the project or invoice reference when making payment.

Payment is treated as received when cleared funds are available to ARK.

7. Overdue amounts

If an amount is overdue, ARK may issue reminders, pause non-urgent work, postpone production, delivery or installation, and recover reasonable collection costs where permitted by the contract and law.

ARK will not use an overdue amount to avoid obligations that cannot lawfully be excluded.

8. Payment disputes

The customer should notify ARK promptly if an invoice is disputed and explain the amount and reason in writing.

The undisputed portion remains payable unless otherwise agreed.

9. Customer cancellation before acceptance

Before acceptance, the customer may generally stop quotation discussions without proceeding, subject to any separately agreed design, measurement, consultation or 3D drawing fee.

10. Customer cancellation after acceptance

After acceptance, the customer may be responsible for ARK's reasonable costs and losses already incurred, including design work, measurements, administration, ordered materials, supplier cancellation charges, production labour, storage, transport and other non-recoverable commitments.

Cancellation charges must reflect the accepted agreement and reasonable loss and must not operate as an unlawful penalty.

11. Custom-made items

Cabinetry, panels, benchtops and other project items made or ordered to the customer's specifications may have limited resale value. Amounts paid or due for those items may not be refundable once ordering or production has begun.

12. ARK cancellation or termination

ARK may cancel or terminate the project where the customer commits a serious breach, repeatedly fails to pay, prevents safe access, provides materially misleading information, instructs unlawful work or makes performance impracticable.

Where ARK cancels without customer breach, ARK will account for payments received and work or costs properly incurred.

13. Suspension

ARK may suspend affected work where payment is overdue, the site is unsafe or not ready, required approvals are missing, another contractor prevents progress or a material variation remains unresolved.

Suspension may affect scheduling and may result in reasonable additional costs.

14. Refunds and credits

Any refund or credit will take into account the accepted agreement, work completed, materials ordered, supplier charges, recoverable items and applicable consumer law.

Refunds are not automatic merely because the customer changes their mind after custom work or procurement has started.

15. Variations

Approved variations may change the total price and payment schedule. ARK may require payment for a variation before the changed work or material order proceeds.

16. Ownership of goods

Ownership of supplied goods is determined by the accepted quotation or contract and applicable law. ARK may retain ownership until the required payment has been made where the contract lawfully provides for this.

17. Warranty and consumer rights

Outstanding payment does not remove rights that cannot lawfully be excluded.

Where a reported issue may involve a covered defect, ARK will review it against the project record, applicable warranty terms and New Zealand consumer law before confirming the appropriate remedy.

18. Contact

Questions about invoices, payment milestones or cancellation should be raised promptly with ARK and should include the quotation, invoice or ARKCode reference.