FAQ
FAQ & Guides
Product answers, home buyer guides, and feasibility-first renovation planning — for buyers and homeowners.
About Formaus.ai
What Formaus.ai does, how it works, and how it compares.
What Is Formaus.ai? →
AI home renovation analysis and rendering, explained — what it does, who it's for, and how it differs from free design tools.
Formaus.ai vs Formas.ai →
The “u” matters: how Formaus.ai differs from the separate, unaffiliated Formas.ai.
How Much Does Formaus.ai Cost? →
One-time pricing from $19 to $69 — the Score Report and Home Renovation plans, plus the Buyer Pass upgrade.
How Does Formaus.ai Work? →
From photos to a renovation plan in three steps: upload, analyze, visualize.
How Accurate Are Formaus.ai Renders? →
How renders are anchored to your real space, and what the analysis can and can't tell you.
Formaus.ai vs Free AI Room Design Tools: When Free Is Enough →
Free AI design tools are great for inspiration. Here's honestly when they're enough — and when a $19 renovation analysis saves you real money.
Home Buyer Guides
Evaluate condition, costs, and questions to verify — before you make an offer.
What Is the Formaus Score Report? Pre-Offer Home Analysis →
The Formaus Score Report evaluates a home's condition, hidden costs, and negotiation position before you make an offer — from a $19 one-time analysis.
How to Evaluate a Home Before Making an Offer →
A pre-offer evaluation framework: condition signals, hidden-cost flags, market position, and the questions to verify — before you're contractually committed.
Formaus vs. a Home Inspection: What's the Difference? →
Formaus is a pre-offer planning tool; an inspection is physical verification. They answer different questions at different moments. Here's when you need each.
How Accurate Are Formaus Cost Estimates? →
Formaus cost estimates are labeled assumptions built from system age and typical lifespans — designed to be verified, not believed blindly. Here's how they work.
Inside a Formaus Score Report: A 1993 Kansas City Home →
A real Formaus Score Report, walked through section by section: the score breakdown, hidden-cost flags, offer range, and what the buyer did with it.
How to Evaluate a Fixer-Upper Before You Make an Offer →
A practical framework for judging a fixer-upper: the 4 questions that decide if it's a deal or a money pit — before you're emotionally committed.
Renovation Guides
Feasibility-first guidance for planning renovations that are worth it.
What to Know Before Renovating: 7 Things That Decide Your Outcome →
Most renovation regret is decided before construction starts. Seven things to know before you renovate — from feasibility to contingency budgets.
How Much Does a Home Renovation Cost Per Square Foot? (2026) →
Home renovations cost $20–$150 per square foot in 2026, with kitchens and baths at $100–$250. See what drives the range and how to budget yours.
Which Rooms Add the Most Value? Renovation ROI by Project (2026) →
Minor kitchen remodels return up to ~96–113% and mid-range baths ~74–80% in 2026. See renovation ROI by room — and why smaller scope usually wins.
Kitchen Renovation: What to Know Before You Start (2026) →
Kitchen renovations run $100–$250 per sq ft, and minor remodels out-earn major ones at resale. What homeowners wish they'd known — before demo day.
Bathroom Renovation: What to Know Before You Start (2026) →
Mid-range bathroom remodels return ~74–80% at resale — among the strongest in years. What decides success: waterproofing, ventilation, and scope.
Basement Renovation: What to Know Before You Start (2026) →
Basements add real living space, but moisture, ceiling height, and egress decide feasibility first. What to check before finishing a basement.
Attic Conversion: What to Know Before You Start (2026) →
Attic conversions return roughly 50–60% at resale — when the structure allows one. Height, framing, access, and egress decide feasibility first.
Garage Conversion: What to Know Before You Start (2026) →
Garage conversions average ~$16,500 and can return 60–80% — or subtract value where parking matters. The market question comes before the design one.
Living Room Renovation: What to Know Before You Start (2026) →
Living room renovations range from weekend refresh to structural open-concept work. The wall you want to remove decides which project you're in.
Laundry Room Renovation: What to Know Before You Start (2026) →
Laundry room upgrades are affordable — until you move the machines. Plumbing, venting, and drainage decide the budget before finishes do.
Bedroom Renovation: What to Know Before You Start (2026) →
Bedroom renovations are affordable per square foot — but what legally counts as a bedroom is where the value lives. Egress, size, and layout first.
Exterior Renovation: What to Know Before You Start (2026) →
Exterior projects lead renovation ROI rankings — garage doors and entry doors can return well over their cost. Where curb appeal money goes furthest.
Deck or Patio: What to Know Before You Build (2026) →
Decks return roughly 65–95% at resale; patios cost less to build. Grade, access, and structure decide which one your yard actually supports.
AI Interior Design vs. Renovation Analysis: What's the Difference? →
AI interior design tools restyle a photo. Renovation analysis tells you what's feasible and worth doing. Here's the difference — and when you need which.
AI Renovation & Room Design Tools Compared (2026) →
A fair comparison of AI renovation and room design tools in 2026 — what each is best at, how they charge, and which fits your project stage.