Privacy Policy
Last updated: 2026.Q2
TheFatBook provides home improvement cost benchmarks, calculator tools, and estimate-analysis features. This policy explains what information is collected when you use the kitchen remodeling section and how that information is handled.
Information You Provide
You can browse TheFatBook without creating an account. If you use a calculator, Bid Fairness Checker, True Cost Calculator, financing comparison, or contact form, we may receive the inputs you submit, including project type, metro area, service selection, bid amount, square footage or scope details, and any contact information you choose to provide.
Estimate Uploads
The Estimate Upload tool accepts PDFs, CSV files, and common image formats. Uploaded files are processed to extract contractor line items and compare them with TheFatBook cost benchmarks. Text-based PDFs and CSV files may be parsed directly. Images and difficult PDFs may be sent to an AI extraction provider through OpenRouter to identify line-item descriptions and amounts. Do not upload documents that contain Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, credit card numbers, medical records, or other sensitive personal information.
Automatically Collected Information
Like most websites, we may collect standard request metadata such as IP address, browser type, device information, referring page, pages visited, timestamps, and approximate location derived from network information. The estimate-analysis service may use IP address for abuse prevention and rate limiting.
Cookies & Analytics
We may use first-party cookies or local browser storage for basic functionality, including remembering calculator state or preferences. We also use traffic and usage analytics to understand which tools are working, diagnose errors, and improve site performance. Analytics are used in aggregate and are not intended to identify individual homeowners.
Data Sources
Cost data on TheFatBook is sourced from federal agencies (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve FRED), industry associations (NKBA, ACCA, NALP), and licensed cost references (Craftsman National Estimator). This source data is public or licensed and does not contain personal information.
How We Use Information
We use submitted and automatically collected information to operate calculators, analyze uploaded estimates, show fair-price ranges, detect abuse, troubleshoot errors, improve cost models, measure site performance, and respond to user requests. We do not sell uploaded estimates or calculator submissions as standalone personal dossiers.
Third-Party Services
TheFatBook may use Cloudflare for hosting, security, and serverless processing; OpenRouter and supported model providers for AI-assisted extraction from uploads; Upstash or similar infrastructure for rate limiting; and analytics or logging tools for reliability and performance. These providers process information only as needed to deliver, secure, or improve the service.
Retention
Calculator inputs, upload-derived line items, logs, and analytics may be retained as long as reasonably necessary for security, debugging, quality assurance, model improvement, legal compliance, and business records. Raw uploaded files may be deleted or replaced by extracted line-item data when no longer needed for analysis or audit. We may retain aggregated or de-identified cost and usage statistics indefinitely.
Sharing
We may share information with service providers that help operate TheFatBook, when required by law, to protect rights and safety, or as part of a business transfer. If lead forms or contractor-matching features are enabled in the future, contact information submitted through those forms may be routed according to the disclosure shown on that form at the time of submission.
Your Choices
You can avoid uploading estimates and still use the public cost index and calculators. You can also clear local browser storage through your browser settings. If you want deletion of a specific upload or submission, contact us with enough detail to locate the record, such as the page used, approximate time, and file name or email submitted.
Your Rights
Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, restrict, or receive a copy of personal information associated with you. California residents may have rights under the CCPA/CPRA. EU and UK residents may have rights under GDPR or UK GDPR. We will respond to verified requests as required by applicable law.
Children
TheFatBook is intended for homeowners and adults researching home improvement costs. It is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy as tools, processors, or legal requirements change. The updated version will be posted on this page with a revised last-updated date.
Contact
For privacy requests or questions, contact us through the website and include enough context for us to identify the relevant submission or upload.