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Version 1.0 · Effective August 1, 2026

Valuation Snapshot
Methodology

The formula behind the $35 instant valuation tool.

Applies to: Valuation Snapshot ($35) and Full Valuation Report ($90/$125).

The Formula

Five pillars. One number.

The Valuation Snapshot applies the same five-pillar structure as The RUG Index's certified methodology, using simplified self-service categories instead of an appraiser's granular, city-specific attribution.

Core Formula
resale_midpoint = base × origin_mult × material_mult × age_mult × condition_mult × kpsi_mult
base = length (ft) × width (ft) × base rate per sq ft

Base rate is an internal market reference figure updated periodically and not published.

Pillar 1

Origin

CategoryMultiplier
Persian Workshop (Tabriz, Isfahan, Kashan, Nain, Qom)3.2×
Persian Tribal (Qashqai, Bakhtiari, Kurdish, Gabbeh)2.8×
Persian Village (Heriz, Hamadan, Serapi)2.4×
Turkish Fine (Hereke, Kayseri)2.4×
Caucasus (Kazak, Shirvan, Karabakh)2.4×
Turkish Oushak / Sultanabad2.2×
Afghan / Pakistani Hand-knotted2.0×
Indian Fine Wool (Agra, Jaipur)1.8×
Chinese Hand-knotted1.5×
Machine-made0.8×

Silk is not an origin category — for silk rugs, select the rug's geographic origin above and select "Pure Silk" as the material below. These are simplified origin categories for self-service use. Certified appraisals use a 106-entry city-specific origin taxonomy — see the Appraisal Standard.

Pillar 2

Material

Pure Silk (pile and foundation) 2.5×
Silk Highlights on Wool Pile 1.8×
Fine Wool (most common) 1.0×
Wool / Cotton Blend 0.7×
Synthetic / Polypropylene 0.4×

Pure Silk here reflects the material premium — for silk rugs, select the geographic origin above and Pure Silk as the material. Origin and material are never both a "silk" selection; stacking a silk premium at both pillars double-counts the same characteristic.

Pillar 3

Age

Antique — 100+ years (pre-1925) 2.8×
Semi-antique — 50–99 years (1925–1975) 2.0×
Vintage — 25–49 years (1975–2000) 1.4×
Modern — 10–24 years 1.1×
New — under 10 years 1.0×
Pillar 5

Knot Density (KPSI)

Museum — 500–800+ KPSI 3.0×
Fine — 200–499 KPSI 2.0×
Medium — 80–199 KPSI 1.2×
Coarse — 40–79 KPSI 0.8×
Tribal — under 40 KPSI 0.6×
Pillar 4

Condition — Damage Selector

Unlike a Certified Appraisal, where the appraiser assigns a single grade directly, the Valuation Snapshot derives the condition grade from 10 structured damage categories. This keeps the self-serve tool reproducible without a human inspection.

Damage CategorySeverity → Grade
Pile WearNone→A · Minor→B · Moderate→C · Significant→D · Severe→E
Moth / Carpet BeetleNone→A · Minor→C · Moderate→D · Severe→E · Critical→F
Dye BleedNone→A · Minor→C · Moderate→D · Severe→E
Water DamageNone→A · Minor→A · Moderate→D · Severe→F
Edge Wear / SelvedgeNone→A · Minor→B · Moderate→C · Severe→D
Fringe DamageNone→A · Cosmetic→B · Structural→D
Holes / TearsNone→A · Minor→C · Moderate→D · Severe→E · Critical→F
StainingNone→A · Minor→B · Moderate→C · Severe (pet/urine)→E · Severe (chemical)→E
Sun FadingNone→A · Minor→A · Moderate→C · Severe→D
Previous Repairs (grade delta, not a standalone grade)None→0 · Professional (high quality)→0 · Professional (visible, competent)→−1 · Amateur (mismatched thread)→−2 · Amateur (glued patch)→−2, flags structural concern · Amateur (sewn-on fringe)→−1 · Amateur (wrong-material edge stitching)→−1

Derivation rule: the lowest (worst) grade across the 9 non-repair categories becomes the active grade — not an average. Previous Repairs then applies its delta to that grade, except no further drop is applied if the active grade is already E or F.

Valuation Confidence

How certain is the number?

The Valuation Snapshot widens its displayed value range as more pillar inputs go unanswered. This is an internal indicator of input completeness, not a statistical confidence interval or a certified margin of error.

Unknown InputsRange Width
0 unknownNarrowest
1 unknownModerate
2 or more unknownWidest
Unknown Input Handling

Conservative fallbacks

Selecting "Unknown / Not sure" for a pillar applies a conservative baseline multiplier rather than blocking the estimate, and counts toward the confidence band above.

PillarFallback Multiplier
Origin1.8×
Material0.7×
Age1.1×
Knot Density (KPSI)1.2×

Condition has no "unknown" fallback — the damage selector always requires all 10 categories to be answered, so a condition grade is always derived, never defaulted.

Derived Values

From midpoint to value bands

ValueMultiplierNotes
Resale Value× 1.0The resale_midpoint itself
Retail Replacement× 2.2Cost to replace at retail
Auction Estimate× 0.75Expected hammer price
Insurance Replacement Value (IRV)Not shown in self-serve output — requires a Certified Appraisal
Limitations

What this tool is not

This is a formula estimate, not a certified appraisal. Values reflect self-reported inputs — accuracy depends on the accuracy of your selections.

Not valid for insurance, legal, estate, IRS, or court purposes.

Need a document that holds up?

For insurance, estate, legal, or IRS use, request a RICA Certified Appraisal instead.