The way I see it is that the code to test if a GUI element is properly formed is basically the same code that would just properly form the element in the first

The way I see it is that the code to test if a GUI element is properly formed is basically the same code that would just properly form the element in the first place. So by automatically testing the GUI you are basically just repeating yourself over and over. Not to mention that when you want to improve the usability by rearranging things, it will be twice as hard to do if you need to change both the code and the tests. Unless you have to render something pixel-perfect, it is probably not worth it to write automated tests. A human can look at your screens and verify that they aren't (or are) completely crap fairly quickly. Ultimately humans will be the ones finding bugs in your software, and when they find UI layout bugs it should be immediately obvious by looking at the code what is wrong. If it isn't then you might need to separate UI from the rest of the gunk better.