Fast fit-out finance: open the doors sooner

Why does fit-out finance need to be fast?

Because the meter is running. Most new leases start charging rent from a fixed date, sometimes after a short rent-free period, whether your doors are open or not. Every week the fit-out stalls is a week of rent, wages for staff you’ve hired and marketing spend with no revenue coming in. A builder waiting on a progress payment may also move your crew to another job.

For refurbishments of existing premises, the pressure is similar: every day closed for renovation is a day of lost sales.

What can fit-out finance pay for?

• Commercial kitchens, extraction and cool rooms
• Shopfronts, joinery, counters and shelving
• Clinic rooms, plumbing and specialist fit-outs for health practices
• Office partitions, data cabling and furniture
• Electrical, lighting and air-conditioning upgrades
• Signage and accessibility works

Equipment that goes into the fit-out, such as an espresso machine or dental chair, can be funded within the same loan.

Which route fits which project?

Project	Route	Speed possible
Small refresh, trading business	Unsecured business loan	Same day for smaller amounts
Mid-size fit-out, property owned	Caveat or second mortgage	Same day for $20k–$250k
Large fit-out or multi-site rollout	Property-secured loan	Up to $5m in 24–48 hours
Fit-out in premises you own	Commercial property loan	24–48 hours possible

What makes a fit-out loan move quickly?

Lenders want to see that the project is real, priced and achievable. The things that help most:

1. A written builder’s quote or fixed-price contract
2. The builder’s payment schedule (deposit, progress payments, completion)
3. Your lease, or at least the key terms such as length and rent
4. Any council or building approvals already granted
5. For existing businesses, recent bank statements

Fit-outs almost always throw up surprises: hidden services behind a wall, an extra compliance requirement, a supplier delay. Build in a contingency so you’re not back looking for money halfway through.

Illustrative example: a physiotherapist in Hobart is opening a second clinic. The fit-out quote is $160,000, payable in three stages over six weeks, and rent starts in two months. She owns a home with good equity. A second mortgage covers the full quote plus a contingency, with same-day funding possible, so the builder can start immediately.

Should I fund a fit-out unsecured?

For a smaller job in an established, steadily trading business, an unsecured loan can be quick and keeps property out of it. For larger projects, especially for a new site with no trading history of its own, property security is usually both faster and more realistic. A specialist will explain both.

Can the lender pay the builder directly?

Often, yes. Funds can be released to pay the builder’s deposit at settlement, with the balance going to your business account to meet later progress claims. Tell the specialist how your builder wants to be paid so the settlement is set up correctly.

What else should I plan for?

Opening costs beyond the fit-out: initial stock, a few weeks of wages before revenue builds, marketing and working capital for the first months. If you’re opening a new venue, read our pages on cafes and hospitality and retail shops for the cash patterns those businesses face in their first season.

Ready to get the builder started? Send your 60-second enquiry with the quote amount.

How do builder payment schedules affect the loan?

Fit-out builders commonly ask for a deposit, then progress payments at stages such as demolition, rough-in, lock-up and completion. Your funding has to match. Some owners borrow the full amount upfront and hold it in the business account to meet each claim. Others prefer a facility they draw on as claims arrive. Ask the specialist which approach suits the project and the security.

Whatever the structure, keep a simple tracker of the contract value, payments made, variations approved and the balance remaining. Variations are where fit-out budgets usually blow out, so approve them in writing and know their cost before the work is done.

Landlord contributions and incentives

In some leases, landlords contribute to the fit-out or offer rent-free periods as an incentive. If you have one, include it in your enquiry, because it affects how much you need to borrow and when. Check when the contribution is paid, as it is often only released once the fit-out is complete and certified, which may leave you funding the full cost in the meantime.

See if your fit-out can be funded fast

There’s no credit check when you first enquire, so asking won’t affect your file. We don’t send your details out to a crowd of lenders. A real person reads your enquiry, looks at the quote, the lease and your security, and calls you with the fastest workable route.

Please give the real quote amount, your state and any property you own on the form so we can match you properly first time. Check if you qualify.