Funding a fit-out or renovation

A new fit-out can lift sales, raise prices and make a business far more efficient. It also tends to cost more and take longer than expected, and the space usually earns less in its first few months than it will later. Good funding allows for all of that.

Build the full budget

A realistic fit-out budget includes:

• The build: builder, trades, materials, design and approvals.
• Equipment and fixtures: kitchen equipment, refrigeration, shelving, counters, signage.
• Contingency: for the surprises every renovation brings.
• Opening runway: wages, rent and stock while the new space builds up trade.
• Lost trading if you close during the works.

Owners who fund only the builder’s quote often find themselves borrowing again in a hurry six weeks after opening.

Matching funding to each part

Part of the project	Funding that fits
Commercial kitchen, refrigeration, machinery	Equipment finance
Building works, design, approvals	Term loan or property-secured funding
Opening stock and wages	Line of credit or working capital

Splitting the project this way often lowers the overall cost, because equipment finance secured on the assets is usually easier to arrange than unsecured funding for the same amount.

Already know roughly what you need? Tell us in about a minute. There is no credit check to enquire and your details are not passed around a panel of lenders.

Leased premises

If you lease, the length of the lease matters to lenders and to you. Funding a fit-out over five years in premises with two years left on the lease is risky. Negotiate options to renew, and ask about landlord contributions or rent-free periods before you commit.

Keep the business trading

Where possible, stage the works to keep trading. If you must close, plan the closure for your quietest period and tell customers well ahead. Funding the opening period properly is just as important as funding the build.

Opening a second site?

If the fit-out is for an additional location, read funding a second location, which covers the cash flow of running two sites while the new one finds its feet.

Quick recap

• Budget for the build, a contingency and slow opening months
• Equipment finance can cover fixtures and machinery
• Property-secured funding suits larger projects
• Match the term to the fit-out’s useful life

How the process runs

You send a 60-second enquiry with the amount, the purpose and a few facts about the business. A real person reads it, usually the same business day, and calls to fill in the gaps. For unsecured options they will ask for recent business bank statements, which can normally be shared through a secure read-only link. For property-secured options they will ask about the property and what is owed on it, with no valuation needed. You then see the offer in plain terms, including the total cost, and decide whether to go ahead. A credit check happens only at that point. If something about your situation is unusual, say so early; it is far easier to plan around a known issue than a surprise.

When borrowing helps, and when it does not

Not every cash problem is a funding problem. Sometimes the better fix is a conversation with a supplier, a payment plan with the ATO, chasing an overdue invoice or adjusting prices. Funding earns its place when it solves a timing gap or unlocks an opportunity worth more than its cost. We will tell you honestly which situation you are in.

Before you send the enquiry

Have these within reach and the process moves quickly, because each one answers a question the assessor would otherwise have to come back and ask:

• ABN, business structure and how long you have traded.
• Recent business bank statements, ideally shared online.
• What the money is for and how it will be repaid.
• Any tax debt, default or arrears you should mention up front.
• Contact details for anyone else who would need to sign.

A quick word on the enquiry form

Think of the enquiry as the brief for your funding. A clear brief gets a fast, accurate answer. Give the amount you genuinely need, the revenue your bank statements will show, an honest view of your credit and a straight yes or no on property, and we can match you to the right option on the first attempt.

Your next step

When you are ready, tell us what you need. Enquiring costs nothing and there is no credit check; a check only happens if you choose to go ahead with an offer. A real person reads every enquiry and calls you back, and we never auction your details to other lenders. One favour: fill in the form carefully. Honest figures for turnover, time trading and credit history let us match you properly the first time.