Industries · tradies & construction
Finance for the trade. From your first ute to your fifth crew.
Trades and construction work runs on project rhythm: invoice, wait, get paid, fund the next job. Equipment is heavy, the team scales by crew, and lender appetite varies sharply by trading history and ABN tenure.
How tradies & construction financing actually works
Cashflow patterns and lender appetite.
Trades and construction work runs on project rhythm: invoice, wait, get paid, fund the next job. Equipment is heavy, the team scales by crew, and lender appetite varies sharply by trading history and ABN tenure.
We work with specialist asset financiers for vehicles and equipment, fast-decision unsecured lenders for working capital between progress payments, and invoice financiers for subbies on long head-contractor terms.
Common products for this industry
Where the money tends to come from.
Sub-product · live
Chattel mortgage
The default structure for buying a ute, machinery, or fit-out kit.
Read moreSub-product · live
Unsecured business loans
Bridge between progress payments without putting the house on the line.
Read moreSub-product · live
Invoice discounting
Get paid on day 1, not day 60, on long head-contractor terms.
Read morePillar
Asset & equipment finance
Chattel mortgage, lease, hire purchase across vehicles and gear.
Read moreSub-product · live
Caveat loans
Time-critical settlements where you need the deposit cleared this week.
Read more
Industry lender programs
Specialist appetite for tradies & construction.
- Pepper Asset Finance
- Angle Finance
- Metro Finance
- Liberty Commercial
- Prospa
- Moula
- Scottish Pacific
These lenders run programs or have specialist teams for this industry. Specific deal fit still depends on your business profile.
Anonymised case studies
Recent tradies & construction situations.
Anonymised to protect client identity. Real shapes of deals we've helped place.
Case study
Sole-trader sparkie buying a $65K ute
SituationTwo years ABN history, GST registered, looking to upgrade from a cash-bought van to a fitted ute.
What fitChattel mortgage, $65K, 5-year term with a 30% balloon, GST claimed back in the next BAS.
OutcomeApproval in 24 hours, weekly repayments aligned with subby pay schedule, depreciation managed by the accountant.
Case study
Roofing crew funding payroll between jobs
SituationThree-crew roofing business, $60K weekly payroll, head contractor on 60-day terms.
What fit$200K invoice discounting facility against the receivables ledger, confidential to clients.
Outcome85% advance on each invoice within 24 hours of issuance, payroll smoothed without an overdraft.
Industry questions
Common questions from tradies & construction operators.
Can I get equipment finance without two years of ABN history?
Yes, several specialist lenders accept newer ABNs, particularly when there is documented prior PAYG experience in the same trade. Pricing is typically higher and the asset usually needs to be new or near-new. We pre-screen which lenders fit before we apply.
Subby on long head-contractor terms, what should I look at?
Confidential invoice discounting is usually the cleanest option. Your customer continues paying you directly, you draw against the invoice as soon as it issues. Set-up takes 1 to 2 weeks; ongoing operation is largely self-service through the financier's portal.
I want to buy my workshop premises. Owner-occupier or investment?
If your business operates from it, owner-occupier is the right structure. Lenders price these tighter than investment commercial because risk is strategically aligned. Common structures involve a holding company or trust owning the property and leasing to your operating entity for tax efficiency, ask your accountant first.
What's the difference between dealer finance and broker finance for a ute?
Dealer finance is convenient but usually a single lender with a single rate. Broker finance compares multiple specialist lenders against your specific situation. For a sole trader or new ABN, broker finance often returns a meaningfully better rate; for an established business buying through a long-running dealer relationship, the difference can be small.
Cashflow is tight before BAS. What are my options?
A short-term unsecured business loan from a fintech ($5K to $500K, 6 to 36 months) covers most BAS-period gaps. Cost is real (12 to 30% effective p.a.) but settlement is fast. Alternatives are an overdraft (cheaper but slower to set up) or invoice finance (best if the issue is debtor delays rather than tax timing).
Industry brief
Twenty minutes on the tradies & construction situation.
Tell us where the business is at and what's on the table. We'll come back with a lender shortlist tuned to your industry, or an honest signal that this isn't the right product yet.