Quick answer
For a fit-out finance call, have the builder or shopfitter's quotes and payment schedule, your lease details (especially time remaining and any landlord contribution), the opening or completion date, and a simple explanation of how the new space lifts revenue or cuts costs. The specialist will ask about the lease, staged payments and security, because a fit-out usually can't be taken back and resold.
Key points
- Lease length is central — the fit-out has to earn its keep before the lease ends.
- Bring every quote and the builder's staged payment schedule.
- Fit-outs have little resale value, so security and trading strength matter.
- Ask whether funds can be drawn in stages to match invoices.
A new fit-out can transform a business: a café that finally has room for a proper kitchen, a salon with two more chairs, a clinic with a second treatment room, a showroom that customers actually want to walk into. It’s also one of the harder things to finance, for a simple reason — once the joinery is built into someone else’s building, it can’t easily be taken back.
That’s why a fit-out call is as much about the lease and the business as it is about the builder’s quote.
What will the specialist ask?
- What’s the total fit-out cost, and who’s doing the work?
- How is it being paid? Deposit, progress payments at stages, final payment on completion.
- How long is left on the lease, and are there options to renew?
- Is the landlord contributing anything? A contribution, a rent-free period, or works they’re paying for.
- When will you open or be back to full trading?
- How does the new space lift revenue or cut costs?
- What equipment is part of the job? Ovens, chairs, refrigeration and similar items may be treated differently from built-in joinery.
What should I have ready?
| Have ready | Why |
|---|---|
| Builder or shopfitter quotes | The amount and scope |
| Payment schedule with stages and dates | When cash needs to be available |
| Lease, including term and options | Shows how long the fit-out has to pay for itself |
| Landlord incentive details, if any | Reduces the amount or improves cash flow |
| Opening or completion date | Sets the timeline and any trading gap |
| Separate quotes for freestanding equipment | May suit a different type of finance |
| A simple before-and-after revenue picture | Explains why the investment makes sense |
The call-prep tool builds a version of this for your amount and state.
When the quotes and lease are in hand, request your fit-out call-back.
Why does lease length matter so much?
Picture two businesses spending the same amount on the same fit-out:
| Business A | Business B | |
|---|---|---|
| Lease remaining | 7 years plus a 5-year option | 18 months, no option |
| Time for fit-out to pay off | Plenty | Very little |
| Likely lender view | Comfortable, subject to trading | Cautious — may need property security or a lease extension first |
Illustrative example only.
If your lease is short, it can be worth negotiating an extension or new option with the landlord before the finance conversation. A longer lease often makes a fit-out far easier to fund.
How is fit-out finance usually structured?
It depends on the business and the security available:
- Unsecured or cash-flow finance for trading businesses, typically $5,000 to $500,000, sized on turnover and bank statements.
- Property-secured loans from $20,000 to $5,000,000, where you own residential or commercial property — often the strongest option for larger fit-outs.
- Equipment finance for freestanding items within the job, such as commercial kitchen equipment, which may be secured on the items themselves.
A mix is common. business.gov.au’s guidance on leasing versus buying equipment is useful background for the equipment part of the job — and our equipment call prep covers what to have ready.
What about the trading gap?
Many fit-outs mean closing or trading at reduced capacity for a while. Rent, wages and loan repayments may continue while revenue dips. Build that gap into a simple cash flow forecast — business.gov.au’s free template works well — and share it on the call. It shows the specialist you’ve thought beyond the builder’s final invoice.
What should I ask before signing?
- Can funds be drawn in stages to match the builder’s invoices?
- When do repayments start — during the works, or after opening?
- What security do you need, given the fit-out itself can’t be resold?
- What’s the total cost in dollars, including all fees?
- If trading after the fit-out beats forecast, can I repay early?
Our page on personal guarantees and security covers the security questions in more depth.
What do lenders look for in the business itself?
Because the fit-out can’t be taken back, the specialist will look hard at the business that will trade from the new space. Expect questions about:
- Current trading. Recent bank statements show whether the business already carries its costs comfortably.
- The uplift. More covers, more chairs, more treatment rooms, a better location — what changes in revenue, and how confident are you in the numbers?
- Your track record. Have you done a fit-out before? Did it deliver what you expected?
- The fallback. If the new space takes longer to ramp up than planned, how does the business meet repayments in the meantime?
A short written summary helps here. Something like: “Adding six seats and a second coffee station. Currently turning away customers at weekends. Expect weekend takings to rise once the work is done, based on what we’re missing now.” It gives the specialist a reason to believe the numbers, not just the numbers themselves.
If you’re relocating rather than refitting, add the costs of the move itself — bond, make-good on the old premises, overlapping rent — to your budget. They’re easy to forget and they land at exactly the wrong time.
Ready to talk about the fit-out?
A fit-out is an investment in how the business will look and earn for years, and the first call is about making sure the finance fits the lease, the timeline and the business. Asking won’t touch your credit file, your details stay with one team rather than a pile of lenders, and a real specialist reads your request first.
Please enter the fit-out cost, lease details, your state and any property you own accurately — it’s how we match you properly first time. Pick your window and we’ll ring you.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the lease matter so much for fit-out finance?
Because the fit-out is attached to premises you don't own. If the lease ends before the fit-out has paid for itself, the business may lose the benefit while still repaying the loan. Lenders look closely at time remaining and options to renew.
Can a landlord contribution reduce what I need to borrow?
Yes. Some landlords contribute to a fit-out or offer a rent-free period, especially on a new lease. Mention any incentive on the call, as it changes the amount and the cash flow.
Can the fit-out itself be the security?
Usually not in any meaningful way, because built-in fixtures are hard to remove and resell. Freestanding equipment within the fit-out may be different. Expect the conversation to cover trading strength, property security or both.
What if the builder's quote goes up mid-project?
Ask the builder about variations and contingency up front, and tell the specialist if there's a buffer in the budget. It's easier to plan for overruns before the work starts.
Is a fit-out loan different for a business I've just bought?
The questions overlap with buying a business: lease, experience and the business's trading history. Our buying-a-business call prep covers those in detail.