Construction & Builder Finance Australia
Industries › Construction & Builder Finance
Your Bank Sees Construction.
We See the Builder.
We See the Builder.
Excavators, tippers, project finance, and home loans — structured for builders and contractors who need a broker that actually understands construction.
$50K
to $5M+ deals
24hr
Indicative terms
Low Doc
& Full doc pathways
All-in-One
Equipment to home loans
Switchboard Finance · Credit Representative 576702 · Finsure ACL 384704
Where are you?
Wherever you are in the build, we've been there with someone like you.
Tell us where your business is at — we'll map the right structure from there.
First machine, first job.
You've got the ABN, the ute, and your first sub-contract. Now you need a bobcat or a mini excavator to stop hiring. Low doc, fast, no two years of financials required. Chattel mortgage structures keep repayments predictable while the business is young.
Scaling the fleet.
Won a bigger contract — maybe a council job, maybe a multi-stage residential build. You need another excavator, a tipper, maybe a crane on short notice. But the bank wants full financials and you're trading through a trust. Specialist lenders assess the asset and your cash flow — not a rigid paper trail. If your credit file has marks from a slow period, there are pathways for that too.
Project finance & cash flow.
This is where construction diverges from every other industry. Progress claims take 60 days. Retentions sit locked for 12 months. You need a caveat loan for urgent mobilisation capital — $50K–$500K in 24–48 hours against property. A line of credit smooths the gaps between claims. This isn't generic "cash flow" — it's project finance.
Development, property & home loans.
You're past equipment. You want to develop a multi-lot site — development finance with progress draw funding matched to your build timeline. Buy the yard you've been leasing. Unlock equity through private lending or a second mortgage. One broker across all of it.
What are you financing?
Every piece of equipment has a different finance structure that works best.
The difference between chattel mortgage, lease, and rental can cost you thousands in tax. We map it before the paperwork starts.
Excavator finance
Mini excavators to 30-tonne machines. New, used, or private sale. Chattel mortgage, lease, or rental with purchase option. Most common deal: 5-year chattel mortgage, low doc, settled in days.
See finance optionsCrane finance
Mobile cranes, tower cranes, crawler cranes. Specialist valuations apply. Larger deal sizes ($200K–$1M+). We know which lenders have crane appetite.
See finance optionsEarthmoving & civil plant
Graders, rollers, compactors, loaders, backhoes. Civil contractors scaling plant fleets. Balloon payments and instant asset write-off structures available.
See finance optionsTipper & truck finance
Tippers, concrete trucks, flatbeds, crane trucks. Registered vehicles go through vehicle finance pathways — sometimes cheaper than asset finance.
See finance optionsUte & light commercial
Dual-cab utes, vans, light trucks for site supervisors and subbies. Quick approvals, low doc pathways.
See finance optionsTrailer & transport
Float trailers, tilt trays, dog trailers. Often bundled with the prime mover for a single finance facility.
See finance optionsBobcat & skid steer
Bobcats, skid steers, compact track loaders. New and used. Common for residential builders and landscapers expanding into construction.
See finance optionsScaffolding, formwork & concrete
Scaffolding systems, concrete pumps, formwork, batch plants. Lower individual deal sizes but often bundled.
See finance optionsGenerators & site infrastructure
Generators, compressors, lighting towers, dust suppression. Site setup essentials — financed standalone or bundled with equipment.
See finance optionsConstruction finance calculator
Run the numbers before the conversation.
Indicative figures only. Your actual quote depends on the asset, your situation, and lender appetite.
Asset value$150,000
Deposit$15,000 (10%)
Loan term
Structure
Indicative estimate
Est. monthly
$2,670
Total cost
$160,216
Financed
$135,000
Tax structure
GST claimable ✓
Indicative only — based on standard rate assumptions. Actual terms on enquiry. No credit check at this stage.
Get an indicative quote →No credit check · No obligation · We respond same day
Project finance & property
Project finance, property & specialist lending for builders.
Equipment is half the picture. Construction businesses need project finance, property solutions, and lending pathways that banks don't offer.
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Development finance
Multi-lot subdivisions, townhouse projects, apartment builds. Progress draw funding matched to your build timeline. QS-verified drawdowns.
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Private lending & second mortgages
Own property? Unlock equity fast without refinancing your first mortgage. Mobilisation capital, site deposits, or while waiting on a bank approval.
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Caveat loans
Need $50K–$500K in 24–48 hours? Caveat loans against property for urgent mobilisation, deposit shortfalls, or time-critical site acquisition.
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Bad credit business loans
Banks decline construction businesses based on industry code alone. If your credit file has marks but the business is performing — there are pathways.
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Business line of credit
Revolving facility for ongoing cash flow management. Draw down when progress claims are late, pay back when they land.
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Commercial property
Buy the yard, the depot, the workshop. Low doc pathways for self-employed builders. Up to 80% LVR through specialist lenders.
Your home loan too
Already sorted your equipment? There's one more thing the bank won't help with.
Most construction finance brokers only handle equipment and business loans. Most mortgage brokers don't understand construction income. We do both.
One Doc Home Loan
Use your most recent BAS instead of two years of tax returns. Same houses, same rates — different documentation pathway. For builders with trusts, company distributions, or complex structures, alt doc verification pathways are also available.
25+
articles for construction businesses
Performance Bonds & Bank Guarantees for Civil Contractors
Wet Hire vs Dry Hire: Proof Pack for Civil Plant Finance
Excavator vs Bobcat Finance for Tradies
Progress Claim Cashflow for Small Builders
Latest reads
Is this for you?
Built for construction. Not adapted from a template.
Stronger fit
Residential builders$100K–$2M
Building 3–8+ homes a year. Excavators, tippers, bobcats, progress claim gaps.
Civil contractors$150K–$1M+
Earthmoving, road construction, drainage, utilities. Bigger plant fleets, council/government contracts.
Earthmoving operators$50K–$400K
Owner-operators with 1–5 machines. Practical, low doc, fast approval.
Construction company owners$500K–$5M+
Multi-entity businesses with equipment, property, development, and personal finance needs.
Probably not the right fit
× Owner-builder building your own home — see construction loan guides
× PAYG employee buying investment property — residential mortgage broker territory
× General trades (electricians, plumbers, painters) — see Tradie Finance Hub
× Trucking or transport businesses — see Truckie Finance Hub
× Café or hospitality businesses — see Café Finance Hub
Real deals
Deals we structure every week.
Click to see how each deal unfolded.
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Jake — Civil contractor adding an excavator
Equipment · Civil · Low doc
Jake runs a civil earthmoving business in western Melbourne. Won a drainage contract that needs a 14-tonne excavator. Bank said come back with two years of company financials. Jake's been trading 18 months — strong revenue but doesn't have two full tax years. We structured a low doc chattel mortgage through a specialist lender using 6 months of bank statements. Settled in 4 days.
EnquiryLender matchedApprovedSettled — Day 4
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Sarah — Equipment + development finance + home loan
Equipment + Development + Home loan
Sarah's building company does 6 homes a year. Needed a new tipper — equipment finance, settled in a week. Three months later she came back for development finance on a 4-lot subdivision. $1.2M facility, progress draw structure matched to her build timeline, QS-verified drawdowns. While that was running, we sorted her home loan through One Doc — her BAS was strong but the bank wouldn't touch construction income through a trust. Three products, one broker, six months.
EnquiryEquipment settledDev finance approvedHome loan — Month 6
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Marco — Excavator + caveat loan for mobilisation
Equipment + Caveat · Low doc
Marco's been running a bobcat for 3 years. Steady work, good reputation, minimal paperwork. First deal: a 5-tonne excavator — low doc chattel mortgage using BAS and bank statements, balloon payment structure to keep repayments manageable. Settled in 5 days. Two months later he won a council drainage contract and needed $80K mobilisation capital in 48 hours. Caveat loan against his investment property, settled next business day. Exited with project revenue within 90 days.
EnquiryExcavator — Day 5Caveat — Day 1Exited — Month 3
Common questions
Construction finance FAQs.
Most construction businesses use a combination of: equipment finance (excavators, bobcats, cranes, plant), vehicle finance (tippers, trucks, crane trucks), project finance (development, caveat loans), working capital, and sometimes commercial property loans. The right broker covers all of these — not just one product.
Yes. Low doc excavator finance uses BAS, bank statements, or an accountant letter instead of full tax returns. Specialist lenders can approve and settle in days for standard equipment. ABN 12+ months and GST registration are the main requirements.
Banks typically require full financials, have slower approval times (2–6 weeks), and often decline construction businesses based on industry code alone. Specialist non-bank lenders assess the deal on the asset value, your cash flow, and time trading. Faster approvals, more flexible documentation, and construction-friendly policies.
Yes. One Doc home loans let self-employed builders use their most recent BAS instead of two years of tax returns. If your income is strong but your paperwork doesn't fit the bank's box — there are pathways designed specifically for construction income.
Yes. If you're building multi-lot subdivisions, townhouse projects, or small apartment developments, our development finance pathways cover site acquisition through to completion. Progress draw funding matched to your build timeline.
A caveat loan is short-term lending secured against property, typically settled in 24–48 hours. Construction businesses use them for urgent mobilisation capital, deposit shortfalls on site acquisitions, or when a bank approval is taking too long. They're exit-strategy-driven — you need a clear plan to repay within 1–12 months.
Low doc equipment finance through specialist lenders can be approved and settled in 2–5 days from complete submission. Larger or more complex deals (cranes, high-value plant) may take 1–2 weeks. The biggest factor in speed is having clean bank statements and current BAS ready.
That's exactly what Switchboard is built for. One broker conversation covers equipment finance, vehicle finance, development finance, caveat loans, commercial property, private lending, and home loans. We map everything together so the structures don't conflict and your borrowing capacity is optimised across all facilities.
Ready to go?
One broker. Every type of construction finance.
Whether you need an excavator this week or a development facility this quarter — start here.
Low Doc Asset FinanceVehicle FinanceDevelopment FinancePrivate LendingCaveat LoansCommercial PropertyBad Credit LoansChattel MortgageOne Doc Home LoansGlossary
FBAA Accredited · CRN 576702 · ABN 29 691 892 289 · Melbourne — lending Australia-wide · No credit check to enquire