Tradie Finance Australia
Industries › Tradie Finance
Your Bank Sees a Sole Trader.
We See the Tradie.
We See the Tradie.
Utes, vans, tools, trailers, and home loans — structured for tradies who need a broker that actually understands how the trades work.
$10K
to $500K+ deals
24hr
Indicative terms
Low Doc
& Full doc pathways
All-in-One
Ute to home loans
Switchboard Finance · Credit Representative 576702 · Finsure ACL 384704
Where are you?
Wherever you are on the tools, we've been there with someone like you.
Tell us where your trade business is at — we'll map the right structure from there.
First ute, first tools.
You've got the ABN, you've picked up your first few jobs, and now you need a proper work ute and a decent set of tools. The bank wants two years of tax returns you don't have. Low doc pathways let you finance from day one — chattel mortgage structures keep repayments predictable while the business is young.
Scaling the gear.
You've got a full week of jobs, maybe an apprentice starting. You need a van upgrade, a trailer, better power tools, maybe a second vehicle. But the bank wants full financials and you're trading through a trust. Specialist lenders assess the asset and your bank statements — not a rigid paper trail. If your credit file has marks from a slow period, there are pathways for that too.
Cashflow & working capital.
This is where tradies get stuck. Materials cost money upfront. Clients pay 14–30 days late. BAS is due and there's a gap between what's earned and what's in the account. A line of credit smooths the dips. Working capital bridges the gap between BAS quarters. This isn't generic cashflow — it's tradie working capital.
Property & home loans.
You're past gear. You want to buy your first home — but the bank won't recognise tradie income through a trust. One Doc Home Loans use your most recent BAS instead of two years of tax returns. Buy the workshop you've been leasing through commercial property. Unlock equity through private lending. One broker across all of it.
What are you financing?
Every piece of gear 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.
Ute finance
Hilux, Ranger, Triton, D-MAX, Amarok — new or used, dealer or private sale. Most common tradie deal: 5-year chattel mortgage, low doc, settled in days. The ute is your office.
See finance optionsVan & service vehicle finance
Service vans, pantech bodies, canopied utes with shelving and racks. Registered vehicles go through vehicle finance — often cheaper than asset finance. Fitout can be bundled or split.
See finance optionsSecond vehicle / apprentice ute
Growing the crew means another vehicle. Low doc, fast approvals. Doesn't need to be brand new — used utes finance well through specialist lenders.
See finance optionsPower tools & hand tools
Milwaukee, Makita, DeWalt, Hilti — drills, saws, grinders, impact drivers. Individual tools or full kits. Often bundled with the ute deal. Instant asset write-off structures available.
See finance optionsSpecialist equipment
Scaffolding, pipe threaders, electrical testers, welders, pressure washers, compressors. Trade-specific gear that makes you faster and lets you take bigger jobs.
See finance optionsMini excavator & small plant
Mini excavators, bobcats, dingo machines — for landscapers, plumbers, and concreters crossing into small earthworks. Asset finance pathways, chattel mortgage or lease.
See finance optionsEnclosed trailer & box trailer
Tool trailers, enclosed box trailers, tradesman trailers with custom racking. Keep your gear locked up overnight. Finance standalone or bundled with the ute.
See finance optionsPlant trailer & car carrier
Plant trailers for mini excavators, car carriers for vehicle transport. Tandem or tri-axle. New or used. Often financed alongside the machine it carries.
See finance optionsCanopy, toolbox & fitout
Ute canopies, underbody toolboxes, roof racks, bull bars, drawer systems. Can be financed with the ute or as a separate asset facility. Factory-fit vs aftermarket matters for valuations.
See finance optionsBeyond gear
Cashflow, property & specialist lending for tradies.
Gear is half the picture. Tradie businesses need cashflow to cover materials, property to stop renting, and lending pathways banks won't offer sole traders.
💰
Working capital loans
Bridge the gap between buying materials and getting paid. Cover wages, suppliers, and BAS without touching personal savings.
🔄
Business line of credit
Revolving facility for the slow weeks. Draw down when clients pay late, pay back when the invoice lands. Only pay interest on what you use.
📄
Invoice finance
For tradies with commercial clients or builders who pay on 30-day terms. Turn unpaid invoices into same-day cash without chasing.
⚡
Caveat loans
Need $30K–$300K in 24–48 hours? Caveat loans against property for urgent material deposits, insurance renewals, or time-critical gear.
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Commercial property
Buy the workshop, the yard, the shed. Low doc pathways for self-employed tradies. Stop paying rent on space you should own.
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Bad credit business loans
Banks decline tradies based on industry code alone. If your credit file has marks from a slow winter but the jobs are flowing — there are pathways.
Your home loan too
Already sorted your ute? There's one more thing the bank won't help with.
Most equipment brokers only handle asset deals. Most mortgage brokers don't understand tradie 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 tradies with trusts, company distributions, or complex structures, alt doc verification pathways are also available.
40+
articles for tradies
Tradie Cashflow Stack After 4.10% RBA
Tradie Working Capital Loan Sizing
Bad Credit Business Loans: 4 Lender Paths
LOC vs Overdraft vs Credit Card
Latest reads
Estimate your repayments
See what your ute and gear could cost.
Adjust the sliders to get an indicative monthly estimate. Every tradie deal is different — this gives you a starting point.
Asset value$40,000
Deposit$4,000 (10%)
Loan term
Structure
Indicative estimate
Est. monthly
$712
Total cost
$42,720
Financed
$36,000
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
Are we a fit?
Who this works for — and who it might not.
We're not for everyone. Here's how we think about fit so nobody wastes time.
Established tradie (12+ months)
$10K – $200K
On the tools for at least a year, BAS lodged, bank statements show consistent work. Upgrading the ute, adding tools, or smoothing cashflow. Fast approvals, best rates, most structure options.
New tradie (under 12 months)
$5K – $100K
Brand new ABN, just finished your apprenticeship, need the ute and tools to start. Fewer lenders, higher deposits, but still doable. We route new tradies to ABN-day-one lenders who get it.
Growing crew (2+ vehicles)
$50K – $500K+
Multiple vehicles, apprentices, maybe a workshop. Equipment across entities, working capital for materials, commercial property for the shed. Complex but exactly what we're set up for.
Subcontractor / civil crossover
$30K – $300K
Subcontracting to builders, doing small civil jobs, need a mini excavator alongside the ute. Asset finance for the machine, vehicle finance for the ute. Often bundled.
We work with business owners and self-employed tradies only — not PAYG employees. If you're still an employee thinking about going out on your own, get in touch and we'll tell you straight whether there's a pathway.
Real deal scenarios
How tradie deals actually move through our process.
These are based on real deal structures we've arranged. Names changed, details representative.
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Jake — First ute + tools bundle
Hilux + tool kit · $72K · Chattel mortgage
Jake finished his sparky apprenticeship and went sole trader. 4-month ABN, no trading history but strong personal credit. Needed a new Hilux ($58K) and a Milwaukee tool kit ($14K). Bank said no. We structured the ute on vehicle finance (cheaper rate for registered vehicles) and the tools on a separate asset facility — both low doc, 10% deposit combined.
Day 0 — Dealer quote + tool invoice + 3 months personal bank statements
Day 1 — Both facilities indicatively approved
Day 3 — Docs signed, deposit paid
Day 5 — Ute collected, tools delivered
New ABNVehicle + asset split10% deposit
🚐
Sam — Service van upgrade
Custom van + fitout · $95K · Finance lease
Sam's a plumber running a crew of three. Needed a custom service van with shelving, on-board hot water, pipe racks — total $95K including the fitout. Trading through a trust, 3 years of BAS history. We structured the van and factory-fit accessories as one vehicle finance facility. The aftermarket fitout (shelving, racks) went on a separate short asset facility to avoid valuation haircuts on the vehicle deal.
Day 0 — Van quote + fitout spec + 6 months bank statements
Day 2 — Both facilities conditionally approved
Day 5 — Docs signed
Day 14 — Van delivered, fitout installed
Trust structureVan + fitout splitFinance lease
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Lisa — Cashflow bridge + trailer
LOC + enclosed trailer · $60K + $18K
Lisa's a landscaper with a strong book of residential clients. Problem: she buys materials upfront ($8K–$15K per job) and doesn't get paid for 3–4 weeks. She also needed an enclosed trailer ($18K) to stop tools getting stolen overnight. We set up a $60K line of credit for materials and wages, plus a chattel mortgage on the trailer — both settled the same week.
Day 0 — 6 months bank statements + trailer quote
Day 1 — LOC conditionally approved, trailer approved
Day 3 — Both docs signed
Day 5 — LOC drawn, trailer collected
Dual facilityCashflow + assetSame-week settlement
Common questions
Questions tradies ask before they apply.
Straight answers. No jargon.
Yes. Several lenders on our panel accept day-one ABNs for vehicle finance. You'll typically need a 10–20% deposit and strong personal credit, but the pathway exists. Most tradies starting out get approved this way.
For most tradie deals: a clear quote from the dealer, 3–6 months of business bank statements, and your ABN. That's it for low doc. Adding your last two BAS lodgements helps get better rates. No tax returns needed for low doc pathways.
Yes — but the cleanest approach is to split them. The ute goes on vehicle finance (cheaper rates for registered vehicles). Tools and trailer go on asset finance. We submit them simultaneously so everything settles together, but the structures are optimised for each asset type.
Indicative terms within 24 hours of submitting a complete pack. Formal approval typically 2–5 business days. Clean files with itemised quotes settle fastest — vague "package" quotes slow everything down.
No. We don't run a credit check to give you indicative terms. A credit check only happens after you've agreed to proceed and we submit to a lender. Enquiring costs you nothing and doesn't touch your credit file.
That's the whole point. Line of credit for materials, working capital for BAS gaps, One Doc Home Loans for tradies the bank won't touch. One broker from ute to home loan — you don't need three different people.
Ready to finance your next ute, tools, or trailer?
No credit check to enquire. We respond same day. One broker from ute to home loan.
Switchboard Finance Pty Ltd · ABN 29 691 892 289 · Credit Representative 576702 · Authorised under Finsure Group Pty Ltd · Australian Credit Licence 384704
General information only — not financial advice. All applications subject to lender criteria and assessment.
General information only — not financial advice. All applications subject to lender criteria and assessment.
© 2026 Switchboard Finance Pty Ltd. ABN 29 691 892 289. Credit Representative 576702 is authorised under Australian Credit Licence 384704 (Finsure Group Pty Ltd). All finance applications are subject to lender criteria, terms, and conditions. Information on this page is general in nature and does not constitute financial advice. Switchboard Finance does not guarantee approval or specific rates.
Get an indicative quote
No credit check. We respond same day. Tell us what you need and we'll map the best structure.