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Renovation and premises finance
Fit Out Loans for Australian Businesses
Explore finance for shop, office, clinic, hospitality or commercial fit outs, subject to lender approval and project details.
Fit out loans
Finance for business fit outs and renovations
Fit out loans can help Australian businesses upgrade premises, prepare a new location, improve customer areas, install fixtures or complete practical renovations. They are often used by retail, hospitality, medical, beauty, professional and trade businesses.
Fit out costs can arrive before the new space is producing income. Finance may help spread those costs while preserving cash for wages, stock, marketing and opening expenses.
Lenders may request quotes, invoices, lease details, business bank statements, ABN information, project scope and evidence that repayments are affordable.
A fit out loan is business finance used to fund premises improvements, fixtures, renovations or setup costs for an Australian business location.
How it works
Compare the details before you apply
Use these points to understand the loan purpose, likely documents, lender criteria and repayment fit before moving ahead.
Offices and clinics
Finance workstations, rooms, signage, fixtures and practical improvements.
Cash flow timing
Spread fit out costs while keeping cash available for launch or trading.
What can fit out finance cover?
Fit out finance may help with counters, shelving, workstations, signage, flooring, lighting, commercial kitchens, treatment rooms, office partitions or other business premises improvements.
Some items may be treated as equipment or assets, while others may be general business improvements. The structure depends on the lender and project details.
Clear quotes and a realistic project budget can help lenders understand the purpose and timing of the finance.
Preparing a fit out loan enquiry
Before applying, estimate the total project cost, expected opening or upgrade timeline, contractor details and how the fit out may support business revenue.
Lenders may also consider lease term, business history, cash flow, existing commitments and whether the business can continue trading during works.
Loanster can help turn the initial project need into a clear finance enquiry.
Fit-out finance: funding the space your customers walk into
A fit-out turns an empty shell into a shop, café, office or clinic that customers want to walk into. It's also one of the hardest purchases to fund, because most of what you're paying for gets screwed, glued or plumbed into someone else's building. Fit-out finance works differently from equipment finance for exactly that reason.
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What does a fit-out usually include?
- Structure: partitions, ceilings, shopfront glazing, accessible bathrooms.
- Services: electrical, data cabling, plumbing, air-conditioning, fire services.
- Finishes: flooring, paint, tiling, lighting.
- Joinery: counters, shelving, display units, reception desks, kitchen cabinetry.
- Signage and branding inside and out.
- Loose items: furniture, racks, display fridges, equipment.
Why is fit-out funding different?
Financiers that lend against equipment want something they can take back and sell. Most of a fit-out fails that test:
Joinery and counters: Could a lender resell it? Rarely; Typical funding Business loan
Partitions, ceilings, flooring: Could a lender resell it? No; Typical funding Business loan
Air-conditioning units: Could a lender resell it? Partly; Typical funding Business loan or equipment finance
Display fridges, coffee machine: Could a lender resell it? Yes; Typical funding Equipment finance or business loan
Furniture: Could a lender resell it? Some; Typical funding Business loan
So most fit-outs are funded with an unsecured business loan for smaller projects, or a property-backed loan for larger ones. Where the fit-out includes a full commercial kitchen, see commercial kitchen equipment finance for the parts that can be treated separately.
How do you size a fit-out loan sensibly?
Illustrative example. An Adelaide physiotherapist is moving into a vacant 140 square metre tenancy on a five-year lease. The quoted fit-out, with four treatment rooms, a gym area and reception, is about $180,000. The landlord agrees to a $30,000 contribution and three months rent-free. The physio stages the gym equipment until month four, borrows $135,000 including a contingency, and sets a four-year term so the loan is cleared a year before the lease ends.
- Get proper quotes from a builder or shopfitter, itemised.
- Add a contingency. Fit-outs commonly run over; 10 to 15 per cent is a sensible buffer.
- Subtract any landlord contribution. Ask before signing the lease, not after.
- Split essentials from extras. What do you need to open? What can wait three months?
- Check the lease term. The loan should be paid off before the lease ends.
What should you sort out before you start?
- The lease. Make-good obligations, the term, options to renew and who owns the fit-out at the end.
- Council and building approvals. Change of use, signage permits and fire compliance can add time.
- Trades and timeline. A delayed opening means rent and loan repayments without income.
- Working capital. The fit-out is only half the opening budget. Stock, wages and marketing need cash too.
How do you keep a fit-out from swallowing the business?
Use the purchase payback calculator to see how a fit-out stacks up against the extra revenue the space will bring.
- Choose durable, simple finishes over designer pieces for the first fit-out.
- Buy good second-hand furniture and fixtures where they won't be noticed.
- Open with what you need, then upgrade from profits.
- Don't let the builder's finance offer decide your structure for you; compare it.
What happens to the fit-out when the lease ends?
Read the lease before you design the fit-out. Many commercial leases include make-good clauses that require you to return the space to its original condition when you leave. That can mean paying to remove the very fit-out you financed. Before committing:
A five-year loan on a fit-out in a three-year lease with no option is a mismatch that can hurt. Getting the lease right is part of getting the funding right.
It's also worth checking who's responsible for maintaining fixtures like air-conditioning during the lease, since a major repair can arrive while you're still paying off the original installation.
- Ask what make-good requires, and whether the landlord will accept the fit-out staying.
- Negotiate an option to renew, so you have time to get full value from the fit-out.
- Find out whether the landlord would buy or keep any fit-out items at the end.
- Budget for make-good costs as a future liability.
Fitting out a new space?
A great fit-out can lift sales from the day you open. Let's fund it without leaving you short. Asking us doesn't involve a credit check; that only happens if you decide to go ahead. We don't send your details out to a long list of lenders. A real person reads your enquiry, looks at the quotes and the lease, and calls you with options.
Please be accurate about the total quote, your lease term and any landlord contribution so the first option we suggest fits. Start your fit-out enquiry.
Trust and process
Clear, secure finance enquiries
Loanster keeps the enquiry process straightforward: no credit check to enquire, a real person looks at your situation, and your details are not sprayed out to a pile of lenders.
Secure online enquiry
Personal details are submitted through a secure form and are not sent through URL query strings.
Australian business context
Enquiries can include ABN, BAS, ATO, bank statement and asset details where relevant.
Lender criteria apply
Approval, pricing, loan amounts and funding times depend on lender assessment.
Clear next steps
Loanster helps identify what information may be needed before a lender can make a decision.
Common questions
Fit Out Loans FAQs
Can I get a loan for a shop fit out?
Eligible shop fit out costs may be considered by business lenders, subject to quotes, business details and approval.
Do fit out loans require quotes?
Quotes or invoices are commonly requested because they help confirm the project cost and loan purpose.
Can startups apply for fit out finance?
Some newer businesses may be considered, but lenders usually need a clear plan, supporting information and evidence of repayment capacity.
Why can't I finance a fit-out the same way as equipment?
Equipment-secured finance relies on being able to repossess and resell the item. Joinery, plumbing, partitions and lighting are attached to the building and are worth little once removed. That's why fit-outs are usually funded with a business loan, unsecured or backed by property.
How long should fit-out finance run?
No longer than your remaining lease, and ideally shorter. If you move or the lease isn't renewed, the fit-out stays behind but the loan doesn't. Many businesses aim to clear it in three to five years.
Can the landlord help pay for the fit-out?
Often. Landlords may offer a fit-out contribution, a rent-free period or a stepped rent, especially for longer leases or vacant spaces. Negotiate this before you sign the lease; it can reduce how much you need to borrow.
Can I include furniture and equipment in a fit-out loan?
Yes. Bundling furniture, equipment and the fit-out into one loan is common and keeps things simple. Movable items like a coffee machine or computers could be financed separately if that suits better.
What if the fit-out runs over budget?
It often does. Build in a contingency, usually 10 to 15 per cent, and fund it upfront rather than scrambling for a second loan mid-build. Staging non-essential work until after opening also helps.
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Last reviewed: 10 November 2026
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