Finance question
How do I finance a shop fit-out?
You fund it with asset finance rather than cash. A shop fit-out can be financed up to $500,000, often low-doc or no-doc, and spread over a term so the build is paid off as the shop trades instead of draining your working capital.
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The short answer
Pay for the fit-out as the shop earns
A fit-out is a real asset, so it can be financed the same way a vehicle or a machine is. Instead of paying tens of thousands up front, you borrow against the build and repay it over a term, keeping your cash free for stock, staff and the opening. The finance is secured by the fit-out itself, so the deal rests on the asset rather than only on your trading history.
Approvals are quick. Equipment and fit-out finance often runs low-doc or no-doc, so many deals are approved inside 24 to 48 hours without full financials. That matters when a lease is signed and the clock is running on getting the doors open before you start paying rent on an empty shell.
Ventas is a broker across 40+ lenders, not a single bank with one policy. Fit-out lending sits up to $500,000, and we match your trade, your timeline and your paperwork to the lender most likely to fund it, subject to lender assessment. There is no upfront fee to you; the lender pays us on settlement, so our job is to structure the deal and get it approved on the right terms.
Do you qualify?
What a shop fit-out deal usually needs.
A retail space
A leased or owned shop to fit out.
An active ABN
Sole traders and companies both qualify.
A fit-out scope
Quotes for the build, joinery, lighting and shopfront.
Low-doc friendly
Many deals settle without full financials.
Why finance the fit-out instead of paying cash
Cash stays working
Your capital funds stock and opening costs, not the build.
Fast to approve
Low-doc and no-doc deals often clear in 24 to 48 hours.
One asset, one loan
The whole fit-out is funded together and secured by itself.
A real example
A retailer signs a lease and needs $80,000 for shelving, counters and a new shopfront. Rather than drain savings, the fit-out is financed low-doc and approved inside 48 hours, then repaid over a term while the shop trades. Illustrative only.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Can I finance the whole fit-out?
Usually yes. Joinery, shelving, lighting and the shopfront can be funded together up to $500,000, secured by the fit-out.
Do I need financials?
Often no. Many fit-out deals run low-doc or no-doc, so full financials are not always required.
How fast can it be approved?
Many equipment and fit-out deals are approved within 24 to 48 hours, subject to lender assessment.
Do I have to own the shop?
No. Leaseholders can finance a fit-out; you do not need to own the premises.