Finance for shopfitting and fit-out
A fit-out is worth a great deal to the business using it and almost nothing to anyone else. That single fact shapes how it has to be funded.
Request a callback- Commonly funded
- Interiors, signage, refurbishment
- Typical facilities
- Soft asset finance, term loans
- Lender focus
- Trading strength, not the asset
This page describes what businesses in this sector typically fund and what lenders generally look for. It is not a recommendation, and what is available to you depends on your own circumstances.
About shopfitting & fit-out
Fit-out spending is the classic soft asset problem. Once a counter is installed, a floor is laid and the lighting is in, none of it can meaningfully be repossessed and sold. Funders therefore cannot rely on the asset, and have to lend against how the business trades instead.
That does not make it unfundable — a good refit usually pays for itself in increased trade, and specialist lenders will back it. But it does mean your accounts, your bank statements and often a personal guarantee carry the weight that equipment would carry elsewhere. Expect the questions to be about the business, not the fittings.
What is typically funded
- Retail interiors, counters, shelving, display and lighting.
- Commercial kitchens, bars, seating and front-of-house refurbishment.
- Office fit-out, partitioning, furniture and cabling.
- External signage, shopfronts and awnings.
- Full site refurbishment ahead of opening or rebranding.
How to improve your chances
- Show what the refit is expected to do for trade, with numbers behind it.
- Separate genuine equipment from pure fit-out — the equipment portion is easier to fund.
- Have the lease sorted, with enough term remaining to justify the investment.
- Get a detailed contractor quote rather than a single round-number estimate.
- Be prepared for a personal guarantee, which is close to standard on soft asset lending.
Frequently asked
Why is fit-out harder to fund than machinery?
Because there is nothing to recover if it goes wrong. A machine can be collected and sold; a fitted interior cannot. Lenders price for that, so expect a higher rate and more emphasis on your trading history than on the works themselves.
Can I fund a refit of premises I lease?
Yes, and most fit-out funding is on leased premises. Lenders will want to see enough lease term left to cover the agreement, so a refit funded over five years sits awkwardly against a lease with two years to run.
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We will tell you which funders lend into your industry, and roughly what they are likely to say.
