WHO THIS IS FOR

Civil Contractor Finance Built for Australian Businesses

Civil contractors across Australia running head-contractor and sub-contract work on roads, subdivisions, council frameworks and infrastructure projects are knocked back by banks, stalled in single-lender queues, and locked into single products by dealer finance. Whether you're a tier-one civil head-contractor on motorway and rail upgrades, a tier-two sub-contractor on council works, an owner-operator stepping up to head-contracts, a regional civil specialist on shire frameworks, or a hire-out plant operator on day-rate civil work, we finance excavators, tippers, rollers, loaders, dozers and full plant packages on the contract income.

Your application goes to specialist civil and head-contractor lenders who assess site contracts, plant value and trading history directly, in one structured submission with no multi-lender credit hits.

  • Upgrading ageing plant or attachments Replace before maintenance costs outpace what a newer asset would be worth. Trade-in and replacement structured in one application.
  • Securing a new site or head contract Quote the work confident your pre-approval is locked in and the plant will be on site for day one.
  • Buying used, dealer or private sale Auction, dealer and private deals other lenders walk away from. We settle direct to the seller and handle the paperwork end to end.
  • Refinancing existing plant loans Free up monthly income cycle, restructure balloons before they're due, or consolidate multiple loans into one repayment.

HOW THE PROCESS WORKS

How Civil Contractor Finance Works in Australia

A simple, secure online application, with honest advice from a Australia specialist you can trust.
No pressure. No hit to your credit score.

01
Group (3)

Complete the Form in 60 Seconds

Tell us about your civil contracting business and the plant, equipment or vehicles you are financing through our secure online form.

02
Group (4)

Speak With a Civil Contractor Finance Specialist

An Australia-based civil contractor finance specialist reviews your situation and walks you through the documents needed for the lender match.

03
Frame (9)

Get Pre-Approved Over the Phone

You'll have a clear pre-approval often within 1 business day, with rate, term and repayment structure tailored to how your head-contractor income actually flows.

04
Group (5)

Settle the Loan
and Take Delivery

Your specialist sources the strongest matched offer and coordinates settlement with the dealer, private seller or auction house.

Get My Pre-Approval
60 second form. No impact on your credit score.

EQUIPMENT WE HELP FINANCE

Civil Plant Brands and Classes We Help Finance

From single-asset owner-operators to tier-one civil head-contractors. New, used, dealer and private-sale across every major brand on the Australian market.

Brands We Help Finance

  • Caterpillar
  • Komatsu
  • Hitachi
  • Volvo CE
  • Hyundai
  • JCB
  • Kobelco
  • Sumitomo
  • Doosan / Develon
  • Kubota
  • Bobcat
  • Case
  • Sany
  • Liebherr
  • Yanmar

Civil Plant Classes We Help Finance

  • Excavators

    5-tonne mini through to 80-tonne mining-class machines for civil works.

  • Dozers

    Track-type tractors for bulk earthworks, road construction and site prep.

  • Loaders

    Wheel loaders for civil supply, quarry work and bulk material handling.

  • Tippers + Tipper Trailers

    Civil-spec tippers, tipper combinations and quad-axle road train trailers.

  • Rollers + Compactors

    Smooth drum, pad-foot and multi-tyre rollers for road and earthworks compaction.

  • Telehandlers + Skid Steers

    Telehandlers, skid steers and compact tracked loaders for site mobilisation.

RECENT SETTLEMENTS

Real Results for Australian Civil Contractors

Civil contractor finance settled across 80+ Australian lenders, from owner-operators to tier-one head-contractors. ACL 389328.

"Tier-one motorway upgrade contract underwrote a five-machine plant order across excavators, tippers and a roller. Cody had us settled on one chattel mortgage with one credit decision and the package on a low-loader by Friday week."

Hayden, Project Manager
Tier-one civil

"Council framework for stormwater works, three years of guaranteed contracts. Equifund put it with a lender that scored the framework as the income base and approved the plant package on the contract case."

Hannah, Director
Council framework

"Site mobilisation Monday and we still needed an excavator and a tipper on the low-loader Sunday. They had us settled with the dealer's nominated lender by Friday close and we made the toolbox."

Shane, Site Foreman
Civil contractor

"Stepped up from sub-contract civil work to first head-contract on a residential subdivision. New plant on a single application against the active head-contract. Jason structured the chattel mortgage with a balloon to match progress claims."

Lachy, Owner
First head-contract

"Major-company plant sell-down with low-hour machines and full service histories. Equifund pre-approved us across the catalogue so we walked in with our numbers on multiple lots."

Marty, Plant Manager
Earthmoving contractor

"Tier-one motorway upgrade contract underwrote a five-machine plant order across excavators, tippers and a roller. Cody had us settled on one chattel mortgage with one credit decision and the package on a low-loader by Friday week."

Hayden, Project Manager
Tier-one civil

"Council framework for stormwater works, three years of guaranteed contracts. Equifund put it with a lender that scored the framework as the income base and approved the plant package on the contract case."

Hannah, Director
Council framework

"Site mobilisation Monday and we still needed an excavator and a tipper on the low-loader Sunday. They had us settled with the dealer's nominated lender by Friday close and we made the toolbox."

Shane, Site Foreman
Civil contractor

"Stepped up from sub-contract civil work to first head-contract on a residential subdivision. New plant on a single application against the active head-contract. Jason structured the chattel mortgage with a balloon to match progress claims."

Lachy, Owner
First head-contract

"Major-company plant sell-down with low-hour machines and full service histories. Equifund pre-approved us across the catalogue so we walked in with our numbers on multiple lots."

Marty, Plant Manager
Earthmoving contractor

"Mining sub-contract paid in arrears on day-rate. Standard repayment templates didn't line up. John matched us with a lender that structured repayments around the contract's drawdown schedule."

Dale, Owner-Operator
Mining sub-contract

"Hire-out plant fleet on day-rate contracts to other civil sub-contractors. Day-rate revenue didn't fit standard finance templates. Tom found a lender that structured the loan to the hire-revenue cycle."

Glen, Yard Manager
Hire-out fleet

"Two new civil sites coming on at the same time, needed plant on both. Jake matched us with a lender that approved both packages as a single application against the active head-contract book."

Brett, Operations Manager
Multi-site civil

"Regional civil specialist on smaller council shire jobs, steady year-round work. The local bank wanted three years of full financials. Equifund found a lender that scored on the active job sheet and contract pipeline."

Adam, Owner
Regional civil

"Established civil business expanding into bulk earthworks for a solar-farm development. They put us with a lender that scored on the active head-contractor contracts and approved the plant additions on the contract case alone."

Sarah, GM
Bulk earthworks expansion

"Mining sub-contract paid in arrears on day-rate. Standard repayment templates didn't line up. John matched us with a lender that structured repayments around the contract's drawdown schedule."

Dale, Owner-Operator
Mining sub-contract

"Hire-out plant fleet on day-rate contracts to other civil sub-contractors. Day-rate revenue didn't fit standard finance templates. Tom found a lender that structured the loan to the hire-revenue cycle."

Glen, Yard Manager
Hire-out fleet

"Two new civil sites coming on at the same time, needed plant on both. Jake matched us with a lender that approved both packages as a single application against the active head-contract book."

Brett, Operations Manager
Multi-site civil

"Regional civil specialist on smaller council shire jobs, steady year-round work. The local bank wanted three years of full financials. Equifund found a lender that scored on the active job sheet and contract pipeline."

Adam, Owner
Regional civil

"Established civil business expanding into bulk earthworks for a solar-farm development. They put us with a lender that scored on the active head-contractor contracts and approved the plant additions on the contract case alone."

Sarah, GM
Bulk earthworks expansion
SPECIALIST VS BANK

Specialist vs Major Bank Civil Contractor Finance

Side-by-side on the criteria that decide whether an Australian contractor finance deal settles or stalls.

Criterion Equifund Specialist Major Bank
Income type Reads job invoices, progress claims and BAS PAYG salary preferred, trade income often discounted
Lender access Panel of 80+ Australian lenders matched to your file One bank, one credit template
Pre-approval speed Typically inside 24 hours 5 to 10 business days on average
Documentation Low-doc options available for established operators Full financials usually required
Deposit $0 deposit available for prime applications Deposit typically required
Industry expertise Australia-based trade and equipment finance specialists Generic commercial credit team
FAQ

Common Civil Contractor Finance Questions

Straight answers to the questions Australian businesses and operators ask most.

What types of civil plant and vehicles can I finance in Australia?

We finance new, used, demonstrator, dealer and private-sale civil plant and vehicles across all major makes including Caterpillar, Komatsu, Hitachi, Volvo CE, Hyundai, JCB, Kobelco and Sumitomo. Your specialist matches the finance to your work and the lender to your file.

How long does civil contractor finance take to settle?

Pre-approval is typically inside 24 hours once you submit the form. Settlement timing then depends on the lender and asset details, with many Australian deals settling within a week of pre-approval.

Do I need to own property to qualify?

No. Many of our lenders score the deal on trade income and asset value rather than requiring property security. Non-property owners regularly settle civil contractor finance through Equifund.

Do I need a deposit?

Not always. $0 deposit is available for prime applications, especially for established operators with active job book or builder framework. Other deals may require a deposit depending on the asset, the lender and the loan term.

Can I finance a used civil contractor, private sale, or auction purchase?

Yes. We finance dealer purchases, private sales, auctions and end-of-lease buyouts. The civil contractor just needs to meet the lender's age and condition requirements.

Can I refinance an existing civil contractor loan?

Yes. Many Australian operators refinance to access a better rate, restructure repayments around their income cycle, release equity from the asset, or consolidate multiple civil contractor loans into one facility.

Which lenders does Equifund work with?

We have a panel of 80+ Australian lenders spanning major banks, specialist asset financiers and non-bank lenders that specifically understand trade income and transport assets. Your specialist matches your file to the right lender for the deal.

Can I finance multiple civil contractors in one application?

Yes. We regularly settle multi-civil contractor deals for Australian fleets, often splitting the package across more than one lender to fit each asset's spec and your overall structure.

Do you finance trailers and equipment as well as civil contractors?

Yes. Civil Contractors, attachments, trailers and related equipment are all on the panel. Equipment security can be structured independently of civil contractor finance if that better suits the deal.

What's the difference between a chattel mortgage and a finance lease?

A chattel mortgage gives you immediate ownership of the civil contractor while the lender holds it as security. You claim GST upfront and depreciate the asset for tax. It is the most common structure for established Australian owner-operators. A finance lease keeps the civil contractor on the lender's books with set monthly payments and an optional residual paid at the end of the term. Useful for fleet operators managing income cycle against vehicle turnover. Your Australia-based civil contractor finance specialist will recommend the structure that suits your business and tax position. Read the full chattel mortgage vs finance lease comparison.

What is trade income recognition?

Trade income recognition is how a specialist lender reads income from job invoices, progress claims and BAS rather than treating only PAYG salary as income. Bank credit templates often miss this. Specialist lenders read trade income accurately, which is why established Australian operators frequently get approved on deals that mainstream banks decline.

What is low-doc civil contractor finance?

Low-doc civil contractor finance is approval on a reduced documentation set, usually a Director declaration plus business activity statements or recent bank statements, rather than full financials. It is faster to process and common for established small-fleet operators in Australia who would rather not produce two years of full tax returns for a single asset purchase.

What is pre-approval in civil contractor finance?

Pre-approval is a conditional finance approval issued before you commit to a civil contractor. It sets the maximum loan amount, indicative rate, term and repayment structure so you can negotiate with dealers, private sellers or auction houses on solid ground. Equifund pre-approvals are typically issued within 24 hours of form submission.

What is an Australian Credit Licence (ACL)?

An Australian Credit Licence (ACL) is a licence issued by ASIC permitting a business to engage in credit activities under the National Consumer Credit Protection Act. Equifund holds Australian Credit Licence 389328. Working with an ACL holder is a baseline regulatory protection for the borrower and a baseline trust signal for any Australian finance provider.

Can you finance a multi-machine plant package on one application?

Yes. Specialist civil lenders on our panel score a full plant order, across excavators, tippers, rollers, loaders or dozers, as one chattel mortgage with a single credit decision, secured on the assets themselves and the head-contractor contract income.

Will the lender take active head-contractor contracts as security instead of property?

Yes. Lenders on our panel routinely score civil finance on active head-contractor and sub-contract income (including council framework and tier-one head-contracts) plus the asset value, without asking for property security on top.

Does the loan term align with the contract length?

Yes. Specialist civil lenders match the chattel mortgage term and balloon structure to the contract's run, including council framework renewals, head-contract progress-claim cycles and day-rate hire-revenue cycles, so repayments fit how the project actually pays.

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civil contractor finance specialists

Apply for Your Civil Contractor Finance

Three quick steps. A civil contractor finance specialist gets back to you the same business day.

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