Quick answer
Shop fit-out finance funds the physical set-up of a retail store: shelving and fixtures, counters, lighting, flooring, fitting rooms, signage, security and point-of-sale. Established retailers can often use unsecured or cash-flow options, typically $5,000 to $500,000, sized on turnover. New stores or larger refits can use property-secured loans from $20,000 to $5,000,000.
Key points
- Retail fit-outs are usually lighter than hospitality ones, but lighting and shopfronts add up.
- A refit should lift sales or cut costs; plan how it will pay for itself.
- Centre leases often come with fit-out rules and approval steps.
- Enquiring doesn't involve a credit check.
- Unsecured / cash flow
- Typically $5k – $500k
- Property-secured
- $20k – $5m
- Common items
- Shelving, lighting, POS, shopfront
- Free tool
- Fit-out cost estimator
Walk into a well-fitted independent shop and you feel it before you see it: the light is right, the layout pulls you further in, the counter is where you expect it to be and the products look like they belong there. A good shop fit-out is a sales tool. A tired one quietly costs you customers every day. This page covers how independent retailers fund a new fit-out or a refresh.
What goes into a shop fit-out?
| Area | Typical items |
|---|---|
| Fixtures | Wall shelving, gondolas, display tables, racks, glass cabinets |
| Counter | Cash wrap, storage, packaging station |
| Lighting | Track and feature lighting, shopfront and window lighting |
| Surfaces | Flooring, walls, ceilings, paint |
| Customer spaces | Fitting rooms, seating, accessible access |
| Shopfront | Signage, window displays, entry doors |
| Technology | Point-of-sale, scanners, security cameras and tags, Wi-Fi |
| Services | Electrical, air-conditioning, data cabling |
Retail fit-outs are usually lighter than hospitality ones, since there’s no commercial kitchen or extraction, but lighting, shopfronts and services can add up quickly. Our fit-out cost estimator has a retail setting that prompts for each area and adds contingency and GST timing.
Should the fit-out pay for itself?
It should at least have a job to do. Before you spend, be clear about what the new fit-out will change:
- More sales per visit through better layout and product display.
- More visits through a shopfront that stops people walking past.
- Higher margins by showcasing premium ranges properly.
- Lower costs through efficient lighting or better storage that cuts damage and shrinkage.
A refit that does one or two of these well is easier to justify, and easier to explain to a lender, than a cosmetic refresh.
How shop fit-outs are funded
Unsecured and cash-flow options, typically $5,000 to $500,000 and sized on turnover and bank statements, suit established retailers refitting an existing store. Property-secured loans from $20,000 to $5,000,000 suit new stores without trading history, bigger projects and owners who want a longer repayment term.
If you’re opening a new store, the lender will focus on your security, your retail experience and your budget. If you’re refitting, your current trading carries more weight. Either way, you can find out what’s realistic with a quick enquiry and no credit check at the first step.
Centre leases and fit-out rules
Shopping centre tenancies often come with a fit-out manual: design standards, approval steps, approved contractors, insurance requirements and timeframes. Some also charge fees for design review or services connections. Read the manual before getting quotes, and ask the centre what’s included in the base building.
Strip shops usually give you more freedom, but check council requirements for signage and any heritage controls on the shopfront. Business.gov.au’s guidance on choosing a business location is a useful starting point for comparing the two.
Refitting without closing
Closing for a fortnight can wipe out a lot of margin. Options to reduce downtime include:
- Working in stages, one zone at a time.
- Doing noisy work after hours.
- Choosing your quietest trading weeks. Our seasonal trade planner helps identify them.
- Running a pop-up or sale in part of the store while the rest is refitted.
An illustrative example
Illustrative only. An independent homewares store has traded for seven years on a busy strip. Its lighting is dated and the layout funnels customers straight to the counter without passing the best ranges. The owner plans new feature lighting, a redesigned floor plan with island displays and a refreshed shopfront, working in stages over February and March. With steady statements and a lease with years remaining, an unsecured option sized on turnover covers the refit.
Leases, make-good and your investment
Your fit-out is only as secure as your lease. Before you spend, check how long you have left, what options exist and what make-good obligations apply when you leave. In Victoria, the Victorian Small Business Commission provides guidance for retail tenants on leases, outgoings and disputes. Our retail lease checklist covers the questions to ask in any state, and our page on opening a second shop looks at fitting out a new location.
Getting better quotes
A clear brief produces better quotes and fewer variations. Before you approach shopfitters, prepare:
- A measured floor plan and photos of the existing space.
- A list of fixtures you need, with rough quantities.
- Your lighting goals: feature displays, general lighting, window.
- Any landlord or centre fit-out rules.
- Your preferred timeline and the weeks you can’t close.
Ask each shopfitter to list what’s excluded, how long the job will take and how they’ll invoice. Compare like with like, and don’t automatically choose the cheapest quote if it leaves out things the others include. The difference often reappears later as variations.
Let’s get your shop looking its best
If your shop needs a fit-out or a refresh, start with a short enquiry. It takes about a minute, with no credit check when you first enquire. We don’t hand your details to a line of lenders; a real person looks at your store, your lease and your plans and calls you to talk through the options. Please fill in the form accurately, especially the amount and any property you own, so we can match you properly first time.
Frequently asked questions
What does a shop fit-out usually include?
Shelving and display fixtures, counters and cash wrap, lighting, flooring, walls and paint, fitting rooms for fashion, signage and shopfront, security and point-of-sale hardware. Some stores also need air-conditioning or electrical upgrades.
Can I finance a shop refit while I keep trading?
Yes. Many retailers refit in stages or over a few quiet days to avoid long closures. Established shops can often fund a refit with an unsecured option sized on turnover.
Do shopping centres have special fit-out requirements?
Often, yes. Centre leases commonly include fit-out guidelines, design approval steps and required contractors or standards. Read the fit-out manual before you get quotes so they reflect the centre's rules.
Can I include point-of-sale and security systems in fit-out finance?
Yes. POS hardware, scanners, cameras and security tagging are commonly included in a fit-out budget and funding.
Is shop fitting equipment eligible for the instant asset write-off?
Some items may be. The ATO says the $20,000 instant asset write-off is permanent from 1 July 2026 for businesses with aggregated turnover under $10 million, applied per asset. How fit-out items are treated varies, so check with your accountant.