Fit-out cost estimator

What a fit-out really costs: the lines owners forget

Ask ten café owners what their fit-out cost and most will quote the builder's contract. Ask what it cost to open the doors and the number is usually a good deal bigger. The gap between the two is where new venues get squeezed: the builder is paid, the espresso machine is plumbed in, and there's no money left for the cool room of stock, the training week or the bond the landlord wants before handing over the keys.

This estimator is built around that gap. It starts with the figures you already have, then adds the lines that tend to be forgotten:

• Contingency. Old drains, a switchboard that won't take the new load, a grease trap council insists on. Taking over an existing venue hides more of these than a clean shell, which is why the default buffer rises when you choose that option.
• GST paid upfront. If you're registered for GST you can generally claim credits for the GST in your fit-out costs, but only through your business activity statement. You pay it first and wait. The estimator shows that cash and the BAS due date it falls into.
• Rent while you build. Unless your lease gives you a rent-free fit-out period, rent usually starts before you trade. Enter any rent-free weeks you've negotiated and the tool does the rest.
• The bond or bank guarantee. Many commercial leases ask for security of several months' rent. In Victoria, for example, the small business commission notes the amount isn't set by retail lease law and is negotiated, and it can be a bank guarantee instead of cash.
• Pre-opening wages, opening stock and a buffer. Staff need paying for training shifts, the shelves and fridges need filling, and the first few weeks rarely trade at full pace.

How to use the estimate with a lender

The total cost to open is the number to take into any finance conversation, not the builder's quote. It shows you've thought past opening day, which is exactly what a lender wants to see. The funding gap is your total, plus the GST you'll pay upfront, less the cash you're contributing. The tool then points you towards the kind of finance that usually fits that gap:

Funding gap	What usually fits
Up to about $500,000, established trading	Unsecured, cash-flow or line-of-credit options, typically $5,000 to $500,000, sized on turnover and bank statements
$20,000 to $5,000,000 with property	Property-secured business loans: first mortgages, second mortgages or caveat loans over residential or commercial property
New venue, no trading history yet	Property security usually makes the biggest difference; experience in hospitality or retail and a detailed budget help too

If you do own property, open the optional equity check. It shows your current equity and what the loan-to-value ratio would look like if the whole gap were secured against that property. It's simple arithmetic, not an approval, but it helps frame the conversation.

When you're ready, you can check what your venue could qualify for in about a minute. Mention that you've used the estimator and have the breakdown handy for the call.

Timing matters as much as the total

A fit-out is paid for in stages. The estimator groups your costs into four: before the build starts (bond, design and approvals), during the build (builder's progress claims, equipment and rent), before you open (furniture, smallwares, stock and training wages) and your first weeks of trade (the buffer). Seeing the stages helps you match finance to the moment the money is needed, rather than drawing everything on day one.

For equipment, it's also worth asking your accountant about the instant asset write-off. The ATO says the $20,000 write-off is permanent from 1 July 2026 for businesses with aggregated turnover under $10 million, applied per asset. Pair the fit-out estimate with our seasonal trade planner to see whether you're opening into a busy season or a quiet one, and read our guides on restaurant fit-out finance and commercial kitchen equipment finance.

Ready to talk it through?

Bring the numbers from this page to a real person. Enquiring takes about 60 seconds, there's no credit check when you first enquire, and your details aren't handed around to a crowd of lenders. Fill the form in accurately, especially the amount, your state and any property you own, and we can point you at the right option on the first call.

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