Ground-up construction
Land with planning through to practical completion, funded as the build progresses rather than in one lump.
Funding for building work
Development finance
Development finance is staged funding for building work: an initial advance against the land or property, then further tranches released against inspected progress on site. Amram Finance packages the appraisal, places it with a lender whose appetite matches the scheme, and manages the drawdowns through to exit.
Whole case packaged for you
Fees disclosed upfront
Brokers, not a lender
Get an indicative quote
Step 2 of 7What kind of scheme?
Lenders price ground-up and conversion work differently.
How many schemes have you completed?
When it is used
Situations we see most often
Conversions and change of use
Commercial to residential, single dwellings to flats, and permitted development schemes.
Heavy refurbishment
Structural work, extensions and full reconfigurations that go well beyond what a bridge is designed for.
Who it suits
- Developers with planning consent and a costed build programme
- Investors converting commercial buildings into residential units
- Contractors and builders moving into development on their own account
- Experienced developers running multiple schemes who need facilities placed quickly
| Typical terms | Indicative range |
|---|---|
| Loan against land | Typically up to 60% to 70% of the site value |
| Build costs | Often up to 100% of build costs, released in arrears |
| Loan to GDV | Usually capped around 65% to 70% of gross development value |
| Term | Commonly 12 to 24 months, matched to the build programme |
| Interest | Normally rolled up and repaid on exit |
| Monitoring | A monitoring surveyor inspects and signs off each drawdown |
| Experience | Pricing and leverage both improve with a demonstrable track record |
Indicative market ranges. Development terms are scheme-specific and depend heavily on your experience, the location and the strength of the appraisal.
How Amram handles it
What we actually do for you
We are brokers. We do not lend our own money — we package your case and place it with the lender most likely to fund it, then manage it to completion.
The conversation
We go through the site, the consent, the build programme, the costs, your track record and the expected gross development value.
Packaging the appraisal
We build the appraisal lenders expect to see: costs, contingency, programme, professional team, comparables and the exit.
Lender sourcing
We approach lenders whose appetite matches the scheme type, size and your experience level — the differences between them are substantial.
Valuation, monitoring and legals
We coordinate the valuation and the monitoring surveyor, and manage the legal work including any planning conditions.
Drawdown and exit
Funds draw down against inspected stages. As the scheme completes we arrange the exit, whether that is sales or a development exit facility.
What you’ll need
Have these ready and it moves faster
The single biggest cause of delay is a case assembled as it goes. We will ask for these at the start so the file is lender-ready before it is submitted.
- Planning consent, approved drawings and any conditions still to discharge
- A costed schedule of works and a realistic build programme
- Your development CV: previous schemes, costs and outcomes
- Your professional team: contractor, quantity surveyor, architect
- A gross development value appraisal supported by comparable sales
- Company accounts, director details and a personal asset and liability statement
Situations
Does one of these sound like you?
Illustrative situations rather than client case studies — the kinds of enquiry this market sees, and what usually works in each.
“I have a site under offer and planning is not granted yet”
The site is available now but the consent that makes it viable has not been granted.
What usually works“My build costs have overrun and the facility will not stretch”
You are part-way through and the remaining drawdowns will not finish the building.
What usually works“This is my first development and lenders keep asking about my track record”
You have the site and the planning, but no completed schemes to point at.
What usually worksQuestions
Frequently asked
How is development finance different from a bridging loan?
A bridge is a single advance against the property as it stands today. Development finance is staged: an initial advance, then tranches released against inspected progress on site, with a monitoring surveyor involved throughout. If the value is created by construction, you need development finance.
How much of the build cost will a lender fund?
Many lenders will fund up to 100% of build costs, released in arrears against certified progress. The constraint is usually the loan to gross development value cap rather than the build cost percentage itself.
Do I need development experience?
It helps considerably. First-time developers can get funded, particularly on smaller schemes with a strong contractor and a clear professional team, but expect lower leverage and higher pricing than an experienced developer would see.
What is a monitoring surveyor?
A surveyor appointed by the lender to inspect the site before each drawdown, confirm that the works claimed have actually been done, and report on whether the scheme remains on budget and on programme. You pay for it, and it is a normal part of development lending.
What happens if the build overruns?
Tell us and the lender early. Extensions are often possible but usually carry a fee, and interest continues to accrue. The worst outcome is a facility reaching term with the scheme unfinished, which is far harder and more expensive to solve.
Can I get finance before planning is granted?
Land without planning is usually funded with a bridge rather than a development facility, at a much lower loan to value. Once consent is granted the site can be refinanced onto a development loan to fund the build.
What is gross development value?
The total value of the finished scheme, usually the sum of the individual unit values. Lenders size the facility against it, so the comparables supporting your GDV figure need to be genuinely comparable — the valuer will test them.
Keep reading
Related pages and guides
Ground-up development
Land with planning through to practical completion.
View pageConversions
Commercial to residential, HMOs and permitted development.
View pageDevelopment exit
Refinance a finished scheme onto cheaper, calmer funding.
View pageBridging vs Development Finance: Which Do You Need?
The real dividing line between a bridge and a development facility, how each is drawn down and priced, and which one your scheme needs.
Read the guideBridging Loan Exit Strategies Explained
Sale, refinance or something else: how lenders underwrite your exit, what evidence they want, and what happens if the exit slips.
Read the guideBridging loan calculator
Work out the gross loan, LTV, interest and every fee before you speak to anyone.
Open the calculatorTalk the deal through
Free deal review by a specialist. We will tell you what is achievable, what it is likely to cost and what the lender will want to see.
Amram Finance Ltd is a credit broker, not a lender. We do not lend our own money and we do not approve or issue loan offers.
Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a loan secured on it. Some forms of bridging finance and buy-to-let lending are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.