Extensions and loft conversions
Adding floor area to an existing property where the works need building regulations and often planning consent.
Structural and major works
Heavy refurbishment finance
Heavy refurbishment finance funds substantial works to an existing building — structural alterations, extensions, full reconfiguration — with money released in stages against progress. It sits between a refurbishment bridge and full ground-up development finance.
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
Structural reconfiguration
Removing walls, underpinning, replacing roofs, or taking a building back to shell and rebuilding internally.
Recovering a stalled project
Taking on a part-built scheme another developer could not finish, where the works are mid-programme.
Who it suits
- Developers whose scheme is too heavy for a standard refurbishment bridge
- Investors adding significant floor area to increase value
- Buyers of part-completed projects that need finishing
- Landlords upgrading properties substantially to meet regulatory standards
| Typical terms | Indicative range |
|---|---|
| Day one advance | Typically up to 70% to 75% of current value |
| Works funding | Up to 100% of costs, released in arrears |
| Loan to GDV | Usually capped around 70% |
| Term | Commonly 12 to 18 months |
| Monitoring | Required on most schemes of this size |
| Exit | Sale, or refinance onto a term mortgage at the improved value |
Indicative ranges based on typical specialist market terms. Your actual terms depend on the property, your circumstances and the lender the case is placed with.
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 work out whether the scheme genuinely needs staged funding or whether a refurbishment bridge would be cheaper and simpler.
Packaging the appraisal
We package the schedule of works, structural drawings, consents and the evidence for the value on completion.
Lender sourcing
We approach lenders who fund at this depth — the market is narrower than for light refurbishment.
Valuation, monitoring and legals
We coordinate the valuation and monitoring, and manage the legal work alongside building regulations sign-off.
Drawdown and exit
Drawdowns follow certified progress. We arrange the exit refinance or sale as the works complete.
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 and building regulations approval where required
- Structural engineer’s drawings and calculations
- A costed schedule of works with a contingency
- Photographs of the current condition of the property
- Comparable evidence for the value on completion
- Contractor details and the form of contract
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 want to buy a part-built site that another developer abandoned”
A half-finished scheme is available cheaply because the previous developer ran out of money.
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 works“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 worksQuestions
Frequently asked
When does a refurbishment become "heavy"?
Broadly, when the works need planning permission or building regulations approval, involve structural change, or change the property’s use or unit count. Cosmetic work — kitchens, bathrooms, decorating — is light refurbishment and can sit on a bridge.
Can I take on a part-built project someone else abandoned?
Yes, and it is a recognised lending scenario. Lenders will want a structural survey, a clear schedule of what remains, and usually a contractor already appointed. Expect a more cautious valuation than on a clean site.
How is the money released?
In arrears, against inspected stages, in the same way as ground-up development. You fund each stage first and are reimbursed once it is certified, so cash flow planning matters.
Do I need a monitoring surveyor?
On most schemes at this size, yes. The cost is part of the deal and should be in your appraisal from the start rather than treated as a surprise.
Will the lender fund VAT?
Some will fund VAT on build costs, sometimes through a separate facility, particularly where it is recoverable. Confirm this early, because a VAT gap can stall a project mid-programme.
What exit do lenders prefer?
Either a sale with credible comparables, or a refinance with evidence that a term lender will lend at the improved value. The exit is assessed as closely as the works themselves.
Keep reading
Related pages and guides
Refurbishment
Light and heavy refurbishment, including unmortgageable stock.
View pageDevelopment finance
Staged funding for ground-up builds, conversions and heavy refurbishment.
View pageBuy-to-let mortgages
Single properties, HMOs, limited company structures and portfolios.
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 guideHow Much Does a Bridging Loan Cost?
Every cost in a bridging loan, from the monthly rate to the fees that get added to the balance, with a worked example you can check in our calculator.
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.