Independent mortgage brokers, Noosaville and right across Australia
We help people build the home they can actually picture.
Construction loans are not a normal home loan wearing a different name. We structure the staged lending around your build, not the other way round.
A construction loan is a different loan, not a different label.
The Broker Society is an independent mortgage broker based in Noosaville, working with clients across Australia. Construction lending is drawn down in stages against a fixed price building contract, not released as one lump sum, and most lenders explain that part badly. We work with first home buyers building their first place from the ground up, homeowners buying their next home as a knock down rebuild, investors adding a new build to a growing portfolio, and clients refinancing a build that is already underway with the wrong lender behind it.
If you need to buy before your current home sells, we also structure bridging finance alongside a construction loan when the timing calls for it. It is not a common request, but it is one we know how to put together properly. Self employed clients building or renovating go through self employed home loans or low doc home loans depending on how the financials sit, and larger builds through an SMSF or a business structure run through commercial lending. Whatever stage you are at, we take the time to understand the build and find a lender who understands staged drawdowns properly.
A house is a lot of money to be vague about.
The people behind it
A bank can only ever offer you their own construction product.
At a bank
- One construction product, take it or leave it
- You chase the progress payment approvals yourself
- A different person for every stage inspection
- The build is shaped to fit their paperwork
At The Broker Society
- More than fifty lenders who do staged lending well
- A named broker who tracks each drawdown with you
- The same face from contract signing to final inspection
- The loan is shaped around your build, not a template
What we can help with
However you need to build, we know the lenders for it.
First Home Buyers
Building your first place, explained in plain language.
Buying Your Next Home
Knocking down and starting again, structured properly.
Investment Loans
Adding a new build to a growing portfolio.
Refinancing
Already mid build with the wrong lender. We review it.
The Reset, Debt Consolidation
One loan, one repayment, before you take on a build.
Self Employed Home Loans
Complex structures, building while running a business.
Low Doc Home Loans
Income that does not fit a tidy box, for owner builders too.
Bridging Finance
Building or buying before your current home sells.
Commercial Lending
Larger builds and business owned property.
Ready to talk through your build?
Land and build, knock down rebuild, renovation or something that needs bridging finance behind it too. Tell us where you are at.
A recent client story
Buying the land, selling the investment, keeping the home, for now.
One recent client was stuck. They had found a block of land they loved, but getting there meant selling an investment property and working out what to do with the home they were still living in. Selling everything at once felt too rushed, and doing nothing felt like watching the land slip away.
We structured it so the investment sale settled at the same time as the land purchase, freeing up the funds without a scramble. Their existing home stayed exactly where it was, no rushed sale and no temporary rental, while they worked through their building designs at their own pace.
They are now moving into the next stage, ready to start the build.
Land Secured
Investment Sale Settled
Home Retained
Building Begins
We Understand How a Build Actually Moves
Fixed price contracts, progress payments, valuations at slab, frame, lock up and completion, council approvals that run late, and a lender who wants updated documents at every single stage. It is a lot of moving parts, and most of it happens after you have already committed to a builder.
It is our specialty here at The Broker Society. Whether you are building on land you already own, doing a full knock down rebuild, or need finance that stretches across a renovation and the mortgage underneath it, we structure the loan around the build contract, not the other way round.
How Construction Lending Works
Every build is different, but most fall into one of these shapes. We will tell you early which one you are in and what the lender is going to want to see at each stage.
Starting from the ground up
Buying land and building on it, often with a land contract and a separate building contract run together. We structure both so the lender sees one clean picture.
Starting again on your block
Demolishing an existing home to build new. Valuers and lenders treat this differently to a straight purchase, and we structure the loan accordingly.
Building onto what you have
Major renovations and extensions often run through construction style lending rather than a standard top up, particularly once structural work is involved.
Building before you have sold
Combining bridging finance with a construction loan when you need to buy or build before your current home sells. It is unique and less common, but it can be done properly with the right structure behind it.
Common questions
Construction loan questions, answered
How is a construction loan different to a normal home loan?
A construction loan is released in stages against a fixed price building contract, rather than as one lump sum at settlement. You are usually paying interest only on the amount drawn down so far, not the full loan amount, until the build is complete.
What are the stages of a construction loan drawdown?
Most lenders release funds at slab, frame, lock up, fixout and completion, though the exact stages depend on your builder's contract. Each stage usually needs a valuation or inspection before the next payment is released.
Can I get bridging finance and a construction loan at the same time?
Yes, though it is unique and not something every lender offers. If you need to buy land or start a build before your current home sells, we can structure bridging finance alongside a construction loan, provided the numbers and timing stack up properly.
Do I need a fixed price building contract to get approved?
Yes, almost every lender requires a fixed price contract from a licensed builder before approving a construction loan. Cost plus contracts are harder to finance and only a small number of lenders on our panel will consider them.
Can I use a construction loan for a knock down rebuild?
Yes. Knock down rebuilds are treated as construction lending, with the demolition usually forming an early stage of the drawdown. Valuers look at this differently to a standard purchase, so it needs to be presented correctly from the start.
What about a major renovation or extension?
Larger renovations, especially anything structural, often need to run through construction style lending rather than a simple top up. We will tell you early which path your project sits in.
Can first home buyers use a construction loan?
Yes. Building your first home comes with its own grants and schemes to check eligibility against, on top of the usual construction loan structure. We walk you through both at the same time.
Can investors use a construction loan?
Yes. Building a new investment property, whether standalone or as part of a knock down rebuild, is common on our panel. We structure it around where the rest of your portfolio sits.
I am self employed. Can I still get a construction loan?
Yes, this is one of our specialties. Complex income structures and financials that do not tell a simple story are worked through in detail before we go anywhere near a lender.
What if my build goes over budget?
This is worth planning for before the loan is approved, not after the first cost overrun. We talk through contingency and how much buffer makes sense for your project at the start.
How long does a construction loan take to be approved?
Initial approval timelines are similar to a standard home loan, though each drawdown stage adds its own inspection and processing time. We keep you updated at each stage so you are not the one following it up.
Can I be my own builder, an owner builder?
Some lenders will consider owner builder loans, but the panel narrows considerably and the requirements are stricter. It is worth talking to us before you commit to that path.
Do you help with construction loans outside Noosaville?
Yes. We have brokers based across Queensland, in Noosaville, the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Central Queensland, and we work with clients Australia wide. Everything can be done in person or online.
Do I need to visit an office in person?
No. Most of our construction loan clients work with us entirely online, by phone, video and email. In person appointments are available if you would prefer that.
How do I get started on a construction loan?
Book an appointment and tell us where the build is at, even if it is only at the land search stage. We will talk through what is actually possible before anything gets submitted anywhere.