Construction application finance.
Follow the payment evidence.
For established contractors and subcontractors considering £500,000+ facilities to manage substantial gaps between completed work, contractual valuation and payment. The contract and collectible amount matter more than the headline application.
Discuss construction cash flowNBS Funding is operated by NBS Finance. Commercial finance broker and introducer, not a lender. No client broker fee.
Specialist construction finance may fund eligible applications for payment, certified work or invoices before the payer settles. An application is a claim for payment, not proof that every pound is agreed or fundable.
Bring cash forward from the payment cycle
Construction invoice finance can bring forward cash rather than leave the business waiting through a 30–60-day payment cycle. Some providers make funds available within 24 hours of submitting eligible invoices or applications once the facility is operating; contract checks and the agreed terms still apply.
For eligible ordinary invoice finance, providers such as Ultimate Finance advertise advances of up to 95%. Do not apply that percentage to the full value of a construction application. Certification, retention, deductions, payer limits and the construction facility’s own advance terms determine what can actually be released.
From work completed to cash collected
- Application
The contractor or subcontractor submits its valuation under the contract.
- Valuation and notice
The payer or contract administrator assesses the amount. Certification and payment notices can change the sum expected.
- Eligible funding
A specialist reviews contractual rights, evidence, deductions, payer limits and its available facility.
- Payment and reconciliation
Receipts, contras and subsequent adjustments must reconcile to the funded amount.
Conventional invoice finance generally starts with eligible invoices for completed supplies. Construction facilities can address an earlier contractual stage, but providers differ on uncertified applications, certification history and documentary evidence. Neither a certificate nor an invoice removes contract risk.
What can reduce the fundable amount?
| Issue | Commercial effect | Evidence to resolve it |
|---|---|---|
| Retention | Cash may be withheld until completion or a later defects milestone. Do not treat it as immediately available. | Retention percentage, release dates and conditions. |
| Disputes, variations and set-off | A claim may be reduced by defects, pay-less notices, contras or unagreed variations. | Instructions, valuation support, notices and correspondence. |
| Payer or project concentration | One main contractor or project can dominate exposure even when work is certified. | Payer credit limits, concentration caps and other live contracts. |
| Contract eligibility | Assignment restrictions, termination provisions, staged payments and existing security may affect funding. | Complete signed contract, amendments and prior funder documents. |
Public product information from Ultimate Finance and Bibby confirms that specialist products can consider applications before certification. Those are provider-specific descriptions, not a promise of NBS access or blanket acceptance. Current contract, sector, security and channel requirements must be confirmed for the case. Unfinished speculative work and disputed amounts must not be assumed eligible.
An application is not the cash available
- Application submitted
- £800,000
- Certified amount
- £720,000
- Retention: 5% of certified amount
- − £36,000
- Assumed eligible balance
- £684,000
- Illustrative advance: 75%
- £513,000
- Existing drawings
- − £400,000
- Additional headroom before charges
- £113,000
Assume the provider accepts the full £684,000 after retention, the facility and payer limits permit it, and there are no further deductions or reserves. The £80,000 application/certification difference is excluded once, not deducted again. The 75% assumption is invented for illustration, not provider policy.
A £150,000 payroll and supplier requirement would still leave a £37,000 gap before charges. A larger nominal facility would not solve that gap if eligibility or payer limits are the restriction.
Match mobilisation and assessment timing
Map wages, materials and subcontractor payments against application dates, certification, due dates and expected receipts. Initial contract review, credit approval, surveys, security and documentation can take time. Ongoing drawdowns under an established facility are a different stage; no funding deadline is promised here.
- Signed contracts/subcontracts and amendments, scope, payment schedule and project details.
- Current applications, valuations, certificates or payment notices and issued invoices.
- Retention schedule, approved variations, pay-less notices and dispute correspondence.
- Aged debtor ledger, payer concentrations, prior remittances, accounts and cash forecast.
Confirm who certifies work, who owes the money and what happens if a payment is reduced. Construction finance is not a guarantee of contractor performance, future certification or customer payment.
Questions before proceeding
Can an uncertified application be financed?
Some specialist providers publicly describe that capability. Acceptance depends on the provider, contract, evidence, payer and current policy. It is not available for every application or automatically through NBS.
Will the facility release the retention?
Do not assume so. Retention that is not yet due may be excluded. A due, agreed release still needs assessment under the facility.
Can one main contractor support a substantial facility?
Possibly, but a credit or concentration limit may constrain usable cash. Review that payer and the whole contract exposure before relying on the nominal limit.
Provider material describes that provider’s product. It does not establish an NBS relationship, current case acceptance or an offer. Examples on this page are hypothetical. Prepared by NBS Funding, operated by Isaac Powell trading as NBS Finance.
Bring the requirement.
Understand the next step.
No financial documents needed to begin. Provider assessment and terms apply.