Trailer finance · Civil contractors
Trailer finance for civil contractors
Civil contractor finance is asset-heavy lending for earthmoving fleets, float trailers and support vehicles, combined with working capital that carries wages and fuel across long government and tier-one payment cycles.
How a trailer finance works for civil contractors
Low loaders, plant trailers and dog trailers are what make a civil fleet mobile, and they are financeable in their own right. Trailers depreciate slowly and hold value well, so lenders will often write longer terms on a float than on the machine it carries. Financing the trailer separately from the prime mover keeps each asset on the term that suits it. If you currently pay a third party to shift machines between sites, compare that annual cost against a float repayment before deciding.
The cash-flow pattern we plan around
Monthly progress claims to head contractors or councils, paid 30–45 days later, with heavy mobilisation costs incurred up front on every new site.
What civil contractors typically fund
- Excavators, rollers, graders and dozers
- Low loaders and plant trailers to move machines
- Site establishment and mobilisation costs
- Fuel and operator wages between claims
Trailer finance for civil contractors: the numbers
| Typical amounts | $15,000 – $1,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Term | 12–84 months |
| Indicative rates | 6.9% – 15.5% p.a. |
| Repayments | Monthly, with weekly and fortnightly available |
| Speed | 24–72 hours for established operators |
| Documents civil contractors usually need | ABN, GST registration and contractor prequalification details · 12 months of bank statements and latest financials · Machine quote, serial number and hours reading |
Rates shown are indicative ranges observed across our lender panel for the period stated. They are not an offer or quote. Your rate depends on your business, the lender, the amount, the term and the security offered. The lender makes the final credit decision.
Key terms
Civil plant finance
Civil plant finance is secured equipment lending for earthmoving and roadworks machinery such as excavators, rollers, graders and dozers, priced against the resale value of the machine and usually written over three to five years.
Mobilisation funding
Mobilisation funding is short-term working capital that covers the cost of establishing a civil site — floats, fuel, temporary works and early wages — before the first progress claim on that job is certified and paid.
What is trailer finance?
Trailer finance is asset-backed business lending used to acquire semi-trailers, tippers, refrigerated trailers, low loaders and dog trailers. The trailer secures the loan, usually under a chattel mortgage over three to seven years.
Can a trailer and prime mover be financed together?
Yes. Lenders will fund a matched set under one facility, or as separate facilities so each asset can be upgraded independently. Separate facilities suit operators who replace prime movers more often than trailers.
How long can a trailer be financed for?
Terms of up to seven years are common for new trailers, and five to seven years for used units in sound condition, reflecting the long working life and steady resale values of Australian trailer stock.