Fund material purchases, pay subcontractors, hire crews, and bridge slow winter months — without waiting 90 days for a bank decision. Funding from $10K to $2M in as little as 24 hours.
Home improvement contracting is one of the most cash-flow-stressed industries in the U.S. economy. Unlike a retail business that collects payment at the time of sale, contractors typically receive payment in stages — or sometimes only at project completion — while incurring costs continuously from day one of a job.
Consider the financial structure of a mid-size kitchen remodel: $18,000–$35,000 in total project value. A typical payment structure might be 20% upfront, 40% at rough-in, 40% on completion. But materials — cabinetry, countertops, appliances, flooring — must be ordered and delivered weeks before rough-in. A subcontracted electrician and plumber need to be paid weekly. The contractor is often financing 60% of the project cost out of pocket for 4–8 weeks before the mid-project draw arrives.
Multiply this by three or four concurrent jobs, add in the fact that winter slows new project starts by 30–50% in northern markets, factor in unpredictable material price spikes (lumber, copper, drywall), and you have a business that can be profitable on paper while simultaneously running dangerously low on operating cash.
Merchant Fund Express funds contractors across the full home improvement and residential construction spectrum:
Kitchen, bath, whole-home renovations
Residential and light commercial
Interior and exterior coatings
Installation, replacement, service
Residential service and upgrades
Repair, installation, water heaters
Outdoor living, patio, drainage
Hardwood, LVP, ceramic, natural stone
Replacement, installation, frames
A fixed-term loan repaid over 6–24 months with predictable daily or weekly payments. Best for contractors who need a lump sum to fund a major project, hire additional crew members, purchase materials in bulk, or bridge a gap between project completions. No collateral required. Qualification driven by bank statement cash flow.
Amount: $10,000–$500,000 | Term: 6–24 months | Speed: 24–48 hours
Draw what you need, when you need it. A revolving credit line is the most versatile tool for managing the unpredictable cash demands of home improvement contracting. Use it to cover material deposits, pay subcontractors mid-project, or bridge a slow January. Repay what you draw and the line resets.
Amount: $10,000–$250,000 revolving | Term: Revolving | Speed: 1–3 days
MFE purchases a percentage of future revenue at a discount and collects via daily ACH. Repayment automatically scales with your revenue — when winter slows jobs down, you pay less. For contractors with seasonal revenue, imperfect credit, or urgent capital needs, MCA is often the fastest path to capital.
Amount: $5,000–$1,000,000 | Factor Rate: 1.15–1.45 | Speed: Same day possible
Finance trucks, trailers, scaffolding, lifts, compressors, and power tools over 24–60 months. The equipment serves as collateral, resulting in lower rates than unsecured products. No down payment required on most approvals. Available for both new and used equipment.
Amount: Up to $2,000,000 | Term: 24–60 months | Speed: 2–4 days
If your home improvement company does commercial work — property management, HOAs, school districts, municipal contracts — you know the pain of net-30/60/90 payment terms. Factoring lets you sell those receivables immediately for 80–90 cents on the dollar and eliminate the wait.
Advance Rate: 80–90% | Eligible: B2B invoices, commercial work | Speed: 24–48 hours
Fixed daily or weekly ACH payments equal to a percentage of gross revenue. As revenue rises during busy seasons, payments increase proportionally. As revenue falls in winter, payments decrease. A natural fit for home improvement contractors with predictable seasonal swings.
Amount: $10,000–$500,000 | Repayment: Revenue-indexed ACH | Speed: 1–3 days
The most successful home improvement contractors treat financing as a year-round strategic tool rather than an emergency last resort. Here is how smart operators approach each phase of the year:
Project pipelines thin out in winter. This is the time to apply for a business line of credit or working capital loan — when your financial profile looks strong from peak season activity. Use winter capital to invest in marketing, upgrade equipment, hire and train new crew members, and lock in material contracts at pre-spring pricing. The contractors who dominate spring bookings are the ones who spent January preparing.
Homeowners emerge from winter with renovation wish lists. Booking rates surge. Use working capital or your line of credit to buy materials in volume ahead of price spikes, scale up marketing spend before competitors do, and deposit on the equipment that will enable you to take on more jobs simultaneously.
Revenue is flowing. This is the time to repay any outstanding balances, bank reserves for winter, and evaluate whether a larger line of credit positions you for next season's growth. Invoice factoring can accelerate commercial payment cycles and fund additional residential jobs simultaneously.
Complete outstanding jobs before weather forces shutdowns. Collect outstanding receivables aggressively. Equipment financing applications during this window benefit from the season's strongest financial profile.
| Material Category | Typical Job Volume | When Payment Required |
|---|---|---|
| Structural Lumber (framing) | $5,000–$25,000 | Delivery or 30-day terms |
| Kitchen Cabinetry | $8,000–$35,000 | 50% deposit at order |
| Roofing Materials (asphalt) | $3,000–$12,000 | Pre-delivery |
| Flooring (hardwood/LVP) | $4,000–$18,000 | Pre-installation |
| Windows & Doors | $6,000–$30,000 | 50% deposit at order |
| Electrical Rough-in Materials | $2,000–$8,000 | Before rough-in begins |
| Plumbing Rough-in Materials | $2,500–$10,000 | Before rough-in begins |
| Exterior Siding (fiber cement) | $4,000–$16,000 | Pre-delivery |
Home improvement contractors can access $10,000 to $2,000,000 depending on monthly revenue, time in business, and the funding product selected. Most small-to-mid-size remodeling companies qualify for $25,000–$250,000 on their first application.
Most home improvement businesses receive approval within 24 hours and funding in 1–3 business days. Working capital loans and MCAs are the fastest products.
Yes. MCA and revenue-based financing qualify based primarily on business revenue, not personal credit score. Contractors with scores below 580 regularly receive funding.
Any legitimate business purpose: materials purchases, payroll, hiring subcontractors, equipment, vehicle upgrades, marketing, insurance premiums, software, and more.
A business line of credit lets you draw funds during slow winter months and repay when spring and summer revenue returns. MCAs automatically reduce payments when revenue drops.
No real estate or personal collateral is required for working capital loans, MCAs, lines of credit, or revenue-based financing. Equipment financing uses purchased equipment as collateral.
3–4 months of business bank statements, basic business information, and a voided business check. No tax returns required for amounts under $250K.
Most products require 6+ months in business. Companies with 12+ months in business and consistent revenue have the widest product selection and highest approval rates.
24-hour approvals. No SBA paperwork. No real estate collateral. Apply in 5 minutes.
Apply Now (305) 384-8391