Finance your next build with Money Pilot UK — structured development loans for residential and commercial projects by comparing all our available and applicable lenders.
Development Finance with Money Pilot
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Tailored Funding for UK Developers
Money Pilot empowers builders and developers with construction finance tailored to project scale and timeline.
We deliver funding strategies that maximise returns and reduce risk.
Money Pilot pairs developers with lenders who understand build costs, contingencies, and exit realities. We align leverage to GDV and experience, coordinate valuations and QS reports, and keep decisions moving.
With transparent terms and proactive support, your site progresses on schedule.
Funding for construction or refurbishment projects, released in stages as work progresses.
Staged drawdowns follow valuations at each milestone of the build.
Yes — experienced developers are preferred, but we guide first-timers through structured applications.
Typically 6–36 months depending on project size and risk.
Yes — we blend funding layers for greater flexibility.
Most specialist development finance lenders offer a maximum of 65–70% LTGDV (loan to gross development value) for experienced developers with strong track records and full planning permission. Some specialist lenders will consider up to 75% LTGDV for very strong cases. Expressed as a percentage of total project cost, most lenders offer 70–80% LTC. The developer must fund the remaining costs from their own equity.
Most specialist development finance lenders require full planning permission to be in place before committing to a facility. A small number of specialist lenders will consider outline consent or pre-planning positions for very experienced developers with strong track records, but these cases attract higher rates and lower LTGDV positions. Securing full planning before approaching lenders delivers the best terms and the widest lender choice.
Most specialist development finance lenders have minimum loan amounts of £500,000 to £1 million. For smaller projects below these thresholds, heavy refurbishment bridging finance or a combination of bridging and personal funds may be more appropriate. Larger schemes above £5 million may require institutional development lenders or a combination of senior debt and mezzanine finance. Money Pilot advises on the right structure for your specific project size.
Yes — but the market is significantly more restricted for first-time developers than for experienced ones. A small number of specialist lenders will consider first-time developers for smaller, straightforward schemes (typically single units or small site conversions). They typically require a lower LTGDV, a fixed-price building contract with an experienced contractor, and a very credible exit strategy. A specialist broker identifies the lenders most open to first-time developers and structures the application to maximise approval chances.
Development finance typically takes 4 to 8 weeks from initial enquiry to first drawdown, depending on the complexity of the scheme, the speed of the monitoring surveyor appointment, and how quickly the legal process proceeds. Straightforward cases with full planning, an experienced developer, and a detailed build cost schedule can move faster. Complex or larger schemes take longer. A specialist broker with established lender relationships significantly compresses the timeline.
Money Pilot compares property development finance from 200+ specialist UK lenders including Avamore Capital, Hilltop Credit Partners, Pluto Finance, and Octopus Real Estate — matching your GDV, LTGDV, track record, and exit strategy to the right lender. We also structure mezzanine finance and JV equity alongside senior development finance. Zero broker fees. FCA regulated (FRN: 968705). Call 020 4634 8617.
✅ What is property development finance and how does it work in the UK?
Property development finance is a specialist short-to-medium-term loan used to fund the purchase and construction costs of residential or commercial property development projects. Funds are released in staged drawdowns as construction milestones are confirmed by an independent monitoring surveyor. Money Pilot compares property development finance from 200+ specialist UK lenders - FCA regulated (FRN: 968705), zero broker fees.
How property development finance works in the UK
Property development finance differs from standard mortgages and bridging loans in how funds are released and how the loan is assessed. Rather than releasing the full loan amount on day one, development finance is drawn down in stages as construction progresses - confirmed by an independent monitoring surveyor appointed by the lender.
Bank of England held base rate at 4.25% in June 2026 — waiting for inflation to cool.
73% of UK SMEs expect to grow in the next 12 months — confidence remains strong.
Key development finance metrics
GDV (Gross Development Value) - the estimated value of the completed development. All development finance is sized as a percentage of GDV, typically 60–70% LTGDV (loan to gross development value)
LTC (Loan to Cost) - the total loan as a percentage of total project costs (land plus build costs). Most lenders offer up to 70–80% LTC for experienced developers
Staged drawdowns - funds released in tranches as construction milestones are confirmed by the monitoring surveyor, typically at foundation, first floor, wall plate, wind and water tight, and practical completion stages
Interest roll-up - development finance interest is typically rolled up and added to the outstanding balance rather than paid monthly, preserving developer cash flow during the construction phase
Types of property development finance
Property development finance covers ground-up new build residential schemes, commercial developments, conversions and change of use projects, and heavy refurbishments. For larger schemes requiring additional capital beyond senior debt, mezzanine finance and JV equity finance can be layered alongside the senior development loan. Money Pilot structures all layers at zero broker fees. FCA regulated (FRN: 968705).
What development finance lenders assess
Specialist development finance lenders assess each project individually. Understanding their criteria before approaching lenders is essential for securing the right terms and avoiding declined applications that leave a footprint on your credit file.
Key development finance assessment criteria:
GDV and comparable evidence - credible gross development value supported by agent valuations and sold comparable evidence
Planning status - full planning permission strongly preferred; outline consent considered for experienced developers
Developer track record - completed schemes of comparable scale and type; first-time developers face a more restricted market
Build cost schedule - detailed schedule of works from a quantity surveyor or experienced contractor with fixed-price contracts preferred
Exit strategy - sale of completed units, refinance onto investment finance, or a pre-agreed forward sale
Development finance is released in staged drawdowns as construction milestones are confirmed — protecting both lender and developer throughout the build. Compare 200+ specialist lenders at Money Pilot.
Property development finance - four key elements every developer must plan
Securing the right development finance on the right terms requires planning these four elements before approaching lenders. Each one directly affects the loan amount, the rate, and whether the project is fundable at all.
Every development finance lender appoints an independent monitoring surveyor (MS) to oversee the build on their behalf. The MS inspects the site at each drawdown stage, confirms the work has been completed to the required standard, and certifies that the next tranche of funds can be released. The cost of the MS - typically £2,000–5,000 per inspection - is charged to the borrower and deducted from the facility. Understanding the MS process before drawdown avoids surprises and ensures the build schedule aligns with the drawdown timetable.
Many development finance lenders provide a day one land advance - releasing funds on completion to cover the land or property purchase price - before any construction begins. The land advance is typically capped at 65–70% of the current market value of the land or property. The remaining facility (covering build costs) is then drawn in stages. Where the developer already owns the land, this equity can often be used to reduce the overall LTC position and improve the terms available.
Development finance interest can be structured as rolled-up (added to the outstanding balance and repaid at exit) or retained (deducted from the facility upfront based on projected total interest). Rolled-up interest is the most common structure and requires no monthly payments during the build. Retained interest provides cost certainty from day one but reduces the net facility available for build costs. The right structure depends on the project timeline, the build cost schedule, and the developer's cash flow position.
Development exit finance is a specialist bridging product used to refinance a development loan once practical completion has been achieved but before the units have been sold. It is cheaper than senior development finance and gives the developer time to market and sell the completed units without the pressure of the more expensive development loan running. Development exit is particularly valuable where the development loan is approaching its term or where the developer wants to free up the development facility for the next scheme while sales proceed. Money Pilot arranges development exit alongside bridging finance at zero broker fees.
Bank of England held base rate at 4.25% in June 2026 - waiting for inflation to cool.
73% of UK SMEs expect to grow in the next 12 months - confidence remains strong.
How to choose a development finance broker in 2026
Development finance is the most structured product in property lending - senior debt, stretch senior, mezzanine and JV equity all in one market. Compare brokers on four things: lender reach, structuring range, what they charge, and whether they build the appraisal pack lenders actually underwrite.
What matters
Typical dev finance brokers
Money Pilot
Lender reach
120–150 funding lines at the biggest names
200+ senior, stretch, mezzanine and JV funding lines
Structuring range
Senior debt focus; mezz and JV referred out
Full stack in-house: senior, stretch, mezzanine, JV, dev-exit
Broker fee
Up to 1% of the loan - £10,000 on a £1m facility
£0 - zero broker fees on every structure
First-time developers
Often declined or surcharged
Placed with first-scheme-friendly lenders at honest leverage
Appraisal support
Your numbers, forwarded
Appraisal pack built with you before lenders see it
The appraisal pack - what actually gets schemes approved
Development lenders approve appraisals, not applications. The pack that passes: GDV evidenced by genuine comparables (not asking prices), build costs backed by a QS or detailed contractor quotes, a contingency lenders can see (typically 5–10%), professional team named, programme realistic, and a margin that survives scrutiny - 20%+ profit on GDV remains the working benchmark.
Then the exit: sales evidence for the unit type and location, or a refinance route with lender appetite confirmed. An appraisal built this way does two jobs at once - it wins the facility, and it becomes the monitoring baseline that keeps drawdowns smooth through the build. We construct it with you before a single lender sees the scheme; it is the difference between being priced as a professional and being priced as a risk.
The zero-fee promise
Most UK brokers charge 1–1.5% of the loan as their fee - several page-one development brokers openly charge up to 1%. Money Pilot charges zero broker fees - we are paid by the lender, our whole-of-market comparison across 200+ specialist UK lenders stays free to you, and Miranda Khadr’s team is directly FCA regulated (FRN: 968705).
Unit 1, Verney House 1B Hollywood Road, London SW10 9HS
Opening Times: 9am - 6pm, Mon - Fri
Company Registration No. 13621432
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