April 16, 2026 Automotive & Transport

A Commercial Mortgage Guide for Marine Workshop Owners

Buying the premises your marine or boat workshop already trades from is a strong step, and more within reach than many owners expect. At Ardent Capital Group we speak with workshop owners about this kind of commercial property purchase, so this guide walks through how a lender sees a marine workshop and what shapes the deposit and the deal.

Ardent Capital Group is a specialist in commercial mortgages for marine and boat workshop operators across Australia. Our team can help you move from tenant to owner, and give you clear lending advice on structure and strategy.

Access commercial mortgage finance from $100K to $10M+, tailored to owner-occupiers and investors.
Over $500M in funding facilitated across a decade for more than 1,000 Australian borrowers.
National coverage across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart and regional centres.
Direct access to banks and non-banks that understand light industrial and marine-adjacent property.

We arrange a marine workshop property loan end to end, from lender selection through to settlement.

What ownership gives a marine workshop operator

Owning fits the sector because the fit-out is expensive, the address anchors your client base, and the building features you need are specific. A workshop that handles outboards and sterndrives, fibreglass repairs, electronics and antifoul work relies on high-clearance roller doors, three-phase power, hardstand for trailers, compliant wash-down bays with interceptor pits, bunded storage for fuels and paints, ventilation and spray areas, and floor load that takes forklifts and boats on cradles. The value of that fit-out stays with the premises.

Marina precinct proximity ties you to local skippers, dealers and insurers. Pre-summer spikes, scheduled servicing cycles and insurance work after storm events make revenue resilient across coastal Australia. Repayments reduce principal on a building that can be refinanced or sold, rather than funding rent escalations.

Main ownership drivers:

Control of layout and compliance, including spray booths, trade waste systems and three-phase upgrades you would hesitate to install in a leased shed.
Location security near a marina, boat ramp or hardstand that keeps customers close and turnarounds quick.
Payments build equity in a tangible asset that can support future facilities, including marine workshop equipment finance and working capital.
Greater certainty on occupancy terms, avoiding relocation risk that disrupts bookings and warranty work.

Buying may not suit if you plan to relocate within a short horizon, if the best long-term site has not been secured yet, or if capital is better deployed into staff, inventory and engine diagnostics during a growth phase. The decision sits with you.

How a marine workshop purchase is funded

Deposit and LVR. A marine or boat workshop is standard commercial security, the same bucket as a warehouse or factory, so it commonly gears up to 80 per cent for owner-occupiers, which means a deposit near 20 per cent. The major banks assess owner-occupier commercial case by case rather than publishing a set figure, which is where a broker who knows the market earns its place. Valuation and your business profile set the final number.
Loan term and structure. Banks commonly lend to 15 years, while non-banks extend to 25 or 30 years. Structure as principal and interest for steady equity build, or interest only for a period if cash flow priorities favour working capital and staffing.
Security and serviceability. The property is the primary security. Lenders assess your business financials, BAS, tax returns and cash flow, with attention to seasonality, insurance repair work and dealer relationships. Fit-out that is fixed to the building may add limited value in valuation terms, so be ready to evidence cost and compliance.
Owner-occupier treatment. Lenders generally price and structure more favourably for owner-occupiers due to lower observed default rates and stronger commitment to the site.

Common holding structures

Many marine and boat workshop owners hold the property in a separate entity, such as a company or trust, and lease the premises back to the trading business at a commercial rent. This separates operating risk from the real asset, and a lender then reads the inter-entity rent as the serviceability line and the transparent rent as the basis for valuation.

For some established, high-fit-out operators, an SMSF can hold the premises. Commercial premises usually qualify as business real property, so the SMSF can own the building and lease it back to your business at market rate, with the finance arranged through a limited recourse borrowing arrangement. The trade-offs include gearing limits, contribution caps and liquidity inside the fund. We handle the finance, and your accountant and SMSF adviser confirm the tax, superannuation and ownership questions that sit outside a credit licence.

What a lender looks at

Business financials and stability, including two years of financial statements, BAS and current management accounts that reflect seasonal peaks before summer.
Serviceability metrics, with lender models testing interest cover and debt service cover, and considering addbacks such as once-off equipment purchases.
The property and valuation, including zoning for marine repair and light industrial use, eave height and access, three-phase power, wash-down and interceptor compliance, and any flood or contamination risk.
Deposit and equity position, including cash, retained profits, or the ability to leverage your equity in residential or other commercial property.
Lease and occupancy, including an owner-occupier lease between the property entity and trading business, or third-party leases if part of the site is tenanted.
Experience and customer base, such as manufacturer certifications, dealership links, insurer workstreams and licensed technicians.

A specialist broker matters in the marine and boat workshop sector because valuers and lenders weigh environmental compliance, fit-out and marina-adjacent risk differently, and the right presentation helps secure stronger terms.

An illustrative scenario

This is an illustrative scenario that shows the kind of situation we can assist with, and how the thinking might run.

Profile: 12-year marine service business in the Coomera precinct, two technicians plus apprentices, revenue mix of outboard servicing, electronics and insurance repairs.
Target property: 780 m² strata workshop with 10 m clearance, triple roller doors, interceptor pit, spray area and three-phase upgrade. Purchase price $2.4M, with fit-out already in place.
Equity position: $350K cash, residential equity available, existing forklift and compressor under asset finance. The objective is ownership without starving working capital before summer.
Options considered:
- 70 per cent LVR, principal and interest over 20 years, deposit funded by cash plus a small increase on the home loan to keep liquidity for inventory upon settlement.
- 80 per cent LVR for owner-occupier, interest only for 24 months to smooth cash flow during staff expansion, with additional residential collateral to support the higher LVR.
- Near 100 per cent total funding by combining a 75 per cent mortgage with equipment refinance and a working capital facility, using the home to leverage your equity for the remaining gap.
- An SMSF purchase through an LRBA, geared within the 65 to 80 per cent band commercial property attracts in super, with rent paid by the trading company at market rate and the fund liquidity requirements kept in view.
Structures mapped: a unit trust with a corporate trustee holding the property and leasing to the trading company at commercial rent, or direct company ownership where governance is simple.

How we would approach it: we would map the ranges, structures and repayments, then talk through the path that best balances equity build and cash flow. The figures above are illustrative, not confirmed outcomes, and the terms always depend on profile and valuation.

Ways we can fund a marine workshop business

Asset finance for marine workshop equipment. Fund forklifts, engine cranes, outboard diagnostic kits, compressors, spray equipment, vacuum sanders, boat cradles and trailers.
Fit-out and refurbishment finance. Install or upgrade spray areas, bunded floors, interceptor pits, LED lighting, mezzanine storage and three-phase distribution.
Working capital loans. We can arrange working capital for a marine workshop to smooth parts purchasing for engines, props, electronics and antifoul stock ahead of peak seasons.
Business overdraft. Cover timing gaps between insurance jobs, dealer payments and client collections.
Refinancing and debt consolidation. Reset rates, roll short-term facilities and ATO balances into a clearer structure backed by owned property.
Construction and renovation. Extend the shed, add high-clearance doors, expand hardstand or build a compliant wash-down bay with trade waste treatment.
Business or premises acquisition finance. Buy a competitor's book, take a stake in a marina-adjacent lot, or purchase the neighbouring unit to expand bays.

Own the premises to create collateral that supports the rest of the facilities, and use a refinance to consolidate them as the business grows.

How Ardent helps marine workshop buyers

Ardent Capital Group arranges and structures commercial mortgage finance for marine and boat workshop owners who want to buy their premises. We set the lending around how you intend to hold and occupy the property, with attention to cash flow, tax and long-term ownership aims.

Our team services Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra and surrounding metro and regional areas. We have helped facilitate over $500M in funding over a decade for over 1,000 borrowers. This is the kind of purchase where the structure and the strategy matter as much as the rate, and we give business owners clear advice on both, so the finance supports the wealth you are building and the years ahead, not just this settlement. If you are weighing up buying your workshop, we would be glad to talk it through.

Questions worth asking

How much deposit do I need to buy a marine workshop?

A marine or boat workshop is standard commercial security and commonly gears up to 80 per cent for owner-occupiers, so a deposit near 20 per cent, with the major banks assessing owner-occupier commercial case by case. Valuation and your business profile set the final number.

Will lenders recognise my spray booth and wash-down fit-out in the valuation?

Some fixed fit-out is recognised, however valuers may ascribe limited value to specialised items, so funding is primarily against the base building and land, with fit-out costs supported by invoices and compliance certificates.

Can my SMSF buy the premises and lease it to my workshop?

Yes, commercial property generally qualifies as business real property, so your SMSF can buy it and lease it back at market rent, subject to LRBA rules, liquidity and contribution caps.

Do I need environmental reports for a marine repair site?

Many lenders ask for evidence of compliant trade waste systems and may require an environmental report if there is a wash-down bay, interceptor pit or historical contamination risk.

How do banks view seasonality before summer?

Serviceability models can accommodate seasonal peaks if your financials show consistent cycles, supported by BAS and management accounts that track bookings and delivery.

What if the workshop is inside a marina precinct with a head lease?

Lenders will review the title and head lease terms. Freehold or strata with clear tenure is generally preferred. Mortgage terms depend on tenure quality, permitted use and valuer advice.

Written by

Nick Chong

Managing Director, M.AppFin, Dip. Mortgage Mgmt

Nick holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Economics, a Master of Applied Finance and an Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning. He founded Ardent Capital in 2016 after more than a decade in financial planning and mortgage broking. For the past ten years he has led a team of finance specialists, mortgage advisers, brokers and credit analysts, all working to secure optimal outcomes for clients and always acting in their best interests. The team brings both a qualitative and a quantitative approach to every deal.