Working capital is essential to starting and running a business. Without it, you wouldn’t be able to operate (or grow) effectively. For a flooring business, in particular, there are plenty of flooring contractor loans available on the market, including everything from a bank term loan on up too, and including merchant cash advances.
As always, you should do your research to determine which type of loan best meets the needs of you and your business. When it comes to the loan options for flooring contractors, here are the four most common:
1. Equipment Loans
If what you need is new equipment, then an equipment loan is a viable option for you. With this process, lenders will provide you with the best small business loans with the funding needed to purchase or lease equipment that is necessary to start your business. You won’t have to pay for the full cost upfront either, rather, you can pay back the loan through monthly installments. You also don’t need to secure the loan with any of your business or personal assets since the equipment itself serves as collateral. However, lenders may ask you for a down payment before they approve your application.
2. Business Line of Credit
If you need a loan that offers more flexibility, you might want to check out a business line of credit (LOC). This type of loan is not like a traditional loan where borrowers are given a lump sum of money. Instead, banks and online lenders will give you a predetermined credit limit that you can draw funds from whenever you need to. You only repay the amount you’ve withdrawn, plus interest – not the entire credit limit.
Since you can withdraw and repay whenever you need to, a business line of credit is a great source of funding that can pay for unforeseen business expenses. It offers added flexibility that other types of loans do not. A nice feature about a LOC is, once you’ve repaid your credit, you can withdraw from it again without having to reapply.
3. Merchant Cash Advance
A merchant cash advance (MCA) is entirely different from conventional business loans because it’s actually not a loan. With a merchant cash advance, you ‘sell’ your future debit or credit card deposits in exchange for instant cash. Lenders automatically deduct a percentage off of your card transactions. While an MCA is more expensive, it offers faster funding than other financing options. You generally are able to receive the funds within 24 hours to a couple of days from the time you initiate the transaction.
Do know that the rates for MCA are much higher compared to more conventional forms of funding. It’s important to understand the terms of the loan to make informed decisions.
Given these complexities and the potential financial strain, consulting with a reliable MCA attorney can be invaluable. They can help clarify the terms and ensure that the agreement aligns with your business’s financial health and long-term goals.
4. SBA Loans
Having a hard time qualifying for bank rate financing?
If you’ve been turned down by banks before, try applying for SBA loans. The Small Business Administration (SBA) created SBA loans to help small businesses secure financing. The SBA guarantees your loan by up to 85%, depending on your risk factor. This minimizes the lenders’ risks and encourages them to take on small/new businesses.
There are different types of SBA loans, such as disaster loans, 7(a) loans, microloans, 504 loans, and express loans. Business owners commonly use SBA loans for refinancing and consolidating debts, acquiring new businesses, working capital, purchasing equipment, adding inventory, and paying for other business expenses.
5. Invoice Financing
If your flooring company processes invoices, you can use them to your advantage by applying for invoice financing. With invoice financing, you sell your pending invoices to a lending company in exchange for upfront cash. Lenders usually fund 80% to 95% of the total invoice value, but there are lending companies that fund 100%. You can receive the remaining percentage (minus a small fee) after your customers have paid their dues. The stronger your credibility as a borrower, the better terms you’ll receive.
Invoice financing is great for companies with low credit ratings because it doesn’t focus on your creditworthiness, but lenders are more interested in your customers’ credit rating. After all, they’re the ones paying for the invoices. As long as you have invoices to finance and creditworthy customers, you’ll most likely qualify for invoice financing.
Flooring Contractor Loans for Your Business
If you need additional working capital to run your flooring company, it may be a good decision to apply for flooring contractor loans. Be sure to choose a loan product that fits your company’s needs and financial capacity. With several loan options to choose from, picking the best may be overwhelming. It’s highly encouraged to talk to a financial expert for more information.
If you like this post, read, “How you can benefit from a small business loan“.