Yes. Bridging is short-term finance and it is priced accordingly — month for month it usually costs more than longer-term secured borrowing. You are paying for speed, for flexibility, and for a lender taking a short-term view on an asset. Alongside the interest, expect arrangement fees, valuation and legal costs, and sometimes an exit fee.
It only makes sense where there is a clear, dated exit: a sale that is under way, a refinance that is already agreed in principle, or money you can genuinely evidence is coming. “Something will turn up” is not an exit. Cost is driven by the property and its condition, how much of its value you are borrowing against, the term, the credibility of that exit, and your credit profile.
Interest is often rolled up or retained rather than paid monthly. That keeps cash outflow low while the loan runs, but it means the balance you settle is bigger than the amount you drew. Build that into your exit calculation rather than working from the sum you borrowed.
Delays are where bridging turns genuinely expensive. Going beyond the agreed term usually triggers further fees and a higher rate, and it happens more often than borrowers expect, so allow a margin in your timeline.
Bridging is secured on property. If your exit fails, the lender can take steps to recover its money from that security — your home or your business premises could be at risk. Do not take bridging finance on an exit you are not confident about.