Van conversion finance
Base vehicle, bodybuilder invoice and fit-out funded as one asset — including builds that are paid for in stages before the van ever moves.
Whole-of-market — 60+ lenders searched, including
Can you finance a van conversion?
Yes. A converted van can be funded as a single asset covering the base vehicle and the conversion, and this is standard practice for tippers, Lutons, fridge bodies, welfare units and workshop fit-outs. The complication that catches buyers out is timing and paperwork. When a chassis comes from a dealer and the body comes from a converter, there are two invoices and often a gap of weeks between them, and not every lender will pay out in stages against a part-built vehicle. Establish who is funding what before you place the order and put down a deposit.
Used kit: Yes. Already-converted used vans are funded routinely, and buying a used conversion avoids the build timing and staged-payment issues entirely.
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
What would a van conversion cost per month?
Asset finance is quoted on a flat rate, so that is what the buttons show, with the equivalent APR beside it. Your exact rate depends on the asset, the term, the deposit and the lender.
Prime is an established, profitable business with clean credit. Specialist covers newer businesses and credit that needs explaining — the asset itself carries part of the risk, which is why finance is often available where an unsecured loan is not.
Representative example: on Hire Purchase, borrowing £25,000 over 48 months at a 5.15% flat rate (equivalent to 9.9% APR representative), you would repay around £628 a month; total amount repayable approximately £30,150, of which £5,150 is the cost of finance. This calculator is for illustration only — it is not a quote or an offer of finance, and the rate and repayments you are offered will depend on the asset, term, deposit and your circumstances. CW Asset Finance is a credit broker, not a lender, and may receive a commission from the lender that funds your agreement. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
Rates shown are indicative flat rates with the equivalent APR alongside — the two are not the same number. Indicative only and does not constitute a quote or an offer of finance. Subject to status and lender approval.
How lenders treat it
Conversion funding is where broker knowledge earns its keep, because the deciding factor is not credit appetite but mechanics. Some funders will only pay against a single completed-vehicle invoice; others will settle a chassis dealer and then a bodybuilder, either on completion or in tranches during the build. Stage-payment facilities are a minority capability and worth knowing in advance. Underwriters assess the converter as a business, since a lender paying money to a bodybuilder that fails mid-build has a serious problem. Recognised converters make this easy. Where the customer already owns the base van, the conversion can often be funded on its own, but the funder needs to be satisfied about ownership and about what happens to the security. Declines arise where the converter cannot be verified, the build is so bespoke it has no second buyer, or no deposit covers the non-recoverable fit-out value.
Makes and models we fund
Examples of the machines we are asked to fund. This is not an exhaustive list — if what you are buying is not here, it does not mean we cannot fund it. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.
| Machine | What it is |
|---|---|
| Ford Transit chassis cab | Base for box, tipper or luton bodies |
| Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 315 chassis cab | Durable base for specialist conversions |
| Iveco Daily 50C chassis cab | Heavy base for bigger bodywork |
| Renault Master chassis cab | Value base with high payload |
| Peugeot Boxer chassis cab | Popular base for tippers and lutons |
| Maxus Deliver 9 chassis cab | Value base with long warranty |
| Fiat Ducato chassis cab | Widely used base for motorhomes |
| Citroen Relay chassis cab | Long chassis for box and curtain bodies |
| Volkswagen Crafter chassis cab | Premium base for welfare and workshop fits |
| Ford E-Transit chassis cab | Electric base for city conversions |
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
Who buys one
Businesses ordering a purpose-built vehicle rather than buying one off a forecourt — a contractor specifying a welfare unit to a framework requirement, a distributor ordering a box with a particular internal layout, or an engineering firm having a workshop van fitted out to its own drawing. Also buyers who already own a van and want a conversion added to it. The trigger is almost always a requirement that stock vehicles cannot satisfy.
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
We publish the deals we arrange, with no client named and no rate quoted. See what we have funded in vans and fleet.
How it is treated for tax
Bought on hire purchase, business plant and machinery normally qualifies for capital allowances on the full cost even though you pay for it monthly, which is a large part of why hire purchase is the common structure. On a finance lease you generally set the rentals against profit instead. The rules change between budgets and your position depends on how you trade, so treat this as the direction of travel and get your accountant to confirm the detail before you commit.
Van conversion finance questions
Can the lender pay the bodybuilder directly?
With the right funder, yes. Some will settle a chassis invoice and a separate body invoice, and a smaller group will release funds in stages during a build. It is not universal, so the deal needs placing with a lender that works this way from the outset.
Can I convert a van I already own and fund the conversion?
Often yes. The converter invoice can be treated as the asset in its own right, subject to the funder being satisfied about ownership of the base vehicle and the value of the finished article. Talk to us before the work starts so the structure is agreed in advance.
Does a bespoke conversion reduce my funding options?
It narrows them. The more a build is tailored to one customer, the fewer second-hand buyers exist and the more cautious the valuation becomes. It rarely stops a deal outright, but expect a deposit that covers the part of the spend a funder could not recover.
How long does a van conversion take?
It varies enormously by converter and body type, and lead times on chassis supply move around. The practical point for funding is that approvals have a shelf life, so if a build is months away we will time the application rather than get a decision that expires before payout.
Does the conversion need certification?
It depends on the type. Seating, lifting equipment, gas and electrical installations and weight plating all have their own requirements, and type approval applies to some conversions. A recognised converter handles this as a matter of course, which is another reason funders prefer them.
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
Also in van and light commercial finance
- First van finance for a new business
- Panel van finance
- Small van finance
- Medium van finance
- Large van finance
- Luton van finance
- Box van finance
- Tipper van finance
- Dropside van finance
- Crew cab van finance
- Refrigerated van finance
- Electric van finance
- Welfare van finance
- Recovery truck and tow truck finance
- Pickup truck finance
- Minibus finance
- Wheelchair accessible vehicle finance
- Mobile workshop van finance
- Dog grooming van finance
- Coffee van finance
- Ice cream van finance
- Catering van and food truck finance
- Mobile valeting van finance
- Curtainside van finance
- Ex-lease van finance
- Van fleet finance
- Van refinance
- Long wheelbase van finance
See everything we fund in van and light commercial finance →
Not an offer of finance. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
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We are a broker, not a dealer — we have no stake in which van you choose. These are written on that basis.
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Get your quote
Tell us what you’re looking to fund and Conor will come back to you personally — usually the same day.
Prefer to talk? Call 0333 772 4864 · serving Leeds, York, Harrogate, Wakefield, Selby, Tadcaster & across North & West Yorkshire.