WHO WE SERVE

Tradie home loans for sole traders, licensed tradies and sub-contractors — without needing perfect tax returns.

Licensed electricians, plumbers, carpenters, brickies, painters, HVAC techs, builders — sub-contractor invoices, cash deposits, BAS, licence cards — we've seen every variant. Halo Loan specialises in tradie alt-doc placements: BAS-only / accountant-letter / sub-contractor invoice + bank statements — three transparent rate-loaded paths instead of the majors' opaque decline machine. Mobile pre-check + WhatsApp updates.

Who this is for

  • ·Licensed tradies (electrician / plumber / carpenter / HVAC / builder) — sole trader or Pty Ltd
  • ·Sub-contractors (invoicing head contractors) — ABN ≥ 6 months
  • ·Cash-heavy operations — we know which lenders won't decline you on cash deposits alone
  • ·Declined 1–2 times by majors for "tax return too low / insufficient servicing"

What we handle

  • Tradie income rebuild: $40k declared tax but $200k real cash flow → reconstruct servicing from BAS + bank statements
  • Licence + insurance checklist: full licensing + PI insurance ≥ $2M is mandatory for some lenders
  • Cash-deposit source memo: every $10k+ deposit pre-documented
  • Construction loan for build/renovation customers: land + build + occupier conversion end-to-end

Documentation Pathway Matrix

Find the rate, LVR, and turnaround that matches the documents you can supply.

Full-doc

What you bring

2 yrs ITR + NOA · company financials · BAS

Rate from
6.04%
Max LVR
90%
Turnaround
14–21 days
Lenders
12

Alt-doc

What you bring

6 mo bank statements · ABN ≥ 2 yrs · self-declaration

Rate from
6.49%
Max LVR
80%
Turnaround
14–28 days
Lenders
14

BAS-only

What you bring

4 quarters of BAS · ABN ≥ 2 yrs

Rate from
6.59%
Max LVR
80%
Turnaround
10–21 days
Lenders
10

Accountant letter

What you bring

Signed accountant declaration · 6 mo bank statements

Rate from
6.69%
Max LVR
80%
Turnaround
14–21 days
Lenders
6

Indicative only — actual rate and LVR cap subject to lender formal approval.

Honest trade-offs

  • Concentrated cash deposits (> $30k single day) → AML flag, lender will reject pending source verification
  • Expired / suspended licence → some lenders decline outright; need 30 days post-renewal to reapply
  • Tradie tax returns are typically minimised — real income is 2–3× tax-declared — most lenders look at tax returns, so route via alt-doc lender

Frequently asked

Tradie declared $40k tax but real income is $200k — what can I borrow?

Use alt-doc / BAS-only: rebuild income from 6–12 mo of BAS + bank statements. Borrowing ≈ rebuilt income × 4–5×, with LVR cap 80% (20% deposit). Example: $150k real net → $600k–$750k. Depends on how documentable your cash sources are + which lenders take your trade.

Sub-contractor (not directly licensed) — can I borrow?

Yes. Sub-contractors use invoice + bank-statement path — no trade licence required, but: ① ABN ≥ 12 mo ② same head-contractor relationship ≥ 6 mo ③ 6 mo invoice history. Some lenders also require a head-contractor relationship letter.

I had an ATO payment plan in the last 12 months — will I be declined?

Payment plan itself isn't fatal; lenders check: ① is it being paid on schedule ② current balance ③ is it settled. Settled + 6 mo clean history → most lenders accept. Still repaying → specialist lender (La Trobe / Pepper) at +0.5–1%. Unpaid without a plan → near-certain decline.

Newly registered tradie ABN — can I borrow in year one?

ABN ≥ 6 mo + same-industry PAYG history ≥ 2 yrs (previously employed as an electrician / plumber etc.) → specialists like La Trobe / Bluestone can approve at full-doc + 1.5–2%. Complete career switch (previously office-based) with ABN < 1 yr → very hard; wait until the second BAS quarter.

Can I borrow to buy land and self-build (construction loan)?

Yes. Tradie owner-builder construction loan: select lenders (Bankwest / Gateway / some mutuals) accept, provided you hold an owner-builder permit + complete build budget + fixed-price subcontract list. Alt-doc LVR cap typically 70% (30% deposit).

Halo Loan track record — how many tradie cases have you placed?

Tradies are one of our largest case categories (~30% of self-employed pipeline). We process 15–25 tradie alt-doc applications monthly with a settlement rate > 85% (industry average ~65%) — front-loaded lender selection + document pre-screening filters out the cases that would otherwise be declined.

Next step

3-minute pre-check for tradie & trade contractor home loans

Drop a few basics. We cross-check 40+ lenders against your situation and return how much you can borrow + which doc pathway is right for you.