Construction progress payments

What is a progress payment request?

A drawdown or progress payment request is the process of asking your lender to pay your builder for part of the work that has been completed.

Usually a builder will require five payments to be made, one at each stage of construction. Your lender will pay the builder directly when you request that they to do so.

You and your builder may have already agreed to how many payments will be made, the gap between those payments, their amount and when they are due. The lender simply makes sure that these payments are made when stipulated.

How can we help?

We will get involved with our customers construction loans if there is a delay with the bank or if there is a problem that you need our help to resolve. Apart for those situations, it is best for you and your builder to deal directly with your lenders construction department. Progress payments are routine procedures, so it is likely that things will run smoothly.

If you are taking out an owner builder mortgage then the document requirements will be very different and the progress inspection policies of the banks will be more stringent. Please discuss how this will work with your mortgage broker.

Prior to commencement

Before the lender allows you to begin construction you & your builder will need to provide them with the following documents:

• Signed building contract.
• Council approved plans.
• Construction certificate (NSW) or Building permit (VIC) or Decision notice (QLD).
• Builders Insurance (certificate of currency).
• Builders Indemnity / Public Risk Insurance ($5 million minimum for most lenders).

You can either send these to the lender, prior to the first progress payment request OR with the first progress payment request.

We recommend that you send these to your bank at least two weeks before you intend to start construction, in order to give them sufficient time to do their processing.

The first progress payment request

There are often delays with the first progress payment request because in many cases, the above documents have not been provided or have been lost by the lender.

These documents may have been supplied during loan approval, however the construction department may not have a copy of the file from the credit department that approved your loan.

If you did not borrow 100% of the cost of construction, the lender will request that you pay all the funds you are required to contribute, before they release any payment to the builder.

How to request a progress payment

Simply fax the bank the following documents:

• A signed progress payment request form (available from your lender) OR a signed letter from you authorising payment (template is below).
• A copy of the invoice from the builder.
• (First progress payment only) A copy of the receipt from the builder showing that you have paid them the funds you are required to contribute.
• (Final progress payment only) Call the lender to discuss their additional requirements prior to sending them the request.

Your final progress payment request

For your final progress payment request, the lender will usually send a valuer to the property to confirm that work has been completed as per the contract & plans provided.

If there is any unfinished work then the lender will withhold payment until the work is completed.

You may need to provide additional documents such as:

• A certificate of occupancy from the council,
• A copy of your building insurance with enough cover to replace the building. This copy must also include the name of the lender, on the policy, and
• Other documents as per normal, such as a progress payment request, as well as an invoice from your builder.

Discuss these requirements with your lender prior to requesting the progress payment. You can avoid delays by providing all of the documents up front.

Progress payment request letter template

Use this template if you do not have the correct progress payment request form from your lender.

To ABC Bank Limited

Re: Home Loan Account #: 73312008

Sue Johnston
Mobile 0404 133 011

Construction department contact details

Note: These contact details are for the customers of Home Loan Experts. If you used another mortgage broker then you may need to deal with a different department within the same lender.

CBA Construction Team

Ph: 132 407
Fax: 02 8898 3638
Email: LPCNSWFundings@cba.com.au OR tpbpaperlessloan@cba.com.au (must include Bank Reference Number in subject line)

Construction Team
CBA / Colonial
PO BOX 3846
Parramatta NSW 2150

St George Progress Payment Department

Ph: 02 9952 1280
Fax: 02 9995 8144
Email: progresspayment@stgeorge.com.au

Progress Payment Department
St George Bank
Locked Bag 1
Kogarah NSW 1485

Westpac Progress Draws Team

Ph: 1300 367 483
Fax: (08) 8152 2354
Email: N/A

Progress Draws Team
The Mortgage Centre Westpac
PO Box 2755
Adelaide SA 5001

ANZ Progress Payments Team

Ph: 132 599 (Option 1 then option 2)
Fax: 1300 765 247
Email: N/A

ANZ Progress Payments Team
Locked Bag 9
Collins St West Post Office
Melbourne VIC 8007

How to avoid the headaches

If you follow these simple tips, requesting payment from your bank will be a simple, stress free process.

• Look at our article to read our toptips for construction loans.
• Expect the lender to take up to five working days to release each payment.
• The first and last drawdowns can take up to two weeks, depending on the lender.
• Send everything to the lender in one go. If they receive the documents they need in bits and pieces then they will get lost or will not be actioned.
• Make sure all correspondence that you send to the lender has your contact details, the builder’s contact details and your loan account number.
• Call the lender 48 hours after sending them any documents to make sure they have received them and have made the payment. Keep following up until the payment is made.

Good luck with your new home from us at the Home Loan Experts! If you wish to speak to someone about getting a construction loan, please call us on 1300 889 743 or enquire online and we can help you with your situation.