To offer financing, partner with a financing platform or lender program, then present a monthly payment alongside the total price on every quote. Your customer applies with a soft credit pull and picks a lender offer; the lender funds the job and you’re paid in full. Setup takes days, not months. The real decisions are your cost model and how consistently your crew quotes the payment.
- Setup takes days, and no lending license is needed
- Multiple lender offers, not a single yes/no
- Train one sentence, close more jobs
The 7 Steps
Most contractors are live within 24 hours.
1. Count your financeable jobs
Look at last year: how many jobs over $5K did you bid, and how many died on price? That’s your financing opportunity, and the volume number that decides step 2.
2. Pick your cost model
Per-loan dealer fees (GreenSky, Service Finance, Wisetack: 0.5%–15.75% per job) vs. a flat subscription (Hearth: $1,799–$4,999/yr, no per-loan fee). Ask about enterprise-level service and support. Full comparison: Customer Financing for Contractors.
3. Verify what your customer sees
Look for soft-pull prequalification (no score impact to browse offers), multiple lender offers instead of a single yes/no, and coverage for your ticket size. A $25K cap is useless for a $40K roof-plus-solar job. Hearth’s marketplace: $1K–$250K, 2–12 yr terms, rates from 7.99% APR, credit down to 550. Rates and terms vary by lender and credit.
4. Put the payment on every quote
“$18,400, or from ~$310/mo (illustrative)” on the proposal line itself. The payment isn’t a fallback for when the price gets rejected. It’s how the price gets accepted.
5. Train one sentence
“Would a monthly payment make this decision easier?” Ask it at presentation, before the objection. Crews who ask every time outperform “financing available” stickers by miles.
6. Send the link before you leave the driveway
Text or QR code while you’re standing there. Prequalification takes about 60 seconds, and momentum is the close.
7. Track it for 90 days
Compare close rate with the payment quoted vs. without, and average ticket financed vs. cash. The lift tells you what financing is worth and whether your cost model still fits your volume.
Send your first financing link this week.
Flat annual subscription. 18+ lenders. No per-loan dealer fee, no matter how many jobs you finance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to start offering financing?
Usually same day. Platform signup and a short onboarding, and no lending license is needed.
Do I need good business credit to offer financing?
No. The customer is underwritten, not you. You’re never the creditor.
What does it cost?
With Hearth, it’s a single annual subscription with unlimited financing applications. Unlike other finance partners that charge an expensive fee for every application, you keep more of your money.
What if my customer has poor credit?
Multi-lender marketplaces widen coverage (Hearth’s network serves scores down to 550). Approval is never guaranteed, and terms vary by lender and credit.
