BuildLoan has unveiled eight new products for self and custom builders funded by the Furness Building Society.

The new products replace the Society’s existing range with initial rates up to 0.24 percentage points below the previous equivalent products, reducing its lowest rate from 3.79% to 3.59%.

All of the products offered by Furness – available exclusively through BuildLoan – provide self and custom builders with a pre-agreed schedule of funding throughout the build designed to meet customers’ build costs as they arise. With these cost based mortgages, funds are guaranteed, and there is no risk of down valuations reducing the amount received by the borrower.

Funds are available in arrears or in advance of each stage of work. The advance stage payment option is particularly useful to those clients with less cash or using building methods such as timber frame, which often require larger up-front payments.

The range offers up to 85% of build costs and up to 80% of the value of the completed property with a maximum loan of £750,000.

Product examples include:

• 2-year arrears discount rate of 3.59% (SVR – 1.55%) offering up to 85% of build costs, with a maximum loan to value of 80%
• 2-year advance discount rate of 3.75% (SVR – 1.39%) offering up to 85% of build costs with a maximum loan to value of 80%

The new product range includes cashback mortgages and ERC-free options.

If the client completes the build within any ERC period, they can move straight away to a residential rate with Furness without paying the ERC.

Chris Martin, head of product development and underwriting at BuildLoan, said: “We offer an extensive range of products through Furness and these reduced rates offer self builders even greater value. All of the products provide guaranteed stage payments linked purely to the client’s build costs providing certainty to self builders that they will have the money they need when it’s needed.

“The option to move to a lower rate on completion of the build without paying any ERC is a really attractive feature, which could save a lot in terms of mortgage payments if the client finishes the property quickly.”

Alasdair McDonald, head of intermediary mortgages at Furness Building Society, added: “We know that cashflow is vital to self builders and our products have been carefully designed with BuildLoan to match the funds provided to the client with their build costs.

“This removes the risk of their build not progressing because they don’t have the money available to pay contractors or buy materials.”