Roma Finance has been named finance partner for the national rollout of the Refurb Calculator, a digital platform offering developers faster and more accurate refurbishment cost estimates.
The Refurb Calculator, created by Tony Walker of Help Build in partnership with Rich Devenport of Overstone, is designed to give developers, investors and entrepreneurs a detailed breakdown of refurbishment expenditure within minutes.
The system uses live procurement data from Help Build’s delivery team to reflect real-time movements in material, labour and allowance pricing across the UK.
Roma Finance said its support underscores a commitment to improving appraisal quality and cost forecasting in a part of the market where variability often undermines project outcomes.
Refurbishment costings remain one of the most challenging aspects of development assessment, with location alone capable of introducing cost swings of more than 35%.
Delivery method and specification choices can further shape profitability, while traditional estimation methods based on broad assumptions or m² benchmarks risk inaccurate budgets and diminished returns.
Walker said: “Every refurbishment must be costed on its own merit — there is no universal m² figure, and relying on one puts profitability at risk.
“With the Refurb Calculator, developers can view a property, input what they see and receive a full breakdown built on the same pricing our team uses to cost and deliver refurb projects every week. It creates cost certainty from day one, and that is a powerful shift for the industry.”
A central feature of the platform is its ability to produce a schedule of works, allowing developers to secure like-for-like contractor quotes, maintain tighter control of expenditure and protect margins throughout delivery.
Michael Allison, commercial director at Roma Finance, said: “At Roma Finance, we focus on building long-term relationships with our customers, supporting them with more than just lending.
“We provide expertise, guidance and introductions to trusted professionals and tools that help them make informed development decisions.
“Partnering with Refurb Calculator aligns perfectly with this approach — it gives developers access to data-driven refurbishment costings, enabling them to plan with confidence, reduce risk and improve project outcomes.
“In working with Tony, we’ve been genuinely impressed by his focus, clarity of vision and commitment to helping developers succeed. Supporting innovation like this is part of how we help our customers move forward and deliver successful projects.”
