Construction Working Capital & Bridge Financing in Denver, Colorado

Scan the options below, pick the one that matches your current cash position and timeline, and go straight to that guide — each one covers qualification criteria, realistic rates, and what to bring to a lender.

What to know before you choose

Denver's construction market runs on tight margins and slow payment cycles. A GC waiting 60–90 days on a city infrastructure draw, a subcontractor fronting materials for a Cherry Creek build, or a heavy equipment firm carrying idle iron between contracts all face the same fundamental problem: the work is real, the revenue is real, but the cash isn't in the account yet. The products below solve that problem in different ways, at very different costs.

Working capital loans are the broadest category. Unsecured products for contractors typically require $250,000+ in annual revenue, 12 months of bank statements, and a minimum FICO around 640. APRs run 15–45% depending on credit and loan structure — reasonable for a short bridge, punishing if you carry the balance long. If your books are clean and you can wait, an SBA 7(a) loan comes in at 8.5–11% APR and goes up to $5,000,000, but budget 30–45 days for approval.

Lines of credit sit between a term loan and a credit card. Rates generally run 8–20% APR, and you only pay interest on what you draw — useful for payroll swings and material purchases that don't line up with your draw schedule. Qualification mirrors working capital loans: two years in business, solid revenue, a DSCR of at least 1.25x.

Invoice factoring is the fastest path when you have receivables but not cash. Factoring companies advance 80–90% of the invoice face value within 1–3 business days and collect from your client directly. The fee is 1–5% of the invoice — small on a $200,000 GC invoice, meaningful if you're factoring repeatedly at the high end. Credit score matters less here because the underwriting focuses on your client's creditworthiness, not yours. Subcontractors with slow-paying general contractors use this constantly.

Equipment financing is a separate lane. If the capital need is tied to buying or replacing a piece of iron, equipment loans (5.5–9% APR for 700+ credit) are cheaper than working capital products and keep your working capital line free. Denver contractors exploring both equipment and operating capital options can compare equipment leasing versus loan structures for Colorado contractors before committing to a product.

Bridge loans fill a specific gap: you've won a contract, mobilization costs are due, and the first draw is weeks out. Bridge financing is short-term and priced accordingly — expect rates toward the high end of the working capital range. The exit strategy matters; lenders want to see the contract and draw schedule before they fund.

Product	Typical APR	Speed	Best for
SBA 7(a)	8.5–11%	30–45 days	Planned needs, strong credit
Line of credit	8–20%	1–2 weeks	Recurring payroll & materials
Working capital loan	15–45%	2–5 days	Fast bridge, weaker credit
Invoice factoring	1–5% fee	1–3 days	Slow-paying clients
Equipment financing	5.5–9%	1–3 days	Equipment purchases

What trips contractors up most: applying for the wrong product given their timeline. A contractor who needs cash by Thursday shouldn't be filling out an SBA application. Conversely, a contractor who uses merchant cash advances for every materials order is leaving serious margin on the table compared to a line of credit. The working capital loan and line of credit options available to Denver contractors in 2026 cover qualification benchmarks in detail if you're not sure which tier you fall into.

Geography matters less than it used to — most of these products are available from national lenders who underwrite remotely — but local relationships with Denver-area SBA preferred lenders can cut that 30–45 day timeline. Contractors in other mountain-west and southwestern markets face similar dynamics: the guides for Albuquerque, NM and Anchorage, AK cover regional lender considerations worth cross-referencing if you work across state lines.