How To Offer Finance For Tiling

What customer finance really is in a tiling business

Customer finance is a way for your buyers to spread the cost of tiles, adhesives, underfloor heating, bathroom bundles and even installation, without you turning into a lender. Instead of asking a customer to find several thousand pounds upfront, you introduce a regulated lender’s credit option at the right moment in the sale. In the UK tiling market, that typically means 0% APR over 6 to 24 months for project-sized orders, plus longer-term low-rate plans for bigger renovations, and short-term buy-now-pay-later for smaller baskets online. It is still a retail sale, just with a different payment method that can make your pricing feel accessible.

Understanding APR isn’t just about percentages - it’s about knowing what your customer will pay in real terms, and why that changes buying decisions.

Standout: Finance is not a discount. It is a way to match payment timing to how people budget for renovations.

Why customers choose finance for tiles and bathrooms

Tiling is rarely a single-item purchase. Customers often buy by the square metre, then add trims, grout, waterproofing, delivery, and frequently a fitter’s labour. That turns a “simple” flooring or shower refresh into a meaningful household spend, especially when the project is part of a wider renovation. UK retailers have responded by offering interest-free credit on larger orders, often from roughly £500 to £800 up to £25,000, commonly over 6 to 24 months, and typically without arrangement fees. At the other end, BNPL options like Pay in 3 or Pay in 4 appeal to digitally native shoppers who want something quick, app-managed, and interest-free over weeks rather than years. The result is a customer expectation: finance is a normal part of buying home-improvement products.

How finance tends to lift revenue (without pushing price)

Offering finance can increase sales by removing the immediate budget barrier while keeping your headline price intact. In practice, it often improves three things: conversion (fewer abandoned baskets when the total spikes), average order value (customers upgrade to the tile they actually want), and project scope (they add accessories or include labour). Many UK tile retailers make 0% APR a visible part of the proposition, with minimum spends that encourage full-project purchasing, and terms designed to feel manageable. Layering shorter-term BNPL alongside longer-term instalment credit also widens the net: the customer doing a £350 kitchen splashback wants speed, while the customer planning a £9,000 bathroom wants structure and certainty.

Standout: The right finance ladder lets customers self-select into a payment plan that fits the project.

Typical transaction values in tiling (and the finance type that fits)

What you can put on finance (examples)

1. Wall and floor tiles (porcelain, ceramic, natural stone)

2. Adhesives, grout, trims, levelling compounds, sealants

3. Underfloor heating kits and controls

4. Bathroom suites and furniture when sold alongside tiles

5. Wet room and waterproofing systems

6. Delivery, uplift, and other project logistics

7. Installation and labour (where your proposition and lender allow)

FCA and compliance: the essentials to get right

Finance is regulated, so your marketing and sales process must be fair, clear and not misleading. Customers should understand key points such as the APR (including when it is 0%), the term length, any deposit, and what happens if they miss payments. Representative examples must be accurate and approvals are always subject to status and affordability checks by the lender. You also need the right permissions and oversight for how you introduce finance, including compliant website and in-store wording.

Introducer or broker models: how most tiling firms do it

Most tiling retailers and installers do not want the operational and regulatory burden of lending. Instead, they act as an introducer: you present finance as a payment option, then pass the customer to a regulated broker or lender to handle the application, decisioning and credit agreement. This model is common in the sector because it gives you access to multiple products without building an in-house credit team. It also makes it easier to offer tiers such as interest-free instalments for mid-range projects, and longer-term fixed-rate credit for bigger renovations, sometimes with deposits (for example, 10% to 25% depending on the plan and customer profile). Many 0% offers in the market start repayments around a month after delivery, which suits project lead times and fitting schedules.

A practical view of the customer journey

1. Position finance early: add “from £X per month” messaging on key category pages, quotes, and in the showroom next to bestsellers.

2. Help the customer choose a route: offer a simple choice such as BNPL for smaller baskets, 0% APR for project purchases, and low-rate credit for longer terms.

3. Confirm eligibility basics: UK resident, age requirements, minimum spend, and whether a deposit is needed.

4. Application begins: customer completes a short application online or via a tablet in-store.

5. Instant decision (where available): the lender assesses creditworthiness and affordability.

6. Agree the credit terms: the customer reviews term length, APR, monthly payment, deposit, and total repayable.

7. Take deposit or first payment: depending on the product, the customer pays a deposit in-store or the first BNPL instalment at checkout.

8. Fulfil the order: schedule delivery, collection, and installation as normal.

9. Repayments commence: often one month after delivery for instalment plans, or in 30-day intervals for BNPL.

10. Aftercare and repeat purchases: follow up with maintenance products and additional rooms, with finance still available.

Next step suggestions:

• Add finance prompts to your quotation template and product pages.

• Train staff to explain deposits, terms and “subject to status” confidently.

• Use a tiered set of options so customers can choose without pressure.

Getting started with Kandoo

Kandoo helps UK merchants introduce customer finance in a way that is designed to be straightforward for your team and clear for your customers. The aim is to match the finance product to the reality of tiling jobs: smaller online baskets that benefit from quick, low-friction options, and larger showroom or quoted projects that need 0% instalments or longer-term plans. You can build finance into your sales process so it appears naturally at the point customers compare total project costs, with support on customer messaging, journey design and the practical steps needed to launch. Done well, finance becomes part of how you sell projects, not a last-minute save at the till.

FAQs

What finance options do tiling customers expect in the UK?

Many customers now expect a mix: short-term BNPL (Pay in 3/4) for smaller spends, and 0% APR instalments over 6 to 24 months for project orders. Longer-term low-rate options can suit full renovations.

What minimum order value should I set for 0% finance?

In the current UK market, 0% offers commonly start around £500 to £800, with upper limits that can reach £25,000. Your best threshold depends on margin, average basket size and admin overhead.

Do I need to charge arrangement fees?

Many retail 0% finance offers in this sector are promoted without arrangement fees. Whether fees apply depends on the lender product and your commercial setup, but simplicity usually helps conversion.

Is a deposit required?

Often, yes. Deposits can be modest and are sometimes set as a percentage (for example 10% or higher) depending on the plan, order value and lender criteria. Some markets also support no-deposit structures, subject to eligibility.

Can I offer finance for installation as well as tiles?

In many cases, yes, provided the finance product and your proposition support it. Bundling materials and labour can make larger projects easier to approve and easier for customers to understand.

How do I present BNPL alongside instalment credit without confusing customers?

Use plain tiers. For example: “Pay in 3/4” for smaller online orders, “0% over 12 to 24 months” for project purchases, and “spread over longer with a fixed rate” for major renovations.

What does “subject to status” actually mean?

It means the lender will run checks to decide whether to approve the application and on what terms, based on creditworthiness and affordability. Not every customer will be accepted.

Will offering finance slow down the sale?

With a well-designed journey, it typically speeds decisions because the customer can focus on an affordable monthly figure. In-store tablets and online applications can make approvals feel near-instant for many customers.

Do I need to be FCA authorised?

It depends on how you introduce finance and the permissions involved. Many tiling merchants operate under an introducer model with appropriate oversight, rather than becoming a lender themselves. Always ensure your setup and marketing are compliant.