Commercial & construction fee estimates.
Estimate brokerage and lender fees on Commercial Prime, Alternative (B), Private, and Construction files in BC & AB. Honest ranges, every quote in writing.
Use the slider for a quick range, or type your exact amount above (up to $999M).
Case Studies — files like this
Anonymized case studies from our files. Names and identifying details removed.
- Case study · Commercial / AlternativeThe Landlord Was Demolishing the Building: A Food Business Bought Its Own Commercial Property on Twelve Months of Bank StatementsTold its building would be demolished, a food business bought a $1.55 million retail property through a holding company: $1,162,500 at 75% from a commercial program that read twelve months of bank statements, about three points below the private option. Renewed in 2025 under 7%.Read the file →
- Case study · Commercial / PrivateThe Bank Called a $1 Million Loan on Their Commercial Building After Its Annual Review: Refinanced at 65%, Partner Bought Out, Property KeptThe bank called a roughly $1 million loan after its annual review. A one-year, interest-only private commercial mortgage of $1.7 million, about 65% of the $2,625,000 appraisal, paid out the bank, bought out the partner for about $415,000 and cleared the cards and the CRA balance.Read the file →
- Case study · Commercial / Business FinancingFrom a $2,000 Card Increase to $1.1 Million Approved, Through the Same BankAfter eight years with the same major bank, the branch offered a $2,000 card increase. A rebuilt submission to the same bank's commercial division brought about $1.1 million approved: $75,000 in cards, a $200,000 line, $500,000 for leaseholds and equipment and a $325,000 term facility.Read the file →
More case studies that use this calculator (1)
What a commercial or construction file costs, and why
Commercial and construction lenders usually do not pay a broker commission. So on these files the client pays the brokerage fee, which is the industry standard, and the lender charges its own fee on top.
The brokerage fee covers the extra work: each of these loans needs more structuring, underwriting and negotiation, plus access to specialized capital.
Both fees move with the kind of lender on the file: prime (banks and institutional lenders), alternative, or private. The brokerage fee also has a minimum, which depends on how long the business has been operating.
Typical fees by lender type
| Lender type | Brokerage | Lender fee |
|---|---|---|
| (A) PrimeBanks and institutional lenders | 1% | 0.25% |
| (B) AlternativeAlternative lenders | 1%–2% | 1% |
| PrivatePrivate capital | 1%–2% | 1%–2% |
| Lender type | Brokerage | Lender fee |
|---|---|---|
| (A) PrimeBanks and institutional lenders | 1% | 0.5%–2% |
| (B) AlternativeAlternative lenders | 1%–2% | 1% |
| PrivatePrivate capital | 1%–2% | 1%–2% |
Percentages are of the amount financed. The brokerage column is for an established business; a start-up is quoted on the schedule below, and a minimum applies to every file.
The minimum brokerage fee
The percentages in the table above, never less than $10,000. At 1%, the minimum sets the fee on any file under $1,000,000; at 2%, on any file under $500,000.
Quoted on the size of the loan, not the type of lender: 3% of financing up to $500,000, 2% of financing over it. 3% of $500,000 is $15,000, so the fee is $15,000 on any file up to $750,000 and 2% of the amount financed above that. The lender fee still follows the type of lender.
Four sample files, worked through
The same arithmetic the calculator above runs: our brokerage fee first, then the lender's fee at the typical range for that type of lender.
- Our brokerage fee
- $10,000
- Lender fee
- $1,250
- Estimated total
- $11,250
1% would be $5,000, so the $10,000 minimum sets the fee.
0.25% of $500,000.
- Our brokerage fee
- $20,000 to $40,000
- Lender fee
- $20,000 to $40,000
- Estimated total
- $40,000 to $80,000
1% to 2% of $2,000,000, above the $10,000 minimum.
1% to 2% of $2,000,000.
- Our brokerage fee
- $15,000
- Lender fee
- $2,000 to $8,000
- Estimated total
- $17,000 to $23,000
3% would be $12,000, so the $15,000 minimum sets the fee.
0.5% to 2% of $400,000.
- Our brokerage fee
- $24,000
- Lender fee
- $12,000
- Estimated total
- $36,000
2% of $1,200,000, above the $15,000 minimum.
1% of $1,200,000.
Commercial and construction fee questions
Who pays the mortgage broker on a commercial or construction loan?+
The client does. Commercial and construction lenders usually do not pay a broker commission, so the brokerage fee is paid by the borrower, which is the industry standard on these files. The lender's own fee is a separate charge on top of it.
What is the minimum brokerage fee on a commercial or construction file?+
$10,000 for an established business with two or more years of operating history, and $15,000 for a start-up or a business with under two years of operating history. On a smaller file the minimum, not the percentage, sets the fee: at a 1% rate, an established file pays the minimum on anything under $1,000,000.
How is the brokerage fee worked out for a start-up business?+
A start-up, or a business with under two years of operating history, is quoted at 3% of financing up to $500,000 and 2% of financing over $500,000, with a $15,000 minimum. In practice that is $15,000 on any file up to $750,000, and 2% of the amount financed above that: a $1,200,000 file carries $24,000.
Are lender fees different on construction loans and commercial mortgages?+
On prime files, yes: a Commercial Prime lender fee typically runs 0.25%, while a Construction Prime lender fee runs 0.5% to 2%. Alternative lenders typically charge 1% on both, and private lenders 1% to 2% on both. Our brokerage fee is the same for both: about 1% on prime files and 1% to 2% on alternative and private files.
What do the fees come to on a $2,000,000 private commercial mortgage?+
For an established business, typically $40,000 to $80,000 in total: our brokerage fee of 1% to 2% ($20,000 to $40,000) plus a private lender fee of 1% to 2% ($20,000 to $40,000). Every file is quoted individually, in writing, before you sign anything.
Buying or refinancing a home? Residential mortgages are priced differently: see the residential fee calculator. Whatever the file, every quote is in writing before you sign anything.
Every calculator here is built on published Canadian government rules and lender methodology, and was last checked for accuracy on October 15, 2026 — the arithmetic re-verified and every page re-read on screen. Rates and thresholds change — we confirm the current numbers for your file before you rely on them.