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Repairs and servicing · Saltash

Dock shelter and seal repairs in Saltash

From a single bay to a full row of docks, we can help with dock shelter and seal repairs in Saltash and at sites elsewhere in Cornwall.

Guide £380–£1,800 per repair ex VATVisit priced before we attendPL12
Book a visit0800 088 6248
Location
Saltash, Cornwall
Main postcode district
PL12
Nearby (straight line)
Plymouth (4 miles), Bodmin (22 miles) and St Austell (25 miles)
Visit pricing
Agreed in writing before we attend
Dock shelter and seal repairs, in short

Dock shelter and seal repair covers restoring the weather seal around a docked trailer. Typical work includes replacing torn side and head curtains, worn foam seal pads and their covers, top pads and guide strips, repairing or replacing airbags and blowers on inflatable shelters, and straightening or replacing bent shelter frames, so the bay closes the gap between building and trailer again.

Why do sites in Saltash choose this?

Older retractable shelters on estates around Saltash can often be refurbished with new curtains and pads rather than replaced, provided the frame is still sound. Exposed yards in Saltash that catch strong winds can tear shelter curtains or strain frames, letting weather into the dock until parts are replaced.

Curtains tearing at the corners at docks in Saltash can be a sign that taller or wider trailers are arriving than the shelter was sized for.

Servicing and repairs work slightly differently from installations. Visits to sites in Saltash are chargeable, and the price is set out in writing before anyone comes out. To help us prepare, send photos of the equipment and the fault. The engineer carries out the agreed work, flags anything else that needs attention and quotes it before touching it. Afterwards, a written report records the condition of each item.

Should I repair my dock shelter or change to a different type?

Repair is usually right when the shelter or seal still suits your trailers and the damage is wear and tear. Changing type is worth considering when the same damage keeps recurring because the equipment no longer suits the vehicles arriving.

  • Repair: curtains torn by normal use, worn pad covers, a failed blower or a single bent frame arm.
  • Resize: head curtains or pads that are too short for taller trailers now in your fleet.
  • Seal to shelter: foam seals suit consistent trailer sizes; a mixed fleet or curtain-siders may need a shelter instead.
  • Retractable to inflatable: chilled or frozen docks that need a tighter seal around varied trailers.
  • Frame type: shelters repeatedly bent by trailers may suit a retractable frame that gives on impact.

Any change of type is quoted separately from the repair. Our guide to dock shelters vs dock seals explains how each type works and which trailers it suits.

How much does a dock shelter or seal repair cost?

A dock shelter or seal repair typically costs £380 to £1,800 per repair, excluding VAT. A pair of side curtains or seal pad covers sits towards the lower end; a full curtain set, a new frame or a set of airbags with a blower sits towards the top.

How the price is agreed:

  1. You describe the damage and send photos, ideally with a trailer docked.
  2. We agree the visit price in writing before anyone attends. Where parts are made to measure, that may cover a measuring visit and a fitting visit.
  3. Any extra work found on site is quoted and approved by you before it is done.

What moves the price:

  • Parts: curtains, pads, airbags, blowers and frames differ widely in cost.
  • Size: taller and wider shelters need more material.
  • Access: head curtains and top pads may need powered access equipment.
  • Number of bays and timing: several bays together lower the cost per bay; out-of-hours work adds to it.

VAT is added at the standard rate.

Guide price, Saltash
£380–£1,800 per repair, ex VAT

The visit price is agreed before anyone attends. Parts and any extra work are quoted before they are fitted.

What else does the engineer check at the bay?

  • Anti-fall device on upward-opening doors
  • Safety edges, photocells and light curtains
  • Pit frame welds, platform cracks and structural damage
  • Hydraulic oil level, hoses and cylinders for leaks
  • Lip hinge, lip extension and lip support operation
  • Previous service and inspection records, where available

Options to discuss

Seal pad refurbishment

Replacing worn foam pads, or just their covers where the foam is still sound, including tougher facings on the areas where trailers rub most.

Top pad and guide strip replacement

Renewing head pads, top seals and high-visibility guide strips that close the gap above the trailer and help drivers line up on the bay.

Planning, building control and safety law in England

Sites in Saltash fall under the rules for England. Structural changes such as forming a new opening or a dock leveller pit may need Building Regulations approval, and external structures such as loading houses, canopies or new dock approaches can need planning permission from the local planning authority. We check what applies before any work starts and build any approvals into the plan.

Questions about dock shelter and seal repairs in Saltash

Can you repair all makes of loading bay equipment?

We work on common makes and types of doors, dock levellers, shelters, seals and restraints. Parts availability varies, particularly for older or discontinued equipment, so it helps to send the make, model and photos of any data plates from your site in Saltash. If original parts are not available, we tell you and price the alternatives, including replacement where that makes more sense.

What is the difference between servicing and a statutory inspection?

Servicing keeps equipment working: cleaning, adjusting, lubricating and replacing worn parts. A statutory inspection or thorough examination is a separate check by a competent person, often arranged through your engineering insurer. Dock levellers are commonly inspected under PUWER at 12-month intervals, and lift tables may need LOLER thorough examination, depending on the equipment and how it is used. Your insurer or competent person will confirm what applies.

What happens if the engineer finds the equipment unsafe?

If equipment is found to be unsafe, the engineer will tell you straight away and recommend that it is isolated and taken out of use until it is repaired. That is recorded in the written report. We then quote the repair so you can decide how to proceed. Keeping an unsafe door or leveller in service puts people at risk, so we will always raise it.

How is the price for a shelter or seal repair agreed?

You describe the damage and send photos, and we agree the visit price in writing before anyone attends. For made-to-measure parts that may include a measuring visit. Any extra work found on site is quoted and only carried out once you approve it.

Do you repair inflatable dock shelters?

Yes. We repair and replace torn airbags, failed blower motors, controls and fixings on inflatable shelters. Where the shelter is interlocked with the dock controls so it only inflates with a trailer present, that link is checked as part of the repair.

Dock shelter and seal repairs near Saltash

Sites close to Saltash get the same service, including those in Plymouth (4 miles), Bodmin (22 miles) and St Austell (25 miles), with every job run the same way.

Other loading bay services in Saltash

Full guide to dock shelter and seal repairs · Everything we do in Saltash

Have photos of the door, leveller or shelter? Send them with your enquiry and we can give a clearer answer for your Saltash site.

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