- Location
- Caterham, Surrey
- Main postcode district
- CR3
- Nearby (straight line)
- Redhill (5 miles), Reigate (6 miles) and Sutton (7 miles)
- Survey and quote
- Free, with a fixed written quote
An edge-of-dock leveller is a compact leveller mounted on the front face or top edge of a loading dock, with no pit needed. A short hinged plate and lip bridge the gap between dock and trailer, but it can only cover a small height difference above and below dock level, so it suits sites where trailer bed heights are consistent.
What should sites in Caterham consider?
Replacing loose bridge plates at a dock in Caterham with a fixed edge-of-dock leveller removes the need to lift and position heavy plates by hand. Companies running their own vehicles in Caterham, where every trailer has a known bed height, are well placed to use edge-of-dock levellers instead of pit units.
If trailer heights at a site in Caterham vary widely, our survey will tell you plainly whether an edge-of-dock leveller can cope or a pit leveller is needed.
Before anything is ordered, we visit your site in Caterham for a free survey and then send a written quote with a fixed price. From that point we manage the installation, coordinating delivery, access and any other trades. Fitting is done by specialist installation engineers engaged and managed by us, at times that suit your operation, including out of hours where agreed. You get a tested installation, a demonstration for your team and the manufacturer documentation.
How much height difference can an edge-of-dock leveller handle?
An edge-of-dock leveller can only handle a small height difference, typically in the region of 75 to 150 mm above and below dock level depending on the model. That is enough where trailers are consistent, but not where bed heights vary widely.
Typical UK docks are around 1,200 mm above yard level, while trailer bed heights can range from roughly 900 to 1,600 mm across rigid, curtain-sider, refrigerated, double-deck and container chassis. If your trailers sit outside the leveller's range, the plate becomes too steep to use safely.
- Good fit: dedicated fleets or regular suppliers with similar trailers.
- Poor fit: sites receiving everything from low rigids to high double-deck trailers.
Where trailer heights vary, a pit leveller such as a swing-lip dock leveller gives a much longer, gentler ramp. We record your trailer heights at survey to confirm which suits.
How is an edge-of-dock leveller fitted to an existing dock?
An edge-of-dock leveller is fixed to the front face or top edge of the dock from the yard side, and installation usually takes around half a day to a day per bay. No digging is involved.
- The dock face is inspected, and damaged concrete or worn edge steel is repaired or replaced first if needed.
- The leveller is positioned centrally on the door opening and bolted or welded in place.
- Bumpers are fitted or repositioned so trailers stop at the right distance from the plate.
- On hydraulic units, the power pack and controls are connected.
- The leveller is tested across its working range.
You will need to keep the yard approach to the bay clear, take the bay out of use and, for hydraulic units, provide a power supply near the door or ask us to include one. Because the work is outside, very wet or freezing weather can affect welding and fixing, so we keep the date flexible where we can.
The same published guide range applies across England; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
What does the free survey cover?
- How drivers are prevented from pulling away too early
- Wall and steel structure for door, shelter and bumper fixings
- Forklift and pallet truck loads crossing the leveller platform
- Asbestos register and any other site hazard information
- Traffic routes for vehicles and separation of pedestrians
- Lighting inside trailers and at the dock face
Options to discuss
Mechanical edge-of-dock leveller
Lever-operated with spring assistance and no power supply needed. Suits low-volume bays and sites with consistent trailers where simplicity matters most.
New edge steel and bumpers
A replacement steel edge angle and correctly positioned bumpers to give a sound fixing and protect the leveller from trailer impact.
Which rules apply in England?
Workplace safety in England is regulated by HSE. For a loading bay in Caterham, that means doors meeting regulation 18 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, equipment maintained under PUWER and suitable safeguards against vehicles driving away too early. We check what applies at survey and design the bay accordingly.
Questions about edge-of-dock levellers in Caterham
Do you cover Caterham for edge-of-dock levellers?
Yes. We take on edge-of-dock levellers for businesses in Caterham and across Surrey. We survey the site, provide a fixed written quote and manage the installation, with specialist installation engineers working under our management. Visits are arranged in advance at a time that suits your operation, and the same single contact stays with the job through to handover.
Is VAT included in your guide prices for edge-of-dock levellers?
No. Our customers are businesses, so guide prices exclude VAT, which is added at the standard rate. The same guide range applies in Surrey as everywhere else: for edge-of-dock levellers, it is £1,800 to £4,400 per leveller, excluding VAT. It covers supply and fit for a typical installation. Your fixed written quote after the free survey shows the net price, the VAT and exactly what is included.
Do you remove and dispose of the old equipment?
Yes, where it is part of the scope. When we replace doors, levellers, shelters or seals at a site in Caterham, removal and disposal of the old equipment can be included and is itemised in the quote, so it is clear what is covered. If anything should be kept, such as a frame or motor that is still serviceable, we agree that at survey.
Is an edge-of-dock leveller better than a loose dock plate?
For regular use, usually yes. A fixed edge-of-dock leveller cannot slide out of position or be dropped, and it does not need carrying between bays. Loose plates still have a place for occasional use, but they bring handling and slipping risks that a fixed unit avoids.
How long does an edge-of-dock leveller take to install?
Usually half a day to a day per bay, as there is no pit to form. Concrete or edge steel repairs add time, and hydraulic units also need connecting to power. We plan the work so the rest of the dock keeps operating while each bay is fitted.
Edge-of-dock levellers near Caterham
Nearby places we cover, measured from Caterham, include Redhill (5 miles), Reigate (6 miles) and Sutton (7 miles). Ask if your own town is missing.
Other loading bay services in Caterham
Full guide to edge-of-dock levellers · Everything we do in Caterham
If a loading bay in Caterham needs attention, call us or send photos and details online.