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Shelters and seals · Fleet

Inflatable dock shelters in Fleet

Whatever the size of the operation, we can take on inflatable dock shelters in Fleet, with every job run by us and carried out by specialists we manage directly.

Guide £6,800–£12,800 per shelter ex VATFree site surveyGU51, GU52
Book a free survey0800 088 6248
Location
Fleet, Hampshire
Main postcode districts
GU51 and GU52
Nearby (straight line)
Farnborough (3 miles), Aldershot (4 miles) and Yateley (4 miles)
Survey and quote
Free, with a fixed written quote
Inflatable dock shelters, in short

An inflatable dock shelter is a dock shelter with air-filled fabric cushions at the top and sides of the opening, kept deflated and close to the building until a trailer has reversed in. A fan then inflates the cushions so they press against the trailer roof and sides, giving a close seal that adapts to different trailer widths and heights, and deflates again before the trailer leaves.

Where does this fit at a dock in Fleet?

Fresh produce cooled at a packhouse in Fleet stays colder during loading when the gap around the trailer is sealed by inflated cushions. When a chilled dock in Fleet sees condensation and ice around the door, the seal at the trailer is often where improvement starts.

Specifying a new temperature-controlled warehouse in Fleet is the ideal time to design inflatable shelters in with the doors and levellers, so controls are integrated from the start.

Before anything is ordered, we visit your site in Fleet 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 does an inflatable dock shelter cost?

An inflatable dock shelter typically costs £6,800 to £12,800 per shelter, excluding VAT, supply and fit. It costs more than a curtain shelter or foam seal because of its cushions, fan and controls, and the closer seal it gives.

Costs are driven mainly by:

  • Size: door width and height, and the range of trailers to be sealed.
  • Cushion layout: a top cushion only, or top and side cushions.
  • Fan and controls: standalone push-button control or full integration with the door, leveller and restraint.
  • Frame and covers: the steel frame and any protective outer curtains.
  • Cold store features: insulated frames or heating where ice is a concern.
  • Site work: wall fixings, power supply, powered access equipment and removal of an old shelter or seal.

We fix the price in the written quote after a free site survey, which also confirms whether your trailer range suits an inflatable shelter.

How does an inflatable shelter work with the dock door and leveller?

An inflatable shelter is the first step in the dock sequence: it seals around the trailer before the door opens and only deflates once the door has closed. Getting that order right is what makes it effective.

  1. The trailer reverses onto the bumpers, guided by dock lights and wheel guides.
  2. The trailer is secured by restraint or key control, and the outside light shows red.
  3. The cushions inflate around the top and sides of the trailer.
  4. With the trailer sealed, the door opens and the leveller is deployed.
  5. After loading, the leveller is stored and the door closed.
  6. The cushions deflate and retract, and the light turns green.

Deflated cushions must sit clear of the door and leveller, and internal straps or weights pull them back so trailers do not catch them. Interlocks make each step depend on the last, so staff cannot open the door onto an unsealed trailer.

Guide price, Fleet
£6,800–£12,800 per shelter, ex VAT

The same published guide range applies across England; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.

What we look at on site

  • Access for deliveries, cranes or lifting equipment during installation
  • Condition of any existing leveller pit, kerb angles and pit drainage
  • Working hours, shift patterns and windows for out-of-hours work
  • Escape routes and pedestrian doors close to the bay
  • Control positions, isolators and any existing interlocks
  • Lighting inside trailers and at the dock face

Options to discuss

Interlocked controls

Controls linked to the door, leveller and restraint so the shelter inflates before the door opens and deflates only once it has closed.

Three-sided inflatable

Top and side cushions that inflate around the trailer for the closest seal, the usual choice for chilled and frozen docks with mixed trailers.

Planning, building control and safety law in England

Powered doors and dock equipment installed in England may carry the UKCA or the CE mark, and doors are covered by the product standard BS EN 13241. We hand over the relevant documentation for each item fitted in Fleet. Planning and Building Regulations questions are never assumed either way: we check what applies at survey, so you know before work is booked.

Questions about inflatable dock shelters in Fleet

How do you price inflatable dock shelters for a site in Fleet?

Guide budgets for supply and fit are £6,800 to £12,800 per shelter, excluding VAT. The figure moves with size, insulation, the operator, electrics, access, any pit or groundworks and out-of-hours working. Where levellers are involved, the guide assumes an existing, sound pit. After the free survey you receive a fixed written quote, and that is the price for the agreed scope.

Which building and safety rules apply to a site in Fleet?

It depends on which UK nation the site is in. England and Wales use Building Regulations approval, Scotland uses building warrants and Northern Ireland uses building control approval from the council. Workplace safety is regulated by HSE in Great Britain and HSENI in Northern Ireland, and energy rules differ between nations. For your site in Fleet, we check what applies at survey and design to it.

How long does installation take at a site in Fleet?

It depends on the equipment, the number of bays, the condition of the dock and whether any building or electrical work is needed. We agree a programme with you after the survey, setting out which bays are out of use and when. Larger jobs are usually phased so that part of the dock stays open, and out-of-hours working can be arranged.

Do the cushions touch the trailer as it reverses in?

No, the cushions stay deflated and pulled back against the building while the trailer reverses in, so there is no rubbing as it docks. They inflate only once the trailer is in position and secured, which reduces wear on the fabric compared with foam seals and curtain shelters.

Does an inflatable shelter work with containers and double-deck trailers?

Yes, provided the shelter is sized for the tallest and widest vehicles you receive. The cushions adapt to each vehicle's dimensions, which is a key reason inflatable shelters suit sites handling containers, standard trailers and double-deck units at the same bays.

Inflatable dock shelters near Fleet

Distances are measured from Fleet. Nearby towns we cover include Farnborough (3 miles), Aldershot (4 miles) and Yateley (4 miles), and other towns in the area are covered too.

Other loading bay services in Fleet

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