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Shelters and seals · Taunton

Inflatable dock shelters in Taunton

When you need inflatable dock shelters in Taunton or anywhere else in Somerset, we organise the job end to end and keep disruption to your loading operation as low as we can.

Guide £6,800–£12,800 per shelter ex VATFree site surveyTA1
Book a free survey0800 088 6248
Location
Taunton, Somerset
Main postcode district
TA1
Nearby (straight line)
Bridgwater (9 miles), Burnham-on-Sea (16 miles) and Tiverton (19 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.

How does this suit sites in Taunton?

Frozen food stores in Taunton loading trailers of varying sizes can use inflatable shelters to keep warm outside air away from the open door. Specifying a new temperature-controlled warehouse in Taunton is the ideal time to design inflatable shelters in with the doors and levellers, so controls are integrated from the start.

Mixed fleets arriving at a cold store in Taunton, from rigids to double-deck trailers, are exactly the situation inflatable cushions are designed for.

We do not give a fixed price without seeing the site. A free survey in Taunton lets us check the details that affect the job, and the written quote that follows is a fixed price for the agreed scope. We plan the work around your operation, arrange out-of-hours access if you need it and manage specialist installation engineers throughout. Handover includes testing, a demonstration and the paperwork you need for your records.

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, Taunton
£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

  • Asbestos register and any other site hazard information
  • Temperature requirements for chilled, frozen or ambient goods
  • Wind exposure at the dock, which affects door and shelter choice
  • How drivers are prevented from pulling away too early
  • Drainage on recessed or sloping dock approaches
  • Access for deliveries, cranes or lifting equipment during installation

Options to discuss

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.

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.

What do the rules in England mean for the work?

Workplace safety in England is regulated by HSE. For a loading bay in Taunton, 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 inflatable dock shelters in Taunton

Is the site survey in Taunton free?

Yes. For new installations, replacements, upgrades, conversions and complete bays, the site survey and written quote are free and come with no obligation. The survey lets us measure the openings, check the dock and structure, and understand how the bay is used, so the quote reflects your site. Repair and servicing visits are different: they are chargeable, with the price agreed before anyone attends.

Do you cover Taunton for inflatable dock shelters?

Yes. We take on inflatable dock shelters for businesses in Taunton and across Somerset. 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 inflatable dock shelters?

No. Our customers are businesses, so guide prices exclude VAT, which is added at the standard rate. The same guide range applies in Somerset as everywhere else: for inflatable dock shelters, it is £6,800 to £12,800 per shelter, 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.

What happens to an inflatable shelter if the power fails?

If the power fails, the fan stops and the cushions gradually deflate, so the trailer can leave once loading has been brought to a safe end. At a cold store, the dock door should be closed by hand where possible to protect the store. We explain the power failure routine at handover.

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.

Inflatable dock shelters near Taunton

Close neighbours of Taunton with their own pages here: Bridgwater (9 miles), Burnham-on-Sea (16 miles) and Tiverton (19 miles). Choose one to see coverage details for that town.

Other loading bay services in Taunton

Full guide to inflatable dock shelters · Everything we do in Taunton

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