- Location
- Manchester, Greater Manchester
- Main postcode districts
- M1, M2 and M15
- Nearby (straight line)
- Salford (2 miles), Stretford (4 miles) and Eccles (4 miles)
- Survey and quote
- Free, with a fixed written quote
A PVC strip curtain is a row of flexible, overlapping plastic strips hung from a rail across a doorway, so that people and vehicles can pass through while the strips fall back to close the gap behind them. At loading bays they hang behind the main door or across internal openings, reducing draughts, dust and temperature loss for much less than the cost of a powered door.
What matters for PVC strip curtains in Manchester?
Food and packaging businesses in Manchester can choose strip grades suited to regular cleaning, helping to separate dispatch areas from production. Goods-in areas in Manchester that leave the main door open during long unloading sessions can use a strip curtain to hold back draughts and dust.
Measuring an opening in Manchester for a strip curtain takes only a short visit, and we note traffic, temperature and fixings at the same time.
How does an installation in Manchester work? First, a free, no-obligation survey to measure up and understand the operation. Next, a fixed written quote. Then a programme agreed with you, so the work fits around deliveries, with out-of-hours slots if needed. The installation itself is carried out by specialist engineers who answer to us, and it finishes with testing, a walk-through for your staff and a handover pack.
Do strip curtains count towards building energy rules?
A strip curtain does not replace the need for a compliant door: where a new or replacement external loading bay door is fitted, it is the door that has to meet the energy rules.
- England: Approved Document L (2021) Volume 2 sets a limiting U-value of 1.3 W/m²K for vehicle access and similar large doors in new and replacement work.
- Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland: each nation has its own energy rules, through Approved Document L for Wales, Section 6 of the Scottish Building Standards Technical Handbook, and Technical Booklet F2 in Northern Ireland. We confirm what applies to your nation and project.
What a strip curtain does well is reduce the air moving through an opening while the door is open for loading. That helps a heated or chilled building, even though the curtain is not the door.
Workplace safety still applies around the curtain: strips should stay clear enough for drivers and pedestrians to see each other. HSE is the regulator in Great Britain and HSENI in Northern Ireland.
How much do PVC strip curtains cost?
PVC strip curtains typically cost £180 to £1,100 per opening, excluding VAT, supply and fit. Small pedestrian doorways sit at the bottom of the range, and large dock openings with heavy-duty strips and sliding rails at the top.
The price depends on:
- Opening size: the width sets the number of strips and the height sets their length.
- Strip width and thickness: wider, thicker strips cost more but last longer under forklift traffic.
- Overlap: a greater overlap seals better and uses more material.
- Grade: standard, low-temperature, ribbed, anti-static, tinted or welding grades.
- Rail type: a fixed rail, or a sliding or swing-away rail that clears the opening for large loads.
- Fixing: whether the rail fixes straight to the lintel or needs brackets or a steel header.
Because strips wear, we can also price spare strips so your team can replace damaged ones. The written quote after a free site survey is the fixed price, and you can start the process through our quote form.
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?
- Clear opening width and height for each door
- Wheel guide positions and yard markings for reversing vehicles
- Wind exposure at the dock, which affects door and shelter choice
- How often each door cycles during a typical shift
- Bumper position and wear or damage on the dock face
- Forklift and pallet truck loads crossing the leveller platform
Options to discuss
Sliding or swing-away rail
A rail that lets the whole curtain be moved clear of the opening for wide loads, cleaning or seasonal removal without taking the strips down.
Low-temperature strips
A grade formulated to stay flexible in chillers and freezers, where standard strips would stiffen, crack and stop falling back into place.
Which rules apply in England?
Sites in Manchester 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 at survey and build any approvals into the plan.
Questions about PVC strip curtains in Manchester
Can you work outside our normal operating hours in Manchester?
Yes, by arrangement. Evening, night and weekend working can be planned so the installation causes as little disruption as possible to your loading schedule. Out-of-hours work can affect the price, so mention it at the survey and we will include it in the written quote. The agreed times are confirmed in the programme before the job starts.
How do you price PVC strip curtains for a site in Manchester?
Guide budgets for supply and fit are £180 to £1,100 per opening, 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 Manchester?
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 Manchester, we check what applies at survey and design to it.
How do I clean PVC strip curtains?
Clean strips with warm water and a mild detergent, then wipe them dry. Avoid solvents and abrasive pads, which damage the surface and make strips cloud faster. In food areas, follow your site's hygiene schedule and choose a grade suited to regular cleaning.
Are strip curtains a good alternative to a high-speed door?
Strip curtains are a good low-cost option for moderate traffic, but at very busy openings a high-speed door often performs better because it clears fully for each vehicle and closes behind it. The right choice depends on traffic volume, visibility needs and budget.
PVC strip curtains near Manchester
Sites close to Manchester get the same service, including those in Salford (2 miles), Stretford (4 miles) and Eccles (4 miles), with every job run the same way.
Other loading bay services in Manchester
Full guide to PVC strip curtains · Everything we do in Manchester
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