A retractable dock shelter is a fabric shelter fixed to the building around a loading bay door, with flexible top and side curtains carried on a sprung or pantograph steel frame. When a trailer reverses in, the frame retracts and the curtains drape against the trailer's sides and roof, closing most of the gap while leaving the full width of the trailer opening clear for loading.
Where does this fit at a dock in the Isle of Wight?
If a shelter on an older unit in the Isle of Wight has a sound frame but torn, faded curtains, replacing just the curtains can be the economical choice. Shelter sizing for a bay in the Isle of Wight starts with measuring the door and wall and recording the tallest, lowest and widest trailers you receive.
Industrial landlords in the Isle of Wight refreshing a multi-let estate can fit shelters that suit a range of future tenants and the trailers they may use.
It starts with a free site survey in the Isle of Wight, where we measure the openings, check the dock and talk through how the bay is used. You then receive a fixed written quote. Once you accept, we manage the job: specialist installation engineers carry out the work under our management, planned around your deliveries, and out-of-hours working can be arranged. At handover we test everything with you and leave the documentation.
How much does a retractable dock shelter cost?
A retractable dock shelter typically costs £1,900 to £4,400 per shelter, excluding VAT, supply and fit. Most of the variation comes from size, projection and the curtain specification.
- Size: width and height, set by your door and the largest trailers you receive.
- Projection: deeper shelters cost more but leave room for opened trailer doors and the leveller lip.
- Curtains: heavier-grade fabrics, slit side curtains, adjustable top curtains and guide stripes.
- Frame: sprung, pantograph or rigid, in a galvanised or painted finish.
- Fixings: fixing to cladding usually needs a steel subframe or spreader plates.
- Access and removal: powered access equipment in the yard, and taking down an old shelter.
On an older shelter with a sound frame, new curtains may be all that is needed, and we will say so if that is the case. Every price is fixed in the written quote after a free site survey.
What regulations and permissions apply to a dock shelter?
A dock shelter is work equipment, so it must be suitable and kept in a safe condition, and on some projects planning, building control or landlord consent also needs checking. What applies depends on the nation and the scope of work.
- Equipment duties: PUWER 1998 in Great Britain, and PUWER (Northern Ireland) 1999, require shelters, like other dock equipment, to be suitable, maintained and inspected where deterioration could lead to danger. A damaged frame or loose curtain can strike a driver or vehicle.
- Regulator: HSE in Great Britain and HSENI in Northern Ireland.
- Planning: external structures such as loading houses, canopies or new dock approaches can need planning permission. If a shelter is part of wider external works, we check this at survey.
- Building control: forming a new opening for a door and shelter may need Building Regulations approval in England and Wales, a building warrant in Scotland or building control approval in Northern Ireland.
- Your lease: landlords often require consent for fixings to the building.
Towns we cover in the Isle of Wight
We provide retractable dock shelters right across the Isle of Wight. Pick the town closest to your site from the list below.
Budget range for supply and fit. The written quote after a free survey is the fixed price. All guide prices.
What do the rules in England mean for the work?
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 the Isle of Wight. Planning and Building Regulations questions are never assumed either way: we check what applies at survey, so you know before work is booked.
For the Isle of Wight, installation work is planned in advance rather than on a routine round. The survey and quote are free; where we can, we group installation visits with other work nearby, and any travel and accommodation costs for fitting are set out clearly in the quote.
Questions
Can you work alongside our main contractor on a new build in the Isle of Wight?
Yes. For new warehouses and fit-outs, we can supply and install the dock package as part of a wider project, working to the main contractor's programme, site rules and permits. We will need drawings, dock levels and the programme, and we coordinate pit details, power supplies and door openings with the relevant trades before installation begins.
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 the Isle of Wight, 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.
Does a dock shelter keep a building warm?
A shelter reduces the draughts and rain entering the dock around a trailer, which helps keep the loading area warmer. It does not seal as closely as a dock seal or inflatable shelter, so for chilled and frozen docks those options are usually preferred.
Can I replace just the curtains on an old shelter?
Yes, if the frame and fixings are sound, new top and side curtains can be fitted to an existing shelter, which is often the most economical way to restore it. The frame and springs are checked first, because new curtains on a failing frame will not last. This is handled as a repair, with the visit price agreed beforehand.
Other services in the Isle of Wight
Full guide to retractable dock shelters · All loading bay services in the Isle of Wight