- Location
- Horley, Surrey
- Main postcode district
- RH6
- Nearby (straight line)
- Crawley (4 miles), Redhill (5 miles) and Reigate (5 miles)
- Survey and quote
- Free, with a fixed written quote
A swing-lip dock leveller is a hydraulic ramp set into a pit at the dock edge, with a hinged steel lip along its front. When a trailer is docked the platform rises, the lip swings out, and the platform lowers until the lip rests on the trailer bed, forming a bridge for forklifts and pallet trucks. The lip is typically about 400 to 500 mm long.
Is this right for your site in Horley?
Mixed bays at a site in Horley, where some trailers have tail lifts and others do not, may suit a combination of swing-lip and telescopic levellers. Chilled food distributors in Horley can specify insulated swing-lip levellers with pit seals to cut cold loss through the floor of the bay.
Should a recent insurance inspection at a site in Horley have flagged leveller defects, a survey can show whether repair or replacement makes more sense.
Any project involving swing-lip dock levellers at a working site in Horley takes planning. We survey free of charge, quote a fixed price in writing, and then agree a programme that keeps as much of the dock running as possible. Specialist installation engineers carry out the work under our management, out of hours if that suits you better. On completion we test each item, show your team how it operates and leave the documentation with you.
Which trailers and loads suit a swing-lip leveller?
A swing-lip leveller suits everyday loading of standard trailers, where pallets sit a little way back from the rear of the trailer and the lip has room to land on the bed. It is a common choice for general distribution.
- Good fit: curtain-siders and box trailers loaded by forklift or pallet truck, with the lip landing behind the first row of pallets.
- Less suited: trailers loaded right up to the rear doors, because the lip needs clear bed space to rest on.
- Tail-lift vehicles: a folded tail lift can stop the lip reaching the bed.
- End loading: loading the last row of pallets at the very rear is awkward with a fixed-length lip.
Where these situations are common, a telescopic-lip dock leveller places its lip exactly where it is needed. Many sites fit both types across their bays, matching each bay to the vehicles it receives.
How much does a swing-lip dock leveller cost?
A swing-lip dock leveller typically costs £5,200 to £8,800 per leveller, excluding VAT, supply and fit, assuming it goes into an existing, sound pit. New pits, pit repairs, concrete and groundworks are priced separately after survey.
Within that range, the price is driven by:
- Platform length: longer platforms give a gentler gradient but cost more.
- Width and capacity: wider decks and higher load ratings use heavier steel and cylinders.
- Lip length: a longer lip reaches further onto the trailer bed.
- Insulation and sealing: insulated platforms and pit seals for chilled buildings.
- Controls and interlocks: links to the door, restraint or traffic lights.
- Removal and access: taking out the old unit, lifting equipment for delivery and out-of-hours work.
If the pit edge steel is damaged or the pit is out of square, we tell you at survey and price the repair as a separate item, so the leveller price stays clear. The written quote is then the fixed price for the work described.
The same published guide range applies across England; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
What do we check at the survey?
- Temperature requirements for chilled, frozen or ambient goods
- Forklift and pallet truck loads crossing the leveller platform
- Escape routes and pedestrian doors close to the bay
- Age and condition of the equipment already in place
- Wheel guide positions and yard markings for reversing vehicles
- Power supply at each bay, including three-phase availability
Options to discuss
Standard swing-lip leveller
A hydraulic pit leveller with a hinged lip of about 400 to 500 mm, suited to general distribution with curtain-siders and box trailers.
Insulated leveller
An insulated platform with perimeter seals around the pit that reduces cold loss through the floor of the bay at chilled and frozen docks.
What do the rules in England mean for the work?
Lift tables and dock lifts in Horley may fall under LOLER, with thorough examination at least every 12 months, or every 6 months where people are lifted. It depends on the equipment and how it is used, and your insurer or competent person will confirm. Dock levellers are usually treated as work equipment under PUWER. We check what applies at survey.
Questions about swing-lip dock levellers in Horley
What warranty comes with new loading bay equipment?
New equipment comes with the manufacturer's warranty, which varies by product. Our workmanship terms are set out in writing in the quote for your Horley site, so you can see what is covered before you commit. Check the warranty terms for any servicing conditions, and we can quote for planned maintenance once the installation is complete.
Is VAT included in your guide prices for swing-lip 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 swing-lip dock levellers, it is £5,200 to £8,800 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.
Can you work alongside our main contractor on a new build in Horley?
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.
Can a new leveller fit our old pit?
Usually, yes. Levellers are made in standard sizes and many can be supplied to suit an existing pit, but the pit must be square, sound and deep enough. We measure the pit and check the edge steel at survey, and if adjustment or repair is needed we price it separately.
How long does a replacement leveller take to arrive?
Lead times depend on size, specification and the manufacturer, and we confirm them in the written quote. The existing leveller can usually stay in use until the replacement is on site, so the bay is only closed for the installation itself.
Swing-lip dock levellers near Horley
We also cover towns near Horley, including Crawley (4 miles), Redhill (5 miles) and Reigate (5 miles). Each has its own page with the same services and process.
Other loading bay services in Horley
Full guide to swing-lip dock levellers · Everything we do in Horley
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