- Location
- Coleraine, County Londonderry
- Main postcode districts
- BT51 and BT52
- Nearby (straight line)
- Limavady (13 miles), Ballymena (24 miles) and Magherafelt (26 miles)
- Survey and quote
- Free, with a fixed written quote
A telescopic-lip dock leveller is a hydraulic pit leveller whose front lip slides forward out of the platform, rather than swinging on a hinge, and can be extended by a controlled amount onto the trailer bed. Telescopic lips commonly extend 500 to 1,000 mm, which lets operators reach over tail lifts, place the lip between pallets and load the last row in a trailer.
Where does this fit at a dock in Coleraine?
Where docks in Coleraine have deep bumpers that hold trailers away from the edge, a telescopic lip can bridge a gap a swing lip would struggle to cover. Cold chain operators around Coleraine loading refrigerated trailers right to the doors may find a telescopic lip makes the last pallets far easier to handle.
Replacing worn swing-lip levellers at a site in Coleraine is a good moment to ask whether the current trailer mix now calls for telescopic lips.
Our part of the job in Coleraine is to survey, quote and manage; the fitting itself is done by specialist installation engineers working under our management. The survey and the written quote are free. Once the fixed price is accepted, we agree dates that work around your deliveries and shifts, including out-of-hours working where needed. Every installation is tested before handover, and you receive the documentation for each item fitted.
Why does a telescopic-lip leveller cost more than a swing-lip unit?
A telescopic-lip dock leveller typically costs £6,800 to £11,800 per leveller, excluding VAT, supply and fit, assuming an existing, sound pit. It costs more than a swing-lip unit because the lip slides in its own guides inside the platform, which means more steel, a longer lip and more involved hydraulics and controls.
Within the range, the price depends on:
- Lip extension: a longer reach needs a longer lip and stronger guides.
- Platform length and width: longer platforms give gentler gradients across mixed trailer heights.
- Capacity: higher ratings for heavy loads or large forklifts.
- Insulation: insulated platforms and pit seals for chilled and frozen docks.
- Controls: automatic return, interlocks and links to restraints and traffic lights.
New pits, pit repairs and groundworks are priced separately after survey, and the written quote is the fixed price. We often quote both lip types side by side, so you can see whether the extra flexibility justifies the cost on each bay.
How far should a telescopic lip extend?
A telescopic lip should extend far enough to reach clear bed space on every trailer you load, including over tail lifts, while still leaving a secure overlap on the bed. Telescopic lips commonly extend 500 to 1,000 mm.
- Around 500 mm: suits fleets without tail lifts that need precise placement and end loading.
- Up to around 1,000 mm: reaches over folded tail lifts and across the larger gap left where deep bumpers hold trailers back from the dock edge.
- Platform length: should match the lip, as a long reach on a short platform can leave steep gradients.
- Lip width: full-width lips suit most work, while narrower or tapered lips help with smaller vehicles.
We record the rear details of the trailers you receive, including tail lift depth and bumper projection, then recommend the shortest extension that covers them all. A longer lip than you need adds cost and weight without benefit.
The same published guide range applies across Northern Ireland; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
What do we check at the survey?
- How drivers are prevented from pulling away too early
- Clear opening width and height for each door
- Lighting inside trailers and at the dock face
- Headroom above the opening and which track type will suit it
- Age and condition of the equipment already in place
- Asbestos register and any other site hazard information
Options to discuss
Automatic return control
A single button that withdraws the lip and lowers the platform to its stored position, reducing the risk of a trailer leaving with the lip still out.
1,000 mm lip extension
A longer reach that clears folded tail lifts and deep bumper projections, so rigids and tail-lift trailers can be loaded at the same bay.
Planning, building control and safety law in Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland, the CE mark (or CE with UKNI) applies to powered doors and dock equipment. We hand over the documentation for each item fitted in Coleraine, and because building control and planning are handled by the council, we check what applies at survey before any dates are set.
Questions about telescopic-lip dock levellers in Coleraine
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 Coleraine, 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.
What details do you need from us to quote for telescopic-lip dock levellers?
To get started, send the site address in Coleraine, the number of bays or openings, approximate sizes, and photos of the dock from inside and outside. Tell us what vehicles you load, what goods you handle and any temperature requirements. Drawings help on new builds. We then arrange the free survey and confirm the details before the written quote is issued.
How do you price telescopic-lip dock levellers for a site in Coleraine?
Guide budgets for supply and fit are £6,800 to £11,800 per leveller, 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.
Do telescopic levellers need more maintenance?
They have more moving parts than a swing-lip leveller, including the lip guides and lip cylinder, so these need checking and lubricating at each service. With planned servicing the extra work is modest. Servicing is chargeable, with the visit price agreed in advance.
Are telescopic levellers suitable for cold stores?
Yes, telescopic levellers are widely used in cold stores because refrigerated trailers are often loaded right to the rear doors. Insulated platforms and perimeter seals reduce cold loss through the pit, and the leveller is usually interlocked with the door and shelter.
Telescopic-lip dock levellers near Coleraine
If your site is not in Coleraine itself, it may be near one of these: Limavady (13 miles), Ballymena (24 miles) and Magherafelt (26 miles). Pick the closest.
Other loading bay services in Coleraine
Full guide to telescopic-lip dock levellers · Everything we do in Coleraine
Whether it is a new bay or a fault on an existing one, call us or request a quote for your site in Coleraine.