- Location
- Horsham, West Sussex
- Main postcode district
- RH12
- Nearby (straight line)
- Crawley (7 miles), Horley (11 miles) and Haywards Heath (11 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.
What matters for telescopic-lip dock levellers in Horsham?
Before recommending a lip extension for a dock in Horsham, we record the trailers that actually arrive, including tail lifts and rear overhangs. Manufacturing sites in Horsham that end-load finished goods can place the lip precisely between pallets to reach the rear row.
Retail distribution sites in Horsham receiving both artics and tail-lift rigids at the same bays can handle the whole mix with a telescopic-lip leveller.
It starts with a free site survey in Horsham, 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.
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 England; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
What do we check at the survey?
- Clear opening width and height for each door
- Bumper position and wear or damage on the dock face
- Escape routes and pedestrian doors close to the bay
- How often each door cycles during a typical shift
- Drainage on recessed or sloping dock approaches
- How drivers are prevented from pulling away too early
Options to discuss
500 mm lip extension
A commonly specified reach for precise placement and end loading on standard trailers and refrigerated vehicles that do not have tail lifts.
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.
Regulations and approvals in England
Lift tables and dock lifts in Horsham 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 telescopic-lip dock levellers in Horsham
How long does installation take at a site in Horsham?
It depends on the equipment, the number of bays, the condition of the dock and whether any building or electrical work is needed. We agree a programme with you after the survey, setting out which bays are out of use and when. Larger jobs are usually phased so that part of the dock stays open, and out-of-hours working can be arranged.
Which building and safety rules apply to a site in Horsham?
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 Horsham, we check what applies at survey and design to it.
Is VAT included in your guide prices for telescopic-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 West Sussex as everywhere else: for telescopic-lip dock levellers, it is £6,800 to £11,800 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.
Is a telescopic lip slower to operate?
Slightly, because the lip is extended as a separate movement rather than swinging out as the platform rises. In practice the difference is small, and automatic sequences can raise the platform and extend the lip in one action, then return both at the end of loading.
Can telescopic and swing-lip levellers be mixed on one dock?
Yes, and many sites do. Fitting telescopic levellers on the bays that receive tail-lift vehicles or need end loading, and swing-lip units on the rest, keeps costs down while covering every vehicle type. Clear bay signage helps drivers reverse onto the right one.
Telescopic-lip dock levellers near Horsham
Nearby places we cover, measured from Horsham, include Crawley (7 miles), Horley (11 miles) and Haywards Heath (11 miles). Ask if your own town is missing.
Other loading bay services in Horsham
Full guide to telescopic-lip dock levellers · Everything we do in Horsham
Call us or request a quote online to talk through loading bay work at your site in Horsham.