Loading Docks and Truck Courts — The Dimensions That Decide Industrial Value
Loading infrastructure is the most under-examined part of an industrial building and one of the most reliable predictors of its value. Shallow truck courts and tight door spacing are permanent discounts no lease negotiation fixes.
October 6, 2026 · 2 min read · By Samuel Brahem, in association with NAI Commercial
Why it matters more here
With land at $2.5 million to over $4 million per acre in Burnaby, Richmond and Vancouver, every square foot of site is contested between rentable building and truck manoeuvring. Tenants in undersized truck courts live with trailer congestion and delayed shipments, and that becomes non-renewals or concession requests. Buildings with constrained loading trade at a discount to modern comparables regardless of condition or location.
The standards
- Dock door spacing: 12 feet on centre. Pre-2005 buildings on 10-foot spacing conflict when adjacent docks are busy.
- Dock openings: 8 feet by 9 feet; 10 feet high for high-cube and refrigerated trailers.
- Dock height: 48 inches, with 6-foot levellers to handle the 6-inch trailer variance.
- Truck court depth: 120 feet minimum for 53-foot trailers; 130 to 135 feet each side for cross-dock. Many pre-2005 buildings sit at 100 feet or less.
- Drive aisles: 24 to 26 feet one-way, 30 feet minimum two-way.
- Fire lanes: most municipalities require 6 metres clear around the perimeter. Richmond and Delta apply stricter turning radii.
Shallow truck courts cannot be remediated. Treat them as a permanent value constraint, not a maintenance item.
Grade versus dock, and what retrofits cost
Manufacturers, contractors and service tenants often prefer grade-level doors, 12 by 14 feet up to 14 by 16. Distribution, fulfilment and food-grade users need dock height. Most buildings combine both. For older assets, adding a dock door runs $40,000 to $60,000 with leveller, seal and structure, and is almost always cheaper than deepening a truck court, which usually needs land or demolition that established submarkets cannot provide.
Cross-dock buildings command 15 to 20 percent premiums over standard distribution space in the same submarket, but genuine cross-dock sites are now rare in Still Creek, Marine Way and Annacis Island. Campbell Heights, Port Kells and Langley are where they still get built.
Due diligence checklist
- Door count: roughly one dock per 8,000 to 10,000 sq. ft. for distribution; fewer for manufacturing and storage.
- Levellers and seals: 15- to 20-year service life, $8,000 to $12,000 per position to replace.
- Truck court pavement: deferred maintenance here can be a six-figure capital item.
- Shared courts: the lease should assign doors, trailer parking and surface maintenance in writing.
