| Author |
Message |
    
KRNL
Citizen
Username: Krnl
Post Number: 53
Registered: 9-2005
| | Posted on Monday, May 15, 2006 - 10:01 am: | 
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We are contemplating having our buried oil tank removed. I've reviewed the past posts with their horror stories. Any recommendations as to which company is the most professional and does a good job? |
Virtual It Girl
Citizen
Username: Shh
Post Number: 4421
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, May 15, 2006 - 10:14 am: |
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Definitely call Sunrise. They just removed our tank. Several people have told me that they are the best and most honest in the business.
Stay away from Preferred Tank/PTS. They are liars, or just incompetent! |
Virtual It Girl
Citizen
Username: Shh
Post Number: 4423
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, May 15, 2006 - 10:21 am: |
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Sunrise #: 201-797-0020
Another bit of advice I wrote on another thread: if you are contemplating removing it, just do it. If you have a screwball testing company come out and they supposedly find contamination, it will cost you a lot more than the approx. 2 grand you would have spent removing it on your own. Eventually they will all need to come out, so do it before there's any issue.
Just my 2 cents after spending 6k or more... |
Former Cowgirl
Citizen
Username: Formercowgirl
Post Number: 81
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Monday, May 15, 2006 - 11:40 am: |
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Do you have oil tank insurance?
Because we just bought a house. The owners had oil tank insurance and the insurance company would pay for removal if contamination could be proved. We (the buyers) had to pay for the soil test (about $1000), but since contamination was found, the oil tank insurance co paid for removal of tank and soil replacement (a much bigger expense than our money laid out for soil check.)
I can't necessarily recommend or not recommend the company used to remove the tank and replace the soil (which I think was called Sterling) because we don't live in the home yet, haven't used the tank,w eren't there for the removal. All I can say is that they totally ripped up our front yard and dumped rocky soil in it. We're going to have to do something about the landscaping. |
NJguy99
Citizen
Username: Njguy99
Post Number: 40
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Monday, May 15, 2006 - 12:09 pm: |
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One warning about oil tank "insurance"...
In most cases, it isn't - it's more of a service contract. Many of these that I've seen contain the provision that the oil provider agrees to remove the tank and replace it IF you agree to continue service with them for at least a year afterwards.
If you find someone else offering cheaper oil, or decide you want to convert to gas, you're out of luck - you'll wind up paying the cleanup costs. And yes, many of these oil providers will come after you for it. I've seen it happen too many times.
Also keep in mind, these "insurance" policies are not regulated by, well, anyone. Since they aren't really insurance, the state doesn't get involved. There's really no one to turn to if your oil provider balks at doing the removal - short of taking them to court, and that will cost you more (in most cases) than having the tank removed and replaced yourself.
Sure, having tank "insurance" may give you short-term peace of mind - just make sure you read all the fine print. In most cases, they aren't worth the paper they're printed on. |
babyturtlelover
Citizen
Username: Babyturtlelover
Post Number: 164
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Monday, May 15, 2006 - 12:34 pm: |
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Get a quote from Paul Ianiro Contractors in Orange 073-678-2545.
They did ours a few years ago and were very happy. A few years ago they were charging 950.00 to sandfill plus the cost of the permit. I spoke to Paul who is an older man who has been in the business for 55 years.
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babyturtlelover
Citizen
Username: Babyturtlelover
Post Number: 165
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Monday, May 15, 2006 - 12:37 pm: |
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Correction on the phone number 973-678-2545 |
sportsnut
Citizen
Username: Sportsnut
Post Number: 2414
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Monday, May 15, 2006 - 1:59 pm: |
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NJguy99 - our tank "insurance" company tried to scare us into staying with oil by telling us that our tank issue wouldn't be covered unless we had our tank replaced. I asked them to point to the clause in our policy that stated this. They referred me to a clause that was very poorly written and I told them that it wouldn't be enforecable. I then contacted a lawyer. The oil companies/insurance companies have no right to force you to stay with oil. As a result we filed our claim, had the costs paid for by the company then switched to gas. Neither the oil company or the insurance company has sought to collect from us and its been almost a year. |
max weisenfeld
Citizen
Username: Max_weisenfeld
Post Number: 35
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Monday, May 15, 2006 - 2:35 pm: |
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We just used Mike Waters. 908-964-4860
Very fair. Very professional.
I second the advice -- get the tank out if you are at all concerned. This is one problem that does not go away if you ignore it. |
NJguy99
Citizen
Username: Njguy99
Post Number: 41
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Monday, May 15, 2006 - 3:05 pm: |
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Sportsnut - well done. But how many people have the strength or energy to go through all that?
All I'm saying is read the fine print and make sure you know that it's not really an "insurance" policy. |
grw
Citizen
Username: Grw
Post Number: 423
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Monday, May 15, 2006 - 3:21 pm: |
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Don't forget you need a permit to take the tank out |
Daniel M. Jacobs, PP, AICP
Supporter
Username: Conrail
Post Number: 115
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Monday, May 15, 2006 - 3:52 pm: |
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Sterling Environmental in Livingston was great.
- Daniel |
sportsnut
Citizen
Username: Sportsnut
Post Number: 2415
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Monday, May 15, 2006 - 4:01 pm: |
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NJguy99 - I agree with you about reading the fine print. I was merely pointing out that people should not be afraid to question what these companies are telling them. Read the contract for yourself and don't be bullied into thinking that they won't be covered. |
KRNL
Citizen
Username: Krnl
Post Number: 54
Registered: 9-2005
| | Posted on Monday, May 15, 2006 - 6:19 pm: |
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Replaced our oil furnace a couple of years ago, so we'll stick with oil. Yes, we have the "insurance" so I'm prepared to deal with the "insurance" guys if there are any issues to our "voluntary" removal. Plan to follow the rules as much as is reasonable--but want to reduce the anquish as much as possible by dealing with a removal company that has done a good job for others in the community. |
mjc
Citizen
Username: Mjc
Post Number: 1130
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 16, 2006 - 5:32 pm: |
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Not to highjack KRNL's thread, or dispute VIG's experience about testing, but what to we do with the following situation:
We expect to sell the house in the next few months, therefore want to go ahead and deal with the oil tank issue.
We thought there was a tank under the front yard (same location as our neighbor's, whose house is "same" as ours). Mr. Ianiro came out, checked around. The metal jobby in the lawn, that we thought was the fill cap, only went down about a foot. Apparently it was a flagpole holder or ??
Now, we don't know whether there's a tank somewhere else, or whether the house went straight from coal to gas, who to call to find out, or what evidence we will need to provide in order to sell the house.
Anyone??
thanks!!
MC |
Mergele
Citizen
Username: Mergele
Post Number: 390
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 16, 2006 - 6:25 pm: |
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MC - any of the companies that do tank testing will also do a 'sweep' of the property with a metal detector, and inspect for other signs of previous / abandoned / unidentified tanks. Usually costs in the range of $250. I've had good luck (price, service, etc.) with ATS Environmental. |
Reesa
Citizen
Username: Reesa
Post Number: 129
Registered: 7-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 16, 2006 - 11:26 pm: |
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when we bought our house, the oil tank had been removed, but they left the monster oil burner in the basement. Has anyone ever had one of these removed and if so, by who and how much did it cost? |
mjc
Citizen
Username: Mjc
Post Number: 1132
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 4:44 pm: |
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Mergele, thanks!
Reesa, when Gateway replaced our burner this winter, they sent a demolition guy to remove the old one. I can't remember his name, but I'm sure Gateway could give you his number. The cost was rolled into the cost of the burner replacement, so I'm no help there, but it didn't take him very long. |
Crazy_quilter
Citizen
Username: Crazy_quilter
Post Number: 294
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 8:59 am: |
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woolley removed ours when they replaced our burner this winter. first the asbestos had to be removed...then it took a whole day of slicing it into sections, very noisy. probably depends on how old and big yours is. ours was the origional coal burning one converted to oil. |
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