Click text to read more
Getting Started
Many people have a feeling of uneasiness regarding the presence of an underground oil tank. For individuals seeking to purchase a home they have a well founded fear of being financially liable for any spill. For people selling (or considering selling) they may find the presence of an underground oil tank can translate into less showings and a longer time on the market. The presence of an underground tank is a understandable concern, but a very manageable situation that we deal with every day.
Enviro Clean Oil Tank Services has the people, processes, and proven expertise to be your environmental service provider when you need help the most. We will handle the entire process from start to finish. We will assist you in meeting government regulations while protecting the environment, safeguarding your financial interest, removing environmental liabilities, and aiding in the decision-making process.
Not sure how old the tank is? In the absence of a clear answer assume the tank dates to when the home was constructed.
Pricing
We are often asked if we can provide a price over the phone. We wish it were that simple. There are many factors to consider prior to pricing a job. How much oil is left in the tank, where is the tank located, what is the access to the tank, are there nearby buried utilities that may be in the way, etc. are some of the things we look for when pricing a project. It is our policy to conduct a site visit, prior to providing an estimate, in order to assure our estimate is as accurate as possible. The site visit is FREE and comes with no high pressure “take it or lose it now” sales pitch. After the site visit we will send a detailed written proposal by email, typically within one day, for your review.
Some of our competitors would rather not take the time to conduct a site visit. Many will just provide an unrealistically low number over the phone. Their proposals contains a bunch of “out of scope” costs that are buried in the fine print. Inevitably those extra costs end up making the price higher than was promised. Still other companies will request the client to fill out an online questionnaire to get a quote. Those quotes are never guaranteed and contain subjective questions, such as “describe the access to the site.” Often these customers are told that they didn’t “accurately describe the site conditions” on the day the job is to begin. To start the job the customer will then be asked to sign a “change order” that authorizes higher prices for the “discrepancies.”
Know What’s Below
Enviro-Clean Tank Services utilizes the Dig Safely NY system. The photo below illustrates the importance of conducting a site visit in addition to using Dig Safe NY. When we first heard of this project, we were informed that the tank was in the open with nothing around it.
Looking at the surface of the site, we could immediately see we would be working around the natural gas (NG) service, electric service, and the septic line. The only public utility that would have been marked out by DIG SAFE NY is the natural gas line.
After the tank’s removal, a few additional items not identified by both the homeowner and DIG SAFE NY, was encountered but also was expected due to our advance inspection. See photo below.
- Grounding rod for the electric service
- Natural gas (NG) line
- Septic line
- Oil tank supply and return lines
- Septic line (line cut to allow for removal of tank)
- Footing drain
- Mystery pipe (probably an electric conduit)
- Petroleum contaminated soil
Job Completion
Once hired the next question we are typically asked is “when can you do the job?” Most municipalities will require a building permit be taken out prior to any work being performed. The length of time for the permit to be issued varies from one building department to the next. After the permit is issued we may then need to schedule an inspector to come out the day we do the job to review our work.
Each building department has different inspection schedules so wait times will vary. Although we cannot control the speed with which your permit is issued we can promise that the paperwork will be sent out immediately upon receipt of a signed agreement and deposit.
Concurrently we will file a Dig Safe request while we are waiting on the permit so no time is lost. Upon issuance of the building permit we will schedule the project – typically on a first come – first serve basis.
Communication
We are always available via phone or email. The person who you spoke with is the same person you will deal with during the entire process.
We understand, especially with homes being sold, that there is a myriad of things that the seller and buyer are trying to organize.
Often the tank project ends up being one of the final items that must be done prior to the title transfer.
It is not lost on us that real estate agents, buyers, sellers, attorneys, movers, employers, etc. all have a need to know when the job will be done.
Our Commitment
Our commitment to you is to combine our professional excellence with an innovative, common-sense approach to solving your environmental, and emergency response needs.
Our Brochure
Dig Safe
Note: The presence of any buried utility, especially electric and natural gas, always adds a level of difficulty to any project. Working around these items requires great care. Please keep in mind that not all business insurance is the same. If you hire someone who damages your property, or the utilities servicing it, you will be responsible for the repairs if their insurance does not cover it. Enviro Clean Tank Services carries both professional and pollution liability coverage in order to protect our clients from damages arising from accidents and spills that could occur during the removal process.
Dig Safe Example
Excavation work can begin once the response status for each of the affected utilities is received. Although DIG SAFE advertises a 48 hour response time, it may take longer if an agency doesn’t respond in a timely manner.
