Oil tank removal, North and West Vancouver
North Shore Oil Tank Removal takes buried home heating oil storage tanks out of the ground across North and West Vancouver: excavation, pump-out, cutting and disposal, a soil check, and the removal record your sale needs.
The short version
A clean removal, where the tank never leaked, usually runs 2,000 to 3,000 and is done in about a day. We excavate the buried steel tank, pump out any residual oil, cut and lift it, haul it for disposal, and sample the soil so you have proof the ground is clean. If oil did escape, we test, quote the cleanup, and remove the contaminated soil to provincial standards. You end up with the documentation buyers, lawyers and insurers ask for.
Why buried oil tanks come out
Plenty of North Shore homes built before the 1970s were heated with oil, from a buried steel tank in the yard feeding an oil furnace. When houses switched to gas, the tank was very often just filled and left in the ground. Decades later that steel is corroding, and a tank that leaks becomes a soil contamination problem that is expensive to ignore.
For a sale, an unaddressed underground storage tank is a deal problem. Most home insurers will not write a policy on a property with a buried oil tank, and buyers and their lawyers want it gone with clean soil confirmed before they close. Removing it is the clean way to clear the issue for good.
What the removal involves
Locate and expose
We confirm the tank position, from a scan or the pipes at the house, and carefully excavate down to it.
Make it safe
Any residual heating oil and sludge is pumped out and taken for proper disposal before the tank is cut.
Cut, lift and haul
The steel tank is cut down, lifted out and hauled off for recycling or disposal.
Test the soil
We take soil samples from the tank pit for lab analysis to confirm there was no leak.
Backfill and document
We backfill and tidy up, and you get the removal record and clean soil confirmation for your files.
If the tank leaked
Sometimes the soil around a tank shows hydrocarbon contamination. When that happens, the contaminated soil has to be dug out and disposed of at an approved facility, and the cleanup is documented by a qualified environmental professional to meet BC's Environmental Management Act and Contaminated Sites Regulation standards. We handle that work and tell you the cost before we start it. See soil remediation for how that goes.
Permits and the municipalities
The three North Shore municipalities no longer run their own oil-tank removal permit. The work is governed by the BC Fire Code and provincial rules, with soil handled by your environmental professional. Requirements still differ in the details, so check the page for your municipality: District of North Vancouver, City of North Vancouver or West Vancouver. We handle whatever applies to your address.
Oil tank removal FAQs
How much does it cost to remove a buried oil tank?
A clean removal, where the tank never leaked, usually runs 2,000 to 3,000 on the North Shore. The price moves with access, depth and how much soil has to be moved. If the tank leaked, the cost of removing contaminated soil is quoted after testing. We give you a fixed removal price up front.
How long does an oil tank removal take?
The removal itself is usually a single day. Add a few days around it for booking, the soil samples going to the lab, and results. A contaminated site takes longer, depending on how much soil has to come out.
Will you put the yard back?
Yes. We backfill the excavation and leave the area tidy. We will talk through the finish, since landscaping, patios or driveways over the tank can affect access and reinstatement.
What do I get at the end for my home sale?
You get a record of the removal and the soil results confirming the ground is clean. That is what buyers, their lawyers and home insurers look for. If soil work was needed, a qualified environmental professional documents the cleanup to provincial standards.
Ready to get the tank out?
Send the address and we will give you a fixed-price removal quote and the next available date.