The six jobs that cover the oil-tank problem

Every residential oil-tank situation resolves into some sequence of these six services. Most homeowners need one or two of them, not all six — if you're not sure which, the remove-vs-close calculator sequences them for your situation, and the cost estimator prices the likely path.

• Tank sweep

  A magnetometer scan that finds or rules out a buried tank. $150–$500, and unnecessary if the tank's location is already documented.

• Underground tank removal

  Excavating and pulling the tank, with soil samples from the pit. $1,500–$3,500 with clean soil; difficult access pushes it toward $5,000.

• Aboveground tank removal

  Pumping, cutting, and hauling a basement or outdoor tank. $500–$1,500 — the cheapest job in this trade.

• Soil testing

  Lab analysis of samples pulled around or beneath a tank. $300–$1,000 depending on how many borings and analyses you order.

• Soil remediation

  Digging out and disposing of contaminated soil after a confirmed leak. $3,000–$15,000 for most residential cases; typical jobs land at $8,000–$10,000, severe cases exceed $100,000.

• Tank abandonment (closure in place)

  Cleaning the tank and filling it with inert material instead of removing it. $1,000–$2,500 now, but often a false economy before a sale.

How the matching works

Remove The Tank is not a contractor. When you submit the quote request, we connect you with independent, licensed tank professionals working in your area; they inspect, quote, and perform the work directly, and they — not us — set the prices. The ranges on these pages are 2025–2026 market figures meant to tell you whether a quote is normal, low, or padded, not to promise what your job will cost. State-level differences are real: see the New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania pages for local ranges and agency rules.

Ready to put numbers against your actual property? Request quotes from licensed contractors and compare them against the ranges above.