About us
Business highlights
25 years of trusted experience
Services we offer
Services we don't offer
Amenities
Free Estimates
YesSenior Discount
yes
Accepted payment methods
Photos of past projects
Reviews
4.773 Reviews
Showing 51-73 of 73 reviews
Lisa C.
06/2017
excavators
+ -1 moreNo problems
Description of Work: Oil tank hand dig
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$700
Michael L.
05/2017
excavators
+ -1 more.
Description of Work: .
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$1,400
Pat M.
12/2016
excavators, hauling services, mulch
+ 1 moreWe were 100% satisfied
Description of Work: Underground oil tank removed
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$1,600
Davis O.
08/2016
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Description of Work: .
| Rating Category | Rating out of 5 |
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Yes, I recommend this pro
John H.
06/2016
heating oil companies, excavators
+ 0 moreunknown
Description of Work: Removed an existing underground fuel oil storage tank, and installed a new tank. Arranged for all inspections, backfilled hole from tank, and removed all materials from site. Sterling made all arrangements, arrived on time, and completed work as stated. Work was done in a professional & courteous manner. We were very happy with the service performed, and would be happy to work with Sterling again.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$5,500
Kurt S.
05/2016
excavators
+ -1 moreunknown
Description of Work: They removed a 1000 gallon oil tank from front yard. When first evaluated thought it was the smaller size, but upon digging it up found it was the larger.I was told mats would be put down and the lawn protected. They put them down, but towards the end of the work there was so much dirt piled up they drove over a small part of unprotected lawn. |The work was done efficiently and finished on time. |I would suggest that turf be cut out first, piled on a protected area, then start the rest of the excavation and replace them when finished. |I wouldn't use the provider again because, fortunately, I have no more oil tanks to get rid of!
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$4,100
David T.
05/2016
excavators
+ -1 moreunknown
Description of Work: Removed an above ground storage tank . Very prompt , thorough and professional. highly recommend !
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$650
Kirk M.
04/2016
excavators
+ -1 moreunknown
Description of Work: They removed oil tank. Did a good job.
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$700
Gordon S.
02/2016
excavators
+ -1 moreunknown
Description of Work: They dug up an old oil tank in my front yard.
| Rating Category | Rating out of 5 |
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$1,200
Kathryn M.
10/2015
excavators
+ -1 more.
Description of Work: .
| Rating Category | Rating out of 5 |
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$600
Michael U.
10/2014
excavators
+ -1 moreunknown
Description of Work: Removal of below ground oil tank. Entire process was excellent from first contact through to removal and cleanup. The staff we spoke with were very informative, polite and professional. There were no surprises and we were fortunate that the tank was unearthed intact with no leaks! We would recommend Sterling with our hesitation.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$1,400
Reathel B.
08/2014
excavators
+ -1 moreunknown
Description of Work: removed oil tank and quickly. It was cut into 3 pieces to get it out of the basement.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$725
Leo M.
08/2013
excavators
+ -1 moreFew things in life are as scary as an oil tank removal, horror stories abound. Once you realize that you are completely at the mercy of the contractor/soil tester and city inspector it really becomes frightening. I grew up in NJ and the oil tank removal mandated by the state had contractor scam written all over it. I am glad to say that Don and Linda my contacts at Sterling were wonderful. Service was provided quickly and efficiently with Don keeping me abreast of what was going on. Simply put, Sterling said what was going to happen, when and what the potential outcomes would be. I can deal with that. I handled the entire process by phone from Georgia without incident. I also told Don & Linda that my 94 year old mother was in the house and they were entirely sensitive to that fact....another great relief. In conclusion, maybe I got lucky with Sterling, but I feel that if you want a honest contractor that has good crew call Don at Sterling for a fair shake. Note; Many thanks to Joe who processed the claim with the state/city and made sure I received my " No Further Action Required', the Holy Grail of the oil tank removal process.
Description of Work: Removed 550 gal oil tank and processed all paperwork with the NJ Environmental Services and the town of Verona.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$7,500
Suzanne B.
08/2013
excavators, hauling services, mulch
+ 1 moreGino came to give me the estimate in person with a detailed breakdown of 3 possible scenarios and how each would affect pricing. He answered all my questions and concerns and assured me that 99% of the time all the work is done same day. I will shortly be putting my house on the market so I wanted this taken care of quickly. I expected it to take at least 2 weeks to secure the needed permits but they had the permit and appointment set up within a week. The tank was removed and thankfully there was no contamination outside the tank. They removed 75 gallons of oily water and a small amount of contaminated soil from inside the tank. They showed up right on time, had an appointment with the town inspector at 11 am with the good news that there were no holes in the tank. They were as good as their word and the land was back filled within a few hours. I had all the closure paperwork within the next week. I would gladly recommend them to anyone.
Description of Work: Removed previously decommissioned oil tank from my property.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$2,500
Claudia B.
07/2013
excavators, hauling services, mulch
+ 1 moreWhen my husband and I sold our home in Chatham we had a very unpleasant suprise. An oil tank had been buried in our yard and, apparently, leaking since 1990. I contacted several suppliers who could take out the tank, etc., and selected Sterling Environmental. Don, the owner, is a very nice person. He arrived when he said he would, gave a reasonable estimate, which he stuck to, and completed the work rapidly and efficiently. Because we were in jeopardy of losing our House Buyer he prepared the state DEP report extra rapidly and gave me the excellent advice to hand deliver the report to Trenton with a box of cookies. I had my clearance within 48 hours of delivery. The final bit of business involves sending in a request for financial relief from the state. Hopefully that will progress as nicely as the rest of the procedure. If you decide to go with Don and his company, be sure to get his cell phone number and use his direct email. Messages left in the office have a way of not being answered. Aside from that minor frustration, he was about the best I could hope for, in a really unpleasant circumstance. Over all, excellent.
Description of Work: Removed the leaking oil tank in our yard, remediated the soil, prepared the DEP report for the state.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$17,000
john G.
06/2013
excavators
+ -1 morefine
Description of Work: Got an estimate from the company for heating oil tank removal; they responded very quickly & sent a technician out to the property & came back with a reasonable estimate very quickly. Although it turned out that we did not need their services I would recommend this company for what contact we did have with them. I live out of state & thus had no face to face with them
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Sarah S.
12/2012
excavators
+ -1 moreThe owner came to give me an estimate. He quoted the lowest price I had received and answered all my many questions. One company had tried to tell me that the tank would have to be filled with pebbles after it was excavated and several others told me that I could repave my driveway immediately which I learned was not a good idea. He explained the process stating that they had to get the needed permits from the town first before the excavation could be scheduled. He didn't pressure me at all. It took a couple of weeks for them to get the permits and they made sure the town inspector could come on the day of the excavation to see that the removed tank was intact so they could take it away with them. The excavation was done well, quickly and the hole was filled in. The owner suggested that I wait for a year or most of one to let the ground freeze,thaw and warm up before repaving the area which I will do.
Description of Work: I had an unused oil tank that needed to be excavated.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$1,500
Derek B.
11/2012
excavators
+ -1 moreI was extremely happy with Sterling Environmental. They responded to my email inquiry very quickly on their website and quoted me a price for the job over the phone that day, which they promised to adhere to even if the job was bigger than estimated. I had them remove a very old oil tank that had been taking up space in our basement and was about half full of oil. Within two weeks (and amid our town being without power during Hurricane Sandy for part of that) they handled all the permits with the town and came out to remove the tank. Everyone I dealt with, from Donald on the phone, Linda in the office, to the crew that came out to do the job was extremely professional. The arrived on time and within a little over two hours they had pumped out the tank, cleaned it and removed it, leaving no mess whatsoever. They coordinated with the town inspector to come sign off on the job while they were here and returned later in the afternoon to remove the barrels of oil and sludge they drained out of the tank. In looking at my driveway, there are more oil stains under my wife's car than there are anywhere that the crew from Sterling performed their work. While I hope to never have to have a house with an oil tank ever again, should the need arise to remove it I will only consider Sterling Environmental for the job.
Description of Work: Removal of an above ground oil tank.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$700
Kummy Ka-Man W.
08/2012
excavators
+ -1 moreI needed oil tank removal and Sterling gave a written, fairly reasonable price quote for the oil tank removal. Sterling was quick in securing the necessary mark-outs and town permits for the excavation. No complaints on this. The crew came as scheduled. It was discovered that it was a septic tank instead of an oil tank. The crew changed from
Description of Work: Oil tank removal. After excavating, it was discovered that it was a septic tank instead of an oil tank. The septic tank was then abandoned per building code.
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$3,400
carolyn S.
07/2012
excavators
+ -1 moreDo get your oil tank removed professionally way before you plan on moving! Do not try to remove the tank yourself or fill the tank in with sand. Do educate yourself with Sterling's newsletter and internet information.
Description of Work: Before work began, Gino arrived at our home and discussed in detail the process of the oil tank excavation,and possibility of leaks and the effective ways of clean up if an oil leak was confirmed. We gave a deposit and set up an excavation date. Gino arrived with his 3 man staff and heavy equiptment to remove the buried oil tank. Our bushes were removed and boards were placed on the ground for the dirt to be removed. The gas and water lines were outlined previous to the digging and all permits were in place. Hand shoveling began the process to local the exact location. Then the heavy equiptment gently and efficiently removed the first few layers of dirt. When the tank was located, it was brushed off with a broom to see if there were any holes or leaks, of which there were. Then the top of the tank was cut open and any oil and water remaining in the tank was pumped out. They pumped about over 200 gallons of water and oil. One of the men put on protective boots and clothing and actually stood inside the tank to remove any remaining debris from the bottom of the tank. The tank was lifted from the earth with a back hoe , put aside, brushed off and every hole was spray painted with florescent pain with our name written on the tank. The tank was put on the side of the property and covered up with dark plastic ( where it still remains over a month later). Dirt and water samples were taken by Sterling and placed into glass jars. The town inspector arrived and gave us a "failed inspection" notice. Since we obviouly had an oil leak from this tank, buried on our property, which we never used or knew we even had, we were advised by Sterling to call our home owners insurance to open a claim. Sterling followed up by sending DPE forms to us to apply for grants for funding of clean up.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$2,300
Kathleen M.
05/2012
excavators
+ -1 moreThey came to give an estimate when they said they would. The owner spent a good deal of time explaining what would happen and when it would happen. He also was honest about what might have to happen if there was a leak.Then they sent a contract and after I signed it they got the necessary permits.We set a date for the removal and the re-install. They were there on time, did everything they said they would and cleaned up after they were done.They were very professional throughout the entire process. Their office staff is very helpful and professional too.
Description of Work: They removed an underground oil tank. Then installed a new oil tank in my garage. They got all the necessary permits from the town and ensured that I had all the certificates showing that there was no leakage. They removed everything and carted it away.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$4,158
Roland H.
10/2011
excavators
+ -1 moreUnlike most other contractors contacted for this project the principle, Don, did a detailed site survey and spent time discussing the scope of work as well as any possible follow up that would be necessary should a leak be detected upon tank removal.This was important as the removal was only the first possible step in a significant project should leakage be detected. The three man crew arrived as scheduled. They drained the tank of any remaininjg oil, excavated to the top and cut it open. They completely cleaned the interior of all residue and removed the secondary fill pipe and supply lines to the house. All lines inside the home were removed with care taken to avoid any leaks. All points where lines were removed from a wall were patched as required. The ground outside was covered for dirt excavation, wood was used to protect the lawn from the backhoe, and care was taken to minimize disruption of the landscaping. The hole left from removing the tank was filled in with clean dirt and compacted to just above grade. The job took 4-5 hours. There were no leaks found so the job was over. The required paperwork package arrived shortly afterwards and included all relevant documants attesting to the successful tank removal.
Description of Work: Removal of 550 gal. underground oil tank. Removal of all associated piping both outside and inside of the home. Repair of all access points for pipe removal. Filling of excavation and compaction to grade.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$1,500
MARCY A.
07/2007
excavators
+ -1 moreThe price listed includes all the fees for the soil testing, removal of the old tank, installation of the new oil tank, permitting fees and $500 for the insurance guy to stand around and watch the process. They did a terrible job, ruined my driveway with the backhoe putting the dirt back in, destroyed my lawn completely and left way too much top soil piled up. I will now have to pay to have all these other things repaired as well. There are people going bankrupt because of this and I have been writing letters to government officials regarding the new regulation that was passed 8 years ago requiring this type of thing to go on. We weren't even allowed to choose our own excavator to do the work correctly.
Description of Work: They removed an underground oil tank from the yard at my house and replaced it with a new one. Many people do not know that in New Jersey, many of the tanks have been in the ground for 80 years and are vulnerable to age. This leaves the home owner liable for any leaks and contamination that may occur in the soil or water caused by a leak. The insurance company has a list of approved contractors who can do this kind of work and they really have you over a barrel.
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$7,900
Response from STERLING ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
Contact information
25 Walden Pl, West Caldwell, NJ 07006
http://www.sterlingenviro.comService hours
Monday:
8:00 AM - 5:00 PMTuesday:
8:00 AM - 5:00 PMWednesday:
8:00 AM - 5:00 PMThursday:
8:00 AM - 5:00 PMFriday:
8:00 AM - 5:00 PMLicensing
Bonded
Insured
Licensed*
Trade License Number
13VH06494400
Trade License Locale
NJ
Trade License Authority
New Jersey Division Of Consumer Affairs
Trade License Expiration
03/31/2026
State Contractor License Requirements
All statements concerning insurance, licenses, and bonds are informational only, and are self-reported. Since insurance, licenses and bonds can expire and can be cancelled, homeowners should always check such information for themselves. To find more licensing information for your state, visit our State Contractor License Requirements page.
*Contact business to see additional licenses.
Service Categories
Excavating,
Heating Oil,
Hauling,
Biohazard Remediation,
Mulch and Topsoil,
Home inspection,
Heating and Air Conditioning,
Septic Systems
FAQ
STERLING ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES is currently rated 4.7 overall out of 5.
Monday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
STERLING ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES accepts the following forms of payment: American Express,Check,Discover,MasterCard,Visa
Yes, STERLING ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES offers free project estimates.
No, STERLING ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES does not offer eco-friendly accreditations.
No, STERLING ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES does not offer a senior discount.
No, STERLING ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES does not offer emergency services.
No, STERLING ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES does not offer warranties.
STERLING ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES offers the following services: Removal of underground and above-ground oil tanks. Tank installation. Contaminated soil remediation. Tank testing and soil testing. Tank location and site investigation services. Environmental consulting. Excavating and demolition services.
Radon, asbestos, or mold remediation.
Contact information
25 Walden Pl, West Caldwell, NJ 07006
http://www.sterlingenviro.comService hours
Monday:
8:00 AM - 5:00 PMTuesday:
8:00 AM - 5:00 PMWednesday:
8:00 AM - 5:00 PMThursday:
8:00 AM - 5:00 PMFriday:
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM