STERLING ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES

Great. The scan done by the buyer indicated 2 areas. One was indicated as a 500 gallon oil tank previously abandoned. The other area was much smaller. We assumed it was a small piece of metal or a tool. Oil tank turned out to be 1500 gallons and the other item was a crushed old water tank. They didn't charge me that much more due to the size of the oil tank and charged me a small fee for the water tank. I knew possible costs upfront.

Everything went off without a hitch! From the initial response to my request for an estimate, to the last shovel of dirt. The office staff and workers were courteous, professional, and responsive. I highly recommend them.

Absolutely great. The price was very fair. My tank was decommissioned 30 years ago. The top was cut off and it was filled with sand. The team arrived on time. They did their best to do the least damage to my lawn and nearby bushes. I had a few extras to pay for because of contaminated water and sand but they kept this to a minimum. The team leaders explained everything they were doing and why as they went along. They had a good rapport with the inspector which helped the whole job go smoothly.

Super! Very professional office staff handled all paper work by email and accepted credit card by phone. They warned me that there would be an oil odor in my basement for a few days, but it would clear up. They arranged township permit and inspection. They scheduled the work so the inspection could be done while they were still here. They removed the oil and tank without spilling a drop, neatly patched the floor and walls where pipes and legs had been, and then waited for the inspector. A few days later, I received email containing receipts for the inspection, disposal of the oil, and disposal of the tank. I wish thast every job were done as well!

Very smooth process. Work was done efficiently and as scheduled.

On the day of the excavation. Donalds crew arrives in 2 pieces. The excavation truck is apparently a few hours away. Well his crew foreman bring the wrong type of saw blade and it takes forever the cut the tank open (Saw blade breaks multiple times). They take the tank, fill the gaping hole in my yard. They take samples and i don't hear from them for another few weeks. At this point i found out the oil tank leaked, my soil is contaminated, and i have to remediate. I eventually hire a better, much more professional and courteous excavation firm. I wasn't going to put up with rude Donald and his clown army who quoted me >$8000 for remediation. This new firm completes the work and provides a NJ certification for a fraction, i mean a fraction of what Donald quoted. So 2 years later, i get an email or a call from Donald asking me to pay him for his soil samples, which we never used. (New firm, had to take their own samples and send to state lab for testing). I inform Donald, i wasn't the owner during the time i was buying and politely provide him the attorney's contacts for the home owner. Another year goes by, i don't hear anything, and i assume its all settled. Well 2weeks ago, i receive another email demanding for a the same bill (I told you these guys were jokers). Long story short, run from these guys. Do not hire, don't make contact, Run the **** away from Sterling. Its not worth the headache, the rudeness from Donald (knows nothing about customer service despite his know-it-all demeanor), or invoices 3years after you thought you'd seen the last of them.

Great service. Job was a little complicated since there was limited exit from the basement. Sterling Environmental cut open the tank, removed the sludge, cut the now empty tank into small pieces for removal. Very efficient, no mess, clean and quick with great pricing.

I was a pure pleasure dealing with Sterling Environmental Services from start to finish. My first contact was with Linda, who answered the phone and transferred my call to Donald. He explained the process in detail and gave me an overview of the charges. We set up an appointment for Gino to come out and inspect the site. He took time to examine it and sit down with us, explained the process and the charges. Some were "flat rate" and others would depend on what the workers found during the removal process. (Suggestion: ask whoever comes out for a ballpark estimate of things like number of drums most likely needed for contaminated waste removal. Be aware that if your tank is foam filled, you will also incur the fee for non-contaminated waste removal. The base rate for tank removal really just covers the time and labor involved in the actual tank removal; the other aspects of the removal are additional.) Once we signed the contract and sent in the deposit, Sterling took care of everything. They arranged to have the utility companies come and mark their lines; obtained the permits and no parking signs (These are separate charges - Sterling pays them and you reimburse Sterling. The actual fees here depend on your town.); coordinated with the town inspector so that all necessary inspections occurred on the day of the removal before the job could be finished; arranged with the town to have the water shut off and then turned back on as needed (This is not necessary with every job, but we needed it because of the location of our water line.) Mike and his team (Arley, Nacho, and Diego) arrived on time (8:00 A.M.) and began work immediately. They took great care in removing our plants, put them aside, and then replaced them at the end of the job. They took great care to protect all areas - our driveway, lawn, and sprinkler system - so that nothing would be damaged. Unexpectedly, our tank was partially under our porch, which necessitated their working very carefully in order to complete all aspects of the job without damage to the tank or our porch. They did so with great effort and not a single complaint or mishap. They also were extremely careful so that we lost only one piece of our path instead of two or three. All work was completed and the entire area was returned to its original appearance by 3:30 P.M. The men cleaned up the entire area beautifully. My husband was able to water the grass and plants as soon as they left. The communication from and with Linda in the office was always courteous, prompt, and accurate. Everyone we dealt with in any way is a wonderful advertisement for Sterling. We are completely satisfied with the job they did and highly recommend this company to anyone in need of similar services.

Sterling Environmental did a great job throughout the entire process of having our foam filled oil tank removed. They clearly explained each step in the process. The office staff did a great job keeping us update on delays caused by the town. Once everything was cleared with the town removal was painless. We would definitely recommend Sterling Environmental.

Work was very efficient. There were delays getting the historic district permit but Sterling finally got Jersey City to come thru. Office staff very pleasant in working out all the details. I was advised of additional required charges for permits and police coverage and having no parking signs installed for their vehicles to have room. All worked out well. Sterling handled all details. Paid half Sterling charge as deposit and balance when job was finish. Given itemized receipt at end of job. Job cost about a third of some other estimates. Their efficiency, know how and having the right equipment enabled them to keep their labor costs to a minimum. The site supervisor was friendly and informative. Also the tank had no leaks. A great blessing.

From the very start of the business negotiations to having my closure letter on time. Everything was perfect! In our negotiations we thought it would of been an oil tank and to our surprise it ended up being a septic tank.(GREAT NEWS!) Really recommend this company if you need to excavate.

Sterling was so helpful and professional. They came and removed everything carefully and promptly. After the inspection by the town was completed, they came and removed everything. The cost was $750 for the 275 Gallon AST removal and $125 for the Permit Procurement. I chose Sterling over the other company because of its great Angie's List reviews and was extremely pleased. Thank you everyone at Sterling Environmental Services!!!!

The Sterling Environmental team was top notch from the first phone call. I needed to have a previously abandoned oil tank removed prior to selling my home. Among the estimates I received for this job, Sterling was the most responsive and competitively priced. Gino was on site within a day to assess the job and provide an estimate (this was the Friday of Labor Day Weekend). As soon as the contract was signed, Sterling managed all necessary paperwork and permits from Metuchen Township and was back on site within two business days of the permit grant. The three man crew arrived on time at 9:30am and the tank was removed by 12:30pm.They were all professional, experienced, and took extra care to contain the excavation. Once the town inspector cleared the removal late that afternoon the hole in the driveway was filled, the site was cleaned, and the tank and contaminated fill were appropriately disposed. During the entire process the administrative staff at Sterling was accessible, responsive, and sent me all documentation by email so I could forward to my attorney to keep the home sale on time. I highly recommend Sterling Environmental.

Great. They cleaned the tank out then cut it up and pulled everything out my basement window. Cleaned up any residual. They came early in the morning and were done before noon. Great job. I even allowed them to put a sign on my lawn to advertise the company. Would definitely recommend this company.

Hands down this is one of the best service providers that I've encountered. Gino, who visited our home twice to discuss the 550-gallon underground oil tank removal gave us all the details and made both my husband and I feel comfortable to move forward with Sterling. On the day of the job, the workers showed up promptly and was extremely professional. Our tank was removed in a matter of hours; I couldn't believe how fast and efficient these guys were. They hauled the tank away and my driveway was filled with and everything was cleared away without any issues. Linda at the office was great to deal with as well; my paperwork was emailed within days. Too bad there isn't an A plus grade, because you all deserve it!!

Quote process was quick and efficient, work crew arrived on specified date and time, worked diligently and were courteous and open to questions and requests. The most time-consuming step seemed to be waiting for the township inspector to appear (he was several hours later than scheduled).

They did a fantastic job! They worked very hard, and were very quiet while working as well. They were upfront about everything including costs right from the start of the job, and explained everything in detail to myself and my wife. They were really professional.

The man who came to the house first seemed knowledgeable and was pretty detailed about what the process entailed. It wasn't too long after we chose them that they did the work. They took care of getting the permits. It was done in one day, and since our tank had holes in it, they took samples and sent them out. They also put the claim in with the DEP. They took the tank, but left us the piece that had the holes in it. They were major ruts in our front yard due to the equipment they brought in. We were going to continue working with them for the soil remediation, but communications stopped, so we called other companies for estimates. When were were told by these companies that Sterling should have given us pictures of the tank, and copies of the permits, we called Sterling, and they emailed them to my husband. So, as tank removal professionals, they were fine, but for soil remediation, we're going with a different company due to their lack of communication.

Great. On time, professional, efficient, nice. Crew of 3 - explained everything, showed me what they were doing, how and shared observations about sludge, condition of old tank. Waited on site for Boro Inspector and walked him and I through the job. Everything passed with compliment about pipeline install from inspector. Clean, courteous - great job. Tested set up and walked me through again to ensure I was comfortable with how newly renovated oil heat system was working. Can't say enough good things.

Sterling were excellent in talking us through what we needed to do in order to get the permit from the town as quickly as possible. As we were in attorney review to sell the house we needed the tank removed as quickly as possible. The space that they worked in was not big enough to stand upright, but instead the two men were bent over dismantling the tank under the enclosed porch. They then put all the parts into the garage until the town could come and inspect the removal. Once the town gave the ok, Sterling promptly returned and removed the tank parts. Linda was very helpful with any questions that I had. I liked the fact that I didn't get an answering machine , but instead spoke directly with her and she seemed to know exactly who I was. I was also given $100 off the price for my coupon from Angie's list so the total came to be $650.

After reading an article in the newspaper about underground storage tanks, We made an appointment with Donald at Sterling to find out IF we had an oil tank on our property. We have never used oil, nor were we aware that the previous owners had ever used oil. Donald sat at our kitchen table and was very personable and knowledgeable about his business. He explained the process of the oil tank removal. A discovery was made that indeed there was a buried oil tank which had to be removed. On June 18, 2012, the 275 gallon tank was removed. In preparation for this removal, the gas and water lines were located and marked by our town. Representatives from the water and gas companies were also present during the dig, which took place beneath our bedroom window. . Shrubbery was removed and the use of heavy backhoe equipment was used . The tank was removed and examined. There were several holes in the tank from corrosion and a powerful oil smell. Over 200 gallons of water and oily sludge was pumped out of the tank and hauled away. Soil samples were taken and put into glass jars. The old tank was put on the side of our home in the front yard and left there for over a year. Also present for the dig was the housing inspector, who gave us a FAILED inspection of our property. I intiated a claim with State Farm homeowner's insurance .This claim required many questions to be asked and answered and lots of paperwork and phone calls from both State Farm and Sterling. . Sterling had to prove that there was 3rd party contamination prior to 2005 for our insurance to cover any costs. In July, we sent certified and notorized copies for grant requests. On July 20th, State Farm DENIED our claim....., however if we can prove, by age analysis of the soil and water that this leak occurred before 2005, we could reopen the claim. Two weeks went by without anyone from Sterling returning our calls . In August, 2012, , Sterling sent us proposals to have the soil and water samples performed. PSE and the water company returned again to paint lines in green and yellow from the street to our home. On August 27th, at 9am, the DEA arrived , unannounced. We were not called in advance and were not prepared for this visit. We were not dressed yet and had 2 cars in the driveway that needed to be moved. The workers needed access into our home to our basement. Heavy equipment was used again for taking the samples, and the results came back a few days later with third party contamination. Several months went by with nobody at Sterling returning any of our phone calls or emails. Five months later, on January 7, 2013, we called State Farm insurance and were informed that Sterling never informed them of the testing results from last August! We decided to make a surprise visit and drive to the Sterling office in Dover, NJ and personally speak to Donald. We got his full attention. Apparently all of our paperwork was neglected and put on the bottom of a huge pile , for which he apologized. One week later, State Farm decided to cover our claim, now that all the paperwork was sent. No activity or progress until Nov 9, 2013, when some men came to our home at 9am, unannounced to dig holes through our basement! Again no courtesy call ahead of time to be prepared to move cars,or get dressed. A PORT A JOHN was deliverd and placed on our front lawn, next to the sidewalk. Nov 18-22 was the beginning of the remediation. We had to reserve a hotel room for 3 nights because our gas, water and electricity had to be cut and disconnected. Our huge crabapple tree was removed. Our paver walkway to the front door was removed. The weight of the huge backhoe ripped up our entire front lawn. Our house was totally supported by steel rods and frames to prevent it from caving in. We were told that there may be some destruction to our property caused by the machinery...however, when they were finished, we had no shrubs, a cracked and broken up driveway, and a hilly, un grassed lawn filled with clay, boulders and rocks. There was No walkway to the front door. My husband had to dig a trench through the dirt just so we could get into the front door. Our front yard was a disaster after the remediation. The port a john stayed on our lawn way past the remediation, and I had to call the company to have it removed.. In April, 2014, FIVE months later the remediation, Sterling asked if we wanted them to do the restoration of our lawn!! After looking at our lawn for 5 months in such a terrible state, we used an independent landscaper so the work would finally get done. The entire process with Sterling took nearly 2 years. I am grateful that the paperwork was completed so that we now have a "no further action needed" certificate from the state of NJ., and can sell our home some day. Our insurance dropped us after this claim, but they were responsible for, and paid every bill for the tests, removal , remediation and restoration of property. However, we paid dearly for this emotionally and stress wise for almost 2 years !! I feel that Sterling knows the business and does the job and necessary paperwork. However, they need to be responsible in returning their customers phone calls, getting paperwork done on time and giving advance calls as to when workers will be arriving. Perhaps they are taking on more work than they can handle.

We contracted Sterling Environmental primarily because of the three service providers that we contacted, they were the only ones who determined that we may have had a 1000 gal in-ground oil tank, i/o the 550 gal tank we were led to believe that we had. They quoted us two prices & when they showed up & it turned out that we did have a 1000 gal tank, they removed the extra oil at no additional charge. Would recommend to others.

We found that we had a 1,000-gallon tank rather than the expected 550-gallon one, and there was a 30-foot magnolia tree growing on top of it. After taking down the tree by another contractor and re-scheduling the tank removal, all went smoothly. Sterling made all necessary arrangements with the local inspectors and made a difficult project go well.

Before proceeding with Sterling, I got three estimates for a 550 gallon oil tank to be removed at our rental property in Secaucus. One company, that had the lowest estimate, gave it to me over the phone, but made no plans to actually look at the property. This did not exactly inspire confidence. Another company which had the highest estimate said they would drive by the property to take a look, but I would not have to be present. Again I was not too pleased with that. Only Sterling actually sent someone out to meet me at the property. His name was Gino and he gave me a detailed description of how the tank would be removed. He answered all my questions on the spot and handed me a copy of their quote and a signed copy of the contract in the event I went with Sterling. He also gave me his cell phone number which I later used to call him with more questions. I had a lot of anxiety about this job from hearing about problems others have had with oil tank removal. Gino was very patient and explained everything to me. I also looked up Sterling on both Angie?s List and the Better Business Bureau and saw that they were highly rated. I called Gino back to tell him I was going with Sterling and he put me in touch with Linda, the office manager, who was also very pleasant and professional. I made a 50% deposit over the phone with Linda, signed and scanned the contract and emailed it to her. Linda sent a copy of the credit card receipt to me promptly and told me she would contact me to schedule the job once town permits were received. The job was scheduled for October 17, 2013 at 8 am. Parking on the street in Secaucus can be a problem, but Sterling arranged with the town to have ?Emergency No Parking? signs posted on the street the night before so there was ample room for their equipment. I arrived at the property at 8 am and 3 guys (Mike, Max and Carlos) from Sterling arrived with 2 trucks and their equipment shortly later. They went to work right away and completed the job a few hours later. A town inspector came by to inspect the tank and the soil before the hole was filled and I was fortunate that there was no contamination and the tank had no holes. These guys worked very hard, were very professional and I was very happy with their work. They cleaned the driveway and street with brooms and a blower and removed the ?No Parking? signs. They never let up until the job was done. I gave them a check for the balance due and they were on their way. The job was completed without a hitch. A couple of days later I received a package from Don, the president: a letter recapping the work performed, an invoice showing ?Paid?, a copy of the waste disposal receipt and a copy of the town approval sticker. The town sent me a certificate of approval a couple of days after that. All this paperwork is very important as we may sell this house in the future and many prospective buyers want proof of satisfactory oil tank removal. I was very pleased to have received it all so quickly. I highly recommend Sterling Environmental Services. It was a pleasure to work with them. Well done.

When they first arrived I asked about a permit. John didn't have a permit in hand, but when he called the office Linda was able to email a copy over to me so that I could see that a permit had been obtained. They were removing the tank from under the sunporch, through a small trap door. It's only about 3.5 feet high in there and one must crouch the whole time. And there is old insulation falling down all over the place; a very tough environment. John and Eric worked fast, or at least it seemed fast to me. The whole tank was out, inspected and in the truck in about 2.5 hours. They removed 30-40 gallons of sludge, cleaned up the fill pipes and removed the line that passed through into the basement. They also sealed the hole where the line to the basement had been. John said that the town inspector gave then a sticker showing a successful completion, and that they need that sticker in order to properly dispose of the tank and the sludge. That and some other paperwork will be mailed to me in about 5 days.