Who Does Soil Testing on Long Island for a Reasonable Price? (Nassau: house, purchase)

[kelloggal]

Hello,

We are about to purchase a home on Long Island with an underground oil tank. The sellers have allowed us to soil test, but I can't find a soil testing company for under $600. I heard there are soil test for $250 but the same firm gave us a quote of $650 ($700 if including tax).

We plan to convert to gas before we move in. Should I still do soil testing? I have a small baby so I worry that if the oil has contaminated the soil, then it might affect the health of our baby (and ours to a lesser extent). I know there is legal requirement to test if we plan to do the oil/gas conversion in Nassau county.

Any advice or suggestion would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

[Elke Mariotti]

Originally Posted by kelloggal

Hello,

We are about to purchase a home on Long Island with an underground oil tank. The sellers have allowed us to soil test, but I can't find a soil testing company for under $600. I heard there are soil test for $250 but the same firm gave us a quote of $650 ($700 if including tax).

We plan to convert to gas before we move in. Should I still do soil testing? I have a small baby so I worry that if the oil has contaminated the soil, then it might affect the health of our baby (and ours to a lesser extent). I know there is legal requirement to test if we plan to do the oil/gas conversion in Nassau county.

Any advice or suggestion would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

According to the County website you currently do NOT have to test for a conversion.

Here's a link to the page on the site:

Nassau County Department of Health

[Kbinspections]

There is no test for $250 that will be worth its salt.

$700 is the correct price for the soil testing.

You are not required to preform any testing by law. You will be responsible for any cotaminated soil if it is leaking.

The risk for your child is extremely low.

My recommendation is to abandon the tank and covert to gas.

Good luck!

[mambwe]

Is there anyway to sell the unused oil? When they properly abandoned the oil tank, house already had gas, the siphoned out like 150 gallons of oil. I don't know long it was sitting there our if that matters, but it may be worth looking into.

[twingles]

do not test....will open huge can of worms possibly.

there are buried tanks all over LI....you need to lose the fear if you are going to live on LI.

there is no testing requirement...that info is wrong.

frankly cant believe the sellers will let you test.

[stevej64]

If you want to test for oil in dirt take a 5 gallon bucket fill half way with dirt then add water.If there is oil in the dirt you will see a film of oil on top of the water.

[Kbinspections]

Originally Posted by stevej64

If you want to test for oil in dirt take a 5 gallon bucket fill half way with dirt then add water.If there is oil in the dirt you will see a film of oil on top of the water.

How do you get the soil from below the tank?

[stevej64]

Ever hear of a post hole digger? Do you guarantee your inspections I will answer for you NO .

[TomMoser]

Originally Posted by stevej64

Ever hear of a post hole digger? Do you guarantee your inspections I will answer for you NO .

Why I'm not on here much anymore. This board has been taken over by jerks.

[nuts2uiam]

Originally Posted by stevej64

Ever hear of a post hole digger? Do you guarantee your inspections I will answer for you NO .

You must have very long arms to get that deep with a phd!